Newbie ?: Why doesn't my FTP server work?
 

Hi all. Sorry for the super noob question, but I'm new to the whole Linux thing as of a few days ago. Anyway, recently installed RedHat 9.0 on a local machine. Very impressed with the OS, but I am having troubles FTPing to my NT machines. FTP starts up on the Linux machine, but it can't connect to local IPs (i.e. IPs of my NT machines). Also, I can't connect to the LInux machine from the NT machines. Basically just trying to find info. on what all I need to configure to get FTP working on the Linux machine. FWIW, I'm making the FTP connections on the NT machines using WS_FTP.

Links to pages for configuring FTP for RH 9.0 would be awesome or just filenames I should open and modify.

Much obliges.

Welcome to LQ.

Can you ping the machines from each other (ie are they networked ok?)

Can you connect to the ftp server from the srever itself?
ftp 127.0.0.1

Make sure that the service is started then try again.:
service vsftpd start

To make it run on each boot:
chkconfig --level 345 vsftpd on

Also make sure you login as user and not root. If you can connect localy then make sure you don't have firewall rules blocking connections:
iptables -L

Thanks for the answer, but I spoke too soon. After reading some pages I decided to pop in ISO image 1. Looked through the packages installed, and sure enough, FTP was not (where is the hanging your head in shame face when you need one?). At least I now have VNC so I don't have to keed switching desks, plus know how to start up the vsftp daemon (as per your post). I'll read up on configuring vsftp before I ask anymore questions ;).

Thanks again.

No problem. Just post another reply if you run into problems.

OK, so I installed vsftpd and it starts/stops upon calling "service vsftpd start/stop". Also, I created /etc/xinetd.d/vsftpd so the vsftpd starts automatically. Now FTP to 127.0.0.1 works, but the FTP server rejects requests from the Windows box. Note that I can ping the Linux box from the Win box (and vica versa). I am guessing I need to modify /etc/xinetd.d/vsftpd to accept FTP from any location (or preferably just computers on the same subnet), but I am not sure exactly how to do this (or even if this is what I need to do).

I think it is more than likely you have a firewall issue. What rules do you have in place:
iptables -L

Thanks for all the help. Great suggestions! I looked into the iptables thing and found out tcp and udp is blocked from everywhere except my local DNS. So, I make an exception for incoming tcp and udp to be accepted for the IP address of the NT machine. Then did:

iptables-save -c > /etc/sysconfig/iptables

Unfortunately, FTP still doesn't work. I know the requests are being sent because I can see the counts going up for the NT machine's IP address when I do

iptables -L -v

Grrrrrrr. I'll look into it more on Monday and keep this thread updated as I go along.

Never mind! I did not run chkconfig on vsftpd and it looks like my /etc/xinetd.d/vsftpd files isn't doing the job of starting vsftpd. Anyway, started up vsftpd manually and FTP now works! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D.

Thanks again for the help!

No problem - good to see you got it working.

how to stop ftp ?
 

hi

can anyone tell how to stop the ftp on Redhad 9?
by command and/or webmin,

thnks

Tim

Welcome to LQ.

Don't worry but next time it is better if you start a new thread rather than latching onto an existing one unless the problem is similar identical and you have something to contribute.

The command you are probably looking for is:
service vsftpd stop

To stop it running on boot:
chkconfig --level 345 vsftpd off

ok this worked once for me, now when I try to run service, the system doesn't know where it is, even su to root.

which service
/usr/bin/which: no service in (/usr/java/jdk1.3.1_09/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/home/mbowen/bin)

nevermind. /sbin/service

Sorry for the late reply - I have been on holiday for a week.

When you su - use "su -" this will load a new shell for root and give you roots paths as specified in ~/.bash_profile