Install FTP Server on Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) 🌱

Installing the FTP Server

1. Log into the Linux device
2. Run the following commands in terminal
   # update software repositories
   sudo apt update
   # install available software updates
   sudo apt upgrade
   # install proftpd
   sudo apt install proftpd -y
   # start proftpd service
   sudo systemctl enable proftpd --now

Configuring the FTP Server

In this example we will be allowing FTP to the /var/www directory to alter web server files

1. Continue with the following commands
   # add current user to www-data group
   sudo usermod -aG www-data $USER
   # re-authenticate the user for the new group to take effect
   su $USER
   # list the users groups
   # www-data should be listed
   id
   # change owner of /var/www to the www-data group
   sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www
   # change permissions recursively
   sudo chmod -R ug+rw /var/www

Testing the FTP Server

1. Download a FTP client, in this tutorial we'll be using FileZilla FTP Client Download
2. Install FileZilla FTP Client
3. Input the Linux devices IP address or DNS name and the Linux user's username and password > Click Quickconnect
4. Click the / at the top of the right file tree to get to the rootfs
5. Navigate to /var/www
6. Create a test file or folder
7. You now have FTP access to your Linux server using your standard Linux credentials

Documentation for ProFTPD: http://www.proftpd.org/docs/