FTP Server Question

[jajtii]

Apps Tried so Far : vsftpd and pure-ftp
Install : Fedora Core 4

I have just installed Linux on a dev box and brought a basic web server online. Basically, I have enabled PHP, MySQL and an SSH server on the box.

Now, I want to setup an FTP server to push files to and from the box. Basically, I work all day long and don't feel like sitting in front of the screen of this server after work while I am playing with/learning Linux. I want to chill on my sofa and hit the box with a wireless laptop.

I have no problem connecting through SSH, but the FTP thing is driving me crazy. It connects fine, but restricts me to a 'home directory' (/home/jajtii')

I want to be able to move files to and from the entire box. I want to be able to break the thing, monkey around with it and do whatever while I explore Linux.

I have already, with the above packages, tried setting various directories to 777, but the FTP Server has some filter which won't let me write to those locations.

I am right now exploring creating a symlink in my home directory to the /var/www/html directory, but seem to still be getting issues.

Is there a basic FTP server out there that will let me do what I want? Is there a setting in Linux FC 4 that I need to change?

Thanks in advance for you assistance.

jt

[cybertron]

Two things, first: if you have SSH running you've already got SFTP going (which is just a secure version of FTP) that will let you anywhere on your box. You can also use SCP to copy files to a remote location.

Second: it sounds like both FTP servers are probably putting you into a chroot after you log in. For vsftpd the place to turn this setting off is in /etc/vsftpd.conf and is called chroot_local_user. Pure-ftp likely has a similar setting in its config file.

[je_fro]

yeah, you're chrooted. have a look in the config for whatever server you're running...perhaps login as root if you really want to break stuff...

[jajtii]

Thanks for the replies.

Actually, it does not bother me where the box defaults me to when I first login via ftp (as I can navigate back to the root directory '/' anyway.) The problem is that I can only upload files to my home directory (I cannot upload them elsewhere.)

The problem is that I want to be able to upload to other places. In fact, oddly enough, if I even navigate (through FTP) to my VAR dir (where the html stuff is), I don't see ANYTHING (not even Read access WITHIN this directory, although clearly I can see the VAR dir from the root dir.)

Dropping in through SSH, I see everything fine (with the exact user permissions that I have set.)

Something is going on, either at an FTP level or with Fedora Core. For now, I will use the advice above and try sFTP.

Anymore tips would be appreciated.

[cybertron]

If you can navigate to / then you're not chrooted. Are you logging in as root like je_fro mentioned? If not you won't be able to upload to those directories anyway because you don't (shouldn't anyway) have permission as a regular user.

[mmills]

if you are building a machine that will do basically ftp, dns, and https or web hosting, you might try http://bluequartz.org I built ns1 & ns2 at work with this application and it works great, a real nice web interface for all administration purposes. It uses fedora server as the distro base.

matt

[dkeav]

your vsftp problems are caused by selinux in fedora

its not properly configured, disable selinux and your problems will probably go away

[jajtii]

Dkeav,

You would be 'the MAN!'

thanks for that. Fixed me up right on the money. Once I get a better feeling for this OS, I'll revisit that security layer of roles and try to figure out how to configure it so that I can have it running and do what I want. But, you have answered my immediate need.

Thanks again.

[dkeav]

i think those redhat boys through that in there to be a "feature" for their new security campaign they are trying to run, but as usual the miffed it up

but thats what you fedora users are for, get the kinks out so they can turn a profit from the finished product you churn out