Hey, I need some serious help. I have Mandrake Linux 10.1 and I am running it as a web server/file server.

I have apache running and I use it to store files on my LAN. I am constructing a website that I hope will allow me to access my files on my server anywhere on the web. I am trying to figure out the best way to do this and at the moment I think that the best way is possibly to use an FTP server application.

I am runnning samba so that my server can interface with my Windows XP pro machines fairly seamlessly.

I need to know two things:

a) For this kind of task is FTP the best solution or is there a better way of sharing files over the net.

b) I currently am attempting to use proFTPd but with little success. I was wondering if anybody knew of a really easy basic setup guide that I can use, or on the flip side I have a user account that I store the files on my lan on, I am pretty sure I can "jail" users into that folder but I have one problem. I dont want the ftp users to log-on using that account. I would prefer that they used a different account set up by me but I still wish to jail them to the file folder of the original user from a different user. I hope that made sense.

I hope someone can help as I am pulling my hair out with this. I am a complete linux noob and I know it so u dnt need to tell me!!! That doesnt mean I expect the solution to be easy!!!
lol

ANY HELP GREATFULL!!!!!!! MANY THANKS!!!!

Hiya,

Personally I'd go for ssh file transfers. All you need is an ssh server running on your server machine.

From a Linux client you can use gFTP or KBear. or Filezilla on Windows. Just tell it to use ssh2 of sftp on port 22 and you can transfer files through an encrypted connection.

Normal FTP sends passwords in plain text allowing hijacks.

Hope this helps, all the best,

Jools

Hey, interesting Post

It sounds like a cool suggestion, but ive got two questions.

a) Do u know of a good how to set up ssh effectively??? bearing in mind I am a complete linux noob :P hehe well, im ok, I came across ssh but I wasnt too sure bout how to set it up

b) Can I have a web based system that will access these files using ssh??? As I want to host it from a webpage so I need to base it from the web. I program in Java and was thinkin of building a client applet but if it is possible i guess it is just a case of finding the correct syntax.


Thanks 4 ur help, much appreciated!!!!

UPDATE!!!!

I have managed to get proFTPd configured in exactly the way I wanted it. I spent some time with it today but the problem I have now is that I want to run ssh, under your advice I think that would be best. Can I use ssh in conjunction with proFTPd or do I have to completely set the whole thing up from scratch???

Thanx!!

Usually, a ssh server is included in Linux distrib (at least on RH, FC, Debian) so I think you allready have ssh up & running on your Linux box.
When logged as a NORMAL user, just try "ssh 127.0.0.1", that will connect your machine to your machine (loopback is what it's called). If it works, then you're done with ssh. There are some conf files, of course, but the default config works quite well (for file transfer as well).

As you said, if you decide to use secure ftp, you can drop pureftp.

Cheers Dude!!!

I'll try that, thanx for your help