[HOWTO] Sharing files with vsftpd ftp server

[merinda]

Vsftpd is the most easy ftp server to setup.

Installing vsftpd:

sudo apt-get install vsftpd

The configuration file for vsftpd is located in /etc/vsftpd.conf. The default configuration is a little bit paranoid, not so usable for file sharing. So use this configuration instead:

# Put in /etc/vsftpd.conf
# Don't forget to change samurai into your local username
listen=YES
anonymous_enable=YES
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
anon_upload_enable=YES
anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
dirmessage_enable=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
chown_uploads=YES
chown_username=samurai
ftpd_banner=Welcome to blah FTP service.
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd
pam_service_name=vsftpd
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/vsftpd.pem
anon_root=/home/ftp

Don't forget to backup before you use this configuration.

sudo cp /etc/vsftpd.conf /root/

Now we must make writable directory for anonymous user.

cd /home/ftp
sudo mkdir opendir
sudo chmod 777 opendir/

Ok, I explain this. In my local system, I have user named 'samurai'. With this configuration, I can log into ftp server with local user, that is 'samurai'. 'samurai' can go anywhere, create files, delete files, etc as long as he has sufficient permission.

With this configuration I can log into ftp server with anonymous user ( without username and password ). After logging in, the anonymous user jailed in /home/ftp directory ( pointed by anon_root ). I can't go outside. I can download files from /home/ftp directory but not create, delete anything from this directory. But I can write and delete files in opendir. If I write files in opendir or upload files in opendir, the files automatically belong to 'samurai' user.

To run this server:

sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd start

To stop it:

sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd stop

To restart it:

sudo /etc/init.d/vsftpd restart

Now it is usable for file sharing, right?!!!!

[Ozitraveller]

Is is necessary to make any changes to /etc/inetd/inetd.conf?

e.g
ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/vsftpd

[merinda]

I use vsftpd here as standalone daemon so I don't touch inetd.conf.

Before configuring vsftpd itself, you must decide whether to run it as a standalone dæmon or by way of a super-server, inetd or xinetd. In previous versions of vsftpd, its developer recommended using it with xinetd due to xinetd's logging and access-control features. However, vsftpd versions 1.2 and later have native support for most of those features. For this reason, Evans now recommends that vsftpd be run as a standalone dæmon. In addition, a performance cost is associated with using inetd or xinetd. The cost isn't warranted if your system is to be a dedicated FTP server or if you anticipate FTP comprising a significant percentage of your system's activity.

[Ozitraveller]

I use vsftpd here as standalone daemon so I don't touch inetd.conf.

Before configuring vsftpd itself, you must decide whether to run it as a standalone dæmon or by way of a super-server, inetd or xinetd. In previous versions of vsftpd, its developer recommended using it with xinetd due to xinetd's logging and access-control features. However, vsftpd versions 1.2 and later have native support for most of those features. For this reason, Evans now recommends that vsftpd be run as a standalone dæmon. In addition, a performance cost is associated with using inetd or xinetd. The cost isn't warranted if your system is to be a dedicated FTP server or if you anticipate FTP comprising a significant percentage of your system's activity.

Thanks Merinda.

I was surprised at how simple it was to install and setup! <5mins!!

In the long run it could be a standalone server, but at the moment I'm just trying things out.

Would it be possible to add some example upload and down ftp session output to this howto?

[Nano]

I wouldn't suggest to set write_enable=YES unless you explain people what it does.

[merinda]

I wouldn't suggest to set write_enable=YES unless you explain people what it does.

He he, I should have to write that this is for sharing files where you can read and write. As I remembered, the default configuration can get you share files with people, only it's very limited. Only anonymous.

Would it be possible to add some example upload and down ftp session output to this howto?

I don't understand your statement.

[GuruMadMat]

i get this error

    SmartFTP v1.5.990.26
    Resolving host name "192.168.2.100"
    Connecting to 192.168.2.100 Port: 21
    Connected to 192.168.2.100.
220 Welcome to blah FTP service.
    USER anonymous
331 Please specify the password.
    PASS (hidden)
500 OOPS: vsftpd: refusing to run with writable anonymous root
500 OOPS: child died
    Cannot login waiting to retry (30s)...
    Server closed connection

and my conf file is this

listen=YES
anonymous_enable=YES
local_enable=YES
write_enable=YES
anon_upload_enable=YES
anon_mkdir_write_enable=YES
dirmessage_enable=YES
xferlog_enable=YES
connect_from_port_20=YES
chown_uploads=YES
chown_username=gurumadmat
ftpd_banner=Welcome to blah FTP service.
secure_chroot_dir=/var/run/vsftpd
pam_service_name=vsftpd
rsa_cert_file=/etc/ssl/certs/vsftpd.pem
anon_root=/var/www

can someone make me a good config file?
i want to log on from anywhere with my local username and password

and how do i change the port to 25001 ?

[bierpullen]

Thanks
This is great !!!
Works !!!! =D>

------------------------------------------


Acer laptop 1522, 528mb, AMD 64 3000, 64mb Nvidia.
http://www.antarctica-rbak.nl/ubuntu

[Phrostay]

This was an awesome guide!!! I had so much trouble with proftpd & was pulling my hair out, all I wanted to do was share files & samba wasn't very happy with my macintosh. vsftpd was working in minutes . However I have a iMac G5. Using the finder to connect to my Ubuntu machine (Command K) it mounts in NFS format and I cannot place files into the Ubuntu FTP directory even though I issued a "chmod 777". The only way for me to access the Ubuntu machine is through Transmit an FTP client for Mac OS X. I'm at a loss but thanks for this great guide anyway.

[ruffneck]

This is a nice little guide. I've been using vsftpd for sometime now myself and I like it.

One thing I will mention is that if you want to share with people not on your local network i.e. someone over the internet (a friend etc.), you would have to forward ports 20-21 through your router (if you have one) and then open up those ports on your ubuntu box to recieve the connection. A safer way (not taking into consideration ip spoofing) is to get the ip address of the friend and only allow incoming connections on the above said ports from that paritcular ip.