Home Technology Linux

How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux

This wikiHow article will show you how to set up and connect to an FTP server from your Ubuntu Linux computer. FTP servers are useful for storing files from your computer and allowing others to browse them. In order to set up an FTP server...

Part 1 of 4:

Installing the FTP Framework

  1. images 1 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 1 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Make sure that Ubuntu is up-to-date. Ubuntu versions 17.10 and up have vastly different file paths than previous versions, so you'll need to upgrade to the latest version of Ubuntu if you haven't already done so:[1]
    1. Open Terminal
    2. Type in sudo apt-get upgrade and press ↵ Enter.
    3. Type in your password and press ↵ Enter.
    4. Type in y when prompted, then press ↵ Enter.
    5. Wait for the upgrades to finish installing, then restart your computer if prompted.
  2. images 2 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 2 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Open Terminal. Click the Applications menu ⋮⋮⋮, scroll down, and click the black-and-white Terminal icon to do so.
    1. You can also just press Alt+Ctrl+T to open Terminal.
  3. images 3 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 3 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Enter the VSFTPD install command. Type sudo apt-get install vsftpd into Terminal, then press ↵ Enter.
  4. images 4 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 4 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Enter your password. Type in the password that you use to log into your computer, then press ↵ Enter.
  5. images 5 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 5 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Wait for VSFTPD to install. This will take anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on your current FTP settings and your Internet connection, so be patient.
  6. images 6 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 6 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Install FileZilla. This is the program that you'll use to access and upload to your server. To install it:
    1. Type in sudo apt-get install filezilla
    2. Enter your password again if prompted.
    3. Wait for the installation to complete.
Part 2 of 4:

Configuring the FTP Server

  1. images 7 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 7 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Open the VSFTPD configuration file. Type in sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.conf and press ↵ Enter. You'll be editing this file to allow (or disable) certain VSFTPD features.
  2. images 8 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 8 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Allow local users to log into your FTP server. Use the arrow keys to scroll down to the # Uncomment this to allow local users to log in. heading, then remove the "#" from the local_enable=YES line below it.[2]
    1. You can remove the "#" by using the arrow keys to select the letter in front of it (in this case, "l") and pressing the ← Backspace key.
    2. Skip this step if the local_enable=YES line is already white.
  3. images 9 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 9 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Allow FTP write commands. Scroll down to the # Uncomment this to enable any form of FTP write command. heading, then remove the "#" from the write_enable=YES line below it.
    1. Skip this step if write_enable=YES is already white.
  4. images 10 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 10 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Disable ASCII mangling. Scroll all the way down to the # ASCII mangling is a horrible feature of the protocol. heading, then remove the "#" from the following two lines:
    1. ascii_upload_enable=YES
    2. ascii_download_enable=YES
  5. images 11 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 11 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Change the "chroot" settings. Scroll down to the # chroot) heading, then add the following lines:
    1. user_sub_token=$USER
    2. chroot_local_user=YES
    3. chroot_list_enable=YES
    4. If any of these lines already exist, simply remove the "#" before each existing line.
  6. images 12 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 12 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Change the default "chroot" settings. Scroll down to the (default follows) heading, then add the following lines:
    1. chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list
    2. local_root=/home/$USER/Public_html
    3. allow_writeable_chroot=YES
    4. If any of these lines already exist, simply remove the "#" before each existing line.
  7. images 13 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 13 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Enable the "ls recurse" option. Scroll down to the # You may activate the "-R" option... heading, then remove the "#" from the ls_recurse_enable=YES line below it.
  8. images 14 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 14 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Save and exit the text editor. To do so:
    1. Press Ctrl+X
    2. Type y
    3. Press ↵ Enter
Part 3 of 4:

Adding Usernames to the CHROOT List

  1. images 15 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 15 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Open the "chroot" text file. Type in sudo nano /etc/vsftpd.chroot_list and press ↵ Enter.
    1. You can skip to the last step in this part if you don't want to specify people who can access your FTP server.
  2. images 16 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 16 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Enter your password. Type in the password that you use to log into Ubuntu and press ↵ Enter. This will open the "chroot" text file.
    1. Skip this step if not asked for your password.
  3. images 17 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 17 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Add usernames to the list. Type in your own username, press ↵ Enter, and repeat with any other usernames of people whom you want to have access their Home directories from within your server.
  4. images 18 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 18 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Save your list. Press Ctrl+X, type in y, and press ↵ Enter. Your list will be saved.
  5. images 19 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 19 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Restart VSFTPD. Type in sudo systemctl restart vsftpd and press ↵ Enter. This will stop and restart VSFTPD, ensuring that your changes have been saved. You can now access your FTP server.[3]
Part 4 of 4:

Accessing Your Server

  1. images 20 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 20 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Determine your server's address. If you're paying for an FTP server through a hosting service (e.g., Bluehost), you'll need to know the service's IP address or regular address in order to connect to it.[4]
    1. If you're hosting your own server from your computer, you'll use your computer's IP address, which you can figure out by entering ifconfig in Terminal and then reviewing the "inet addr" number.
      1. If "ifconfig" isn't installed, you can install it by entering sudo apt-get install net-tools in Terminal.
  2. images 21 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 21 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Forward a port on your router. Once you know your server's IP address, you'll need to forward your router's port 21 slot to that address; make sure that the port uses TCP (not UDP or a mixture of the two).
    1. Port forwarding varies from router to router, so be sure to check the linked article or your router's documentation for instructions.
  3. images 22 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 22 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Open Filezilla. Type filezilla into Terminal and press ↵ Enter. After a moment, FileZilla will open.
    1. If you want to connect via Terminal, you can try typing in ftp [address]. As long as your server is running and you have Internet access, this will attempt to connect to your FTP server; however, you may not be able to transfer files.
  4. images 23 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 23 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Click File. It's in the top-left corner of the FileZilla window. Doing so prompts a drop-down menu.
  5. images 24 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 24 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Click Site Manager…. You'll find this option in the drop-down menu. The Site Manager window will open.
  6. images 25 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 25 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Click New Site. It's a white button in the lower-left side of the window. Doing so opens the New Site section of the Site Manager.
  7. images 26 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 26 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Enter your server's address. In the "Host:" text field, type in the address (or IP address) of the FTP server to which you want to connect.[5]
  8. images 27 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 27 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Add the forwarded port number. Type 21 into the "Port:" text field.
  9. images 28 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 28 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Click Connect. It's a red button at the bottom of the page. Doing so will prompt FileZilla to connect your computer to your FTP server.
  10. images 29 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Images 29 of How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux
    Move files onto the server. You can click and drag folders from the left-hand window into the right-hand window to upload them to your FTP server page.
4.3 ★ | 3 Vote
« PREV : How to Format a USB...
How to Open a... : NEXT »
Read More
Maybe you are interested