vsFTP Server Installation

 

  1. You will need to install the vsFTP server on the Linux 9.0 server.  You can do this either during initial installation, or afterwords by clicking on The RedHat Icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen, and go to System Settings > Add/Remove Applications.  This menu is shown in Figure 2.3.

 

Figure 2.3

 

  1. After you open the Add/Remove Applications screen, scroll down until you see the option for FTP Server (1/1) and make sure there is a check mark beside that option. 
  2. Click the Update button after you have put a check in the box beside FTP Server.
  3. Next, you will need to edit the vsftpd server configuration file (located in /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf). 
  4. You MAY (this is OPTIONAL) want to uncomment the following two lines (lines 91 & 93 in my vsftp.conf file).  These lines will allow you to create a user (mainly for the system administrator) that has access to other directories on the server and is not locked in to the home directory:

 

chroot_list_enable=YES

chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list

 

  1. Add the following lines to the main configuration file (/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf):

 

chroot_local_user=YES

# The following lines will enable PASV mode

pasv_enable=YES

pasv_min_port=62000

pasv_max_port=64000

pasv_promiscuous=YES

 

  1. This will lock the users in their home directories (/home/user_name/).  Save and quit the vi text editor.  You can download a sample vsftpd.conf file here. 
  2. If you chose to complete step 5, you will need to create & edit the /etc/vsftpd.chroot_list file.  In the file, simply add the username that you want to exclude from the home directory lock.  For example, if I want to lock every user in their home directory except for user your_adm_user_name, the /etc/vsftpd.chroot_list file would look like this:

 

your_adm_user_name

 

  1. Then restart the vsftpd server by typing the following at the command prompt:

 

[root@localhost /]# service vsftpd restart

 

  1. Add a new user for the administrator to have FTP to the server (replace your_adm_user_name with any user name you wish, except root).  The –G option will put in you in the adm, ftp, apache, & root groups. The FTP server will not allowed FTP access for user root by default (for security reasons).

 

[root@localhost /]# adduser –G adm,ftp,apache,root your_adm_user_name

 

  1. Next, you will need to change your password for the admin user you just created.  

 

[root@localhost /]# passwd your_adm_user_name

 

  1. You can test your server by going to a different computer and FTP to the I.P. Address of your Linux server.  Use your_adm_user_name and password to log in.  If you have problems, check your firewall configuration and double-check that incoming FTP access is allowed.
  2. To check the firewall configuration, click on the RedHat icon in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen and go to System Settings > Security Level.  This is shown below in Figure 2.2.

 

Figure 2.4

 

  1. Make sure the incoming WWW(HTTP) and FTP are allowed as is shown below in Figure 2.3:

 

Figure 2.5