Hi, I'm getting into Linux and I'm kind of a guy that sometimes need to use FTP services since I share a lot of personal files that I want my friends across the globe to download. In Windows environment this wasn't an issue, really, it was quite easy obtaining an easy-to-understand (yet powerful!) FTP server sofware than enabled me to create accounts, assigning different locations of 'my computer' and granting different read/write rights to individual users with no headache whatsoever. But in Linux everything is so different.

Somewhere I read that VSFTPD is a good way setting a FTP server up. I've read man-pages, some webpages too, and I pretty much have an idea what to do. However, I don't like the approach and administration of this thing. Please correct me if I'm wrong but from what I've understood, the only way of adding FTP-users that would connect to my computer is to create real OS based user accounts on my computer. For instance,

useradd -d /home/FTP -g ftp username .

But I don't like this. I guess it's good in one sense but not for my personal needs. Do I really need to create a system-based user account for my FTP services???

I need a more simple (yet quite secure) FTP-server software that simply enables me creating user account for the application itself (not the whole system) and gives me possibility to assign any folder/drive on the system I want - to an user-account in particular. It would be good if this app could run as a daemon from system boot so I don't need to logon to the computer. Is there any program like that in Linux or do I really need to create real user accounts on the system? Kind of annoying seeing name of FTP client users on the userlogon screen every time you start Fedora, don't you think ? smile.gif

Thanks in advance!
M.

>> edit0: deleted wrong info


>> edit1: okay, i just found this on linux online:

"Some FTP servers work differently. For example, some will allow user accounts to be set up independant of the system-wide password file (FTP-only accounts)."

so apparently it is possible, you just need to find out which servers have that capability or how to enable it if vsftp does.


>> edit2: here's a kind of "trick" way to do it i just found. it should work, though. report back if you try it and let us know.

http://open.itworld.com/nl/unix_sys_adm/07102002/

You could use vsftpd and enable anonymous logins. That wouldn't be very secure but you wouldn't have any user IDs on the system for ftp. You can set the default directory in vsftpd.conf and use the ln -s command to share folders in the default directory.

Hi and thanks for the reply. Well, I found out that while waiting for you guys to reply. However, it's impossible to do with vsftp. Instead, pure-ftp should be used. It's pretty much the same as vsftp, but when combined with mysql - there is a way to create system independant accounts and that way probably add thousands accounts with not many problems. However, the n00b that I am in Linux, I'll need to get into mysql first before doing this task, but at least I know it is possible.

Here's the link http://www.howtoforge.com/virtual_ho..._mysql_fedora7

http://www.glftpd.com/

Go there and download the latest stable version + the documentation. It will keep separate user accounts and allow for many additional features not found in the more basic ftp programs (such as the ability to check files as they are uploaded for corruption).

If you are truly new to Linux in general it may take you a little bit of time to setup, but it's much easier than this business of tying in your ftp server with SQL you are talking about!

HTH,
Chad

supposedly vsftpd can do it from what i've seen on the web. using mysql for what you want to do is overkill and would be a major hassle. that would be my last choice. if you just want to learn mysql though, go for it. but if all you are after is the ftp-only account, it's ridiculously easier just to add something like /bin/noop to the user entry in the /etc/passwd file, like in the link i provided for you, than to set up and manage mysql. you can also find similar ways to do it as /bin/noop if you just search google (/bin/false, etc.) i saw a few things mentioned on the ubuntu list, for example. or else use glftpd as chado recommended.