How to Set up an FTP Server in Ubuntu Linux

wikihow.com/Set-up-an-FTP-Server-in-Ubuntu-Linux

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 8, 2020 References Tested

This wikiHow article will show you how to set up and connect to an FTP server from your
Ubuntu Linux computer. FTP servers are useful for storing files from your computer and
allowing others to browse them. In order to set up an FTP server from your computer,
you'll need to have an FTP server host to which you can connect. It's also recommended
that you update your Ubuntu software to the latest available version.

Part 1

Installing the FTP Framework

1.

Make sure that Ubuntu is up-to-date. Ubuntu versions 17.10 and up have
vastly different file paths than previous versions, so you'll need to upgrade to the
latest version of Ubuntu if you haven't already done so:[1]
Open Terminal
Type in sudo apt-get upgrade and press ↵ Enter .
Type in your password and press ↵ Enter .
Type in y when prompted, then press ↵ Enter .
Wait for the upgrades to finish installing, then restart your computer if
prompted.

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2.

Open Terminal. Click the Applications menu ⋮⋮⋮, scroll down, and click the
black-and-white Terminal icon to do so.
You can also just press Alt + Ctrl + T to open Terminal.

3.

Enter the VSFTPD install command. Type sudo apt-get install vsftpd
into Terminal, then press ↵ Enter .

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4.

Enter your password. Type in the password that you use to log into your
computer, then press ↵ Enter .

5.

Wait for VSFTPD to install. This will take anywhere from 5 minutes to 20
minutes depending on your current FTP settings and your Internet connection, so
be patient.

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 6.

Install FileZilla. This is the program that you'll use to access and upload to your
server. To install it:
Type in sudo apt-get install filezilla
Enter your password again if prompted.
Wait for the installation to complete.

Part 2

Configuring the FTP Server

1.

Open the VSFTPD configuration file. Type in sudo nano

/etc/vsftpd.conf and press ↵ Enter . You'll be editing this file to allow (or
disable) certain VSFTPD features.

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2.

Allow local users to log into your FTP server. Use the arrow keys to scroll
down to the # Uncomment this to allow local users to log in. heading,
then remove the "#" from the local_enable=YES line below it.[2]
You can remove the "#" by using the arrow keys to select the letter in front of it
(in this case, "l") and pressing the ← Backspace key.
Skip this step if the local_enable=YES line is already white.

3.

Allow FTP write commands. Scroll down to the # Uncomment this to

enable any form of FTP write command. heading, then remove the "#" from
the write_enable=YES line below it.
Skip this step if write_enable=YES is already white.

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4.

Disable ASCII mangling. Scroll all the way down to the # ASCII mangling is
a horrible feature of the protocol. heading, then remove the "#" from the
following two lines:
ascii_upload_enable=YES
ascii_download_enable=YES

5.

Change the "chroot" settings. Scroll down to the # chroot) heading, then
add the following lines:
user_sub_token=$USER
chroot_local_user=YES
chroot_list_enable=YES
If any of these lines already exist, simply remove the "#" before each existing
line.

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6.

Change the default "chroot" settings. Scroll down to the (default

follows) heading, then add the following lines:
chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd.chroot_list
local_root=/home/$USER/Public_html
allow_writeable_chroot=YES
If any of these lines already exist, simply remove the "#" before each existing
line.

7.

Enable the "ls recurse" option. Scroll down to the # You may activate the
"-R" option... heading, then remove the "#" from the
ls_recurse_enable=YES line below it.

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 8.

Save and exit the text editor. To do so:

Press Ctrl + X
Type y
Press ↵ Enter

Part 4

Accessing Your Server

1.

Determine your server's address. If you're paying for an FTP server through a
hosting service (e.g., Bluehost), you'll need to know the service's IP address or
regular address in order to connect to it.[4]
If you're hosting your own server from your computer, you'll use your
computer's IP address, which you can figure out by entering ifconfig in
Terminal and then reviewing the "inet addr" number.
If "ifconfig" isn't installed, you can install it by entering sudo apt-get
install net-tools in Terminal.

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2.

Forward a port on your router. Once you know your server's IP address, you'll
need to forward your router's port 21 slot to that address; make sure that the port
uses TCP (not UDP or a mixture of the two).
Port forwarding varies from router to router, so be sure to check the linked
article or your router's documentation for instructions.

3.

Open Filezilla. Type filezilla into Terminal and press ↵ Enter . After a
moment, FileZilla will open.
If you want to connect via Terminal, you can try typing in ftp [address] .
As long as your server is running and you have Internet access, this will
attempt to connect to your FTP server; however, you may not be able to
transfer files.

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4.

Click File. It's in the top-left corner of the FileZilla window. Doing so prompts a
drop-down menu.

5.

Click Site Manager…. You'll find this option in the drop-down menu. The Site
Manager window will open.

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6.

Click New Site. It's a white button in the lower-left side of the window. Doing so
opens the New Site section of the Site Manager.

7.

Enter your server's address. In the "Host:" text field, type in the address (or IP
address) of the FTP server to which you want to connect.[5]

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8.

Add the forwarded port number. Type 21 into the "Port:" text field.

9.

Click Connect. It's a red button at the bottom of the page. Doing so will prompt
FileZilla to connect your computer to your FTP server.

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10.

10

Move files onto the server. You can click and drag folders from the left-hand
window into the right-hand window to upload them to your FTP server page.

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