Making an FTP server???

[ElectricMan5]

How do i make an FTP server, like ftp://ibiblio.org/?

I want too add one too my own domain, http://www.electricman5.com which I use Freewebs to edit, or one to my IP address, which I used DynDNS for. So how do i make it ftp://electricman5.com, and where would i put the files?

Whenever I type in ftp://electricman5.servebbs.com, which is my DynDNS site, it's blank! Where do i put the files on my Mac?

Thanks!

 

[steveza]

You need something like http://www.jscape.com/secureftpserver/

 

[theyellowdart]

What version of OS X are you running?

For 10.5, all you really need to do is go to system preferences -> sharing -> File sharing -> options and select the FTP option. (May be the same for prior versions too, I just don't have an older system around to check)

You would then use your DynDNS address to connect to it.

 

[ElectricMan5]

You need something like http://www.jscape.com/secureftpserver/

Is this for the DNS or for ElectricMan5? I'm completely clueless with this stuff...

 

[steveza]

or that

depends how much functionality you need.

 

[ElectricMan5]

What version of OS X are you running?

For 10.5, all you really need to do is go to system preferences -> sharing -> File sharing -> options and select the FTP option. (May be the same for prior versions too, I just don't have an older system around to check)

You would then use your DynDNS address to connect to it.

But where would I put the files? Would the address have the ftp:// in it?

 

[theyellowdart]

or that

depends how much functionality you need.

Completely agree, the default one that comes with OS X doesn't give the user a lot of functionality without getting into some ugly conf files.

 

[ElectricMan5]

or that

depends how much functionality you need.

I just want the list of files in which they can download, but in the ibiblio way. Jeez, I love this! So many answers!

 

[theyellowdart]

But where would I put the files? Would the address have the ftp:// in it?

It will ask you what you want to share with the FTP, so you just add the folder you want to share, and put your files there. The address would need to have ftp:// in it.

 

[steveza]

Is this for the DNS or for ElectricMan5? I'm completely clueless with this stuff...

Basically you need some way of running an FTP service on you machine. DNS is just a way of converting a friendly name like macrumors.com into a internet address like 74.86.132.180.

 

[theyellowdart]

Also, remember if you are behind a home router, you are going to need to forward the FTP port to your computer. (21)

 

[ElectricMan5]

Also, remember if you are behind a home router, you are going to need to forward the FTP port to your computer. (21)

Would anybody be able to access it over the internet? This is sort of what u want people to do... Download files. How do i find my, i dunno, permanent IP address or something?

 

[steveza]

http://whatismyipaddress.com/ Your address may change dynamically - usually when you restart your router - depending on the type of internet service you have.

 

[ElectricMan5]

http://whatismyipaddress.com/

Ah. I knew that. Thanks

 

[theyellowdart]

Would anybody be able to access it over the internet? This is sort of what u want people to do... Download files. How do i find my, i dunno, permanent IP address or something?

Well, if you are using DynDNS it should be forwarding to your outside IP address so that won't be an issue. Unless you're asking how to find what your IP is on your Mac, if that's the case just go to system preferences -> network and it should be listed there.

And yes, you should only do that if you want people outside your network to be able to connect to it.

 

[ElectricMan5]

It will ask you what you want to share with the FTP, so you just add the folder you want to share, and put your files there. The address would need to have ftp:// in it.

I chose the folders and I went to the address, and nothing appeared! It also says something like: Error 530: Anonymous User. And then it comes back every other time I go to the site. What is this?

 

[ChrisA]

I chose the folders and I went to the address, and nothing appeared! It also says something like: Error 530: Anonymous User. And then it comes back every other time I go to the site. What is this?

This means your server is running and talking to the world, or at least to you.

Do you want anonymous users to access the file or do you want only people who have a user account to access them? Likely anonymous access if disabled by default. You typically configure this in a .conf file in /etc. There should be documentation in a man page named the same as the .conf file. but you could just read the comments in the file.

 

[ElectricMan5]

This means your server is running and talking to the world, or at least to you.

Do you want anonymous users to access the file or do you want only people who have a user account to access them? Likely anonymous access if disabled by default. You typically configure this in a .conf file in /etc. There should be documentation in a man page named the same as the .conf file. but you could just read the comments in the file.

I'm a little confused... Where do I find this file? And also, none of the files are appearing in the list. Where do i put the files??

 

[theyellowdart]

I chose the folders and I went to the address, and nothing appeared! It also says something like: Error 530: Anonymous User. And then it comes back every other time I go to the site. What is this?

It means whatever browser you are using is trying to log you in as an anonymous user and not giving you the login prompt.

Also, just an FYI, your DynDNS entry is pointing to your Private IP, so nobody can use that to get to your computer from the outside. To do that you need to change it to the output from http://www.whatismyip.com

 

[phalewhale]

Personally, I wouldn't even think about doing it on my everyday machine. Instead, I'd use a separate mac/linux box on the DMZ of my network.

 

[ElectricMan5]

Personally, I wouldn't even think about doing it on my everyday machine. Instead, I'd use a separate mac/linux box on the DMZ of my network.

I having it set up on an external harddrive. It works fine with an Apache Server, but it's not what I want. Right now I'm testing it on my Mac, then i'll switch it over. I'm still stuck though

 

[ElectricMan5]

It means whatever browser you are using is trying to log you in as an anonymous user and not giving you the login prompt.

Also, just an FYI, your DynDNS entry is pointing to your Private IP, so nobody can use that to get to your computer from the outside. To do that you need to change it to the output from http://www.whatismyip.com

K. I just switched it over. Hope it works now

 

[theyellowdart]

K. I just switched it over. Hope it works now

That's not going to fix the issue you're having unfortuantly. Just something you would need to do if you wanted others to connect to your FTP server.

So, what you need to decide is if you want anonymous users to be able to connect or not. Personally, I do NOT recommend this. If you do, then you need to go through editing conf files to complete it, not something I recommed I would opt for steveza third party FTP server in that case.

If not, just figure out why your browser is trying to log you in as anonymous and not giving you a login prompt. I use opera, and on my test on my computer and it will prompt me for a username and password. Might want to try a different browser and see if you keep getting the same anonymous user error.

I can't connect to yours to see if it will do that also because you don't have port 21 forwarded on your router (Not trying to do anything nasty, promise, i'm a good fella ) Check out http://www.portfoward.com for instructions on that if you need them.

 

[ElectricMan5]

It means whatever browser you are using is trying to log you in as an anonymous user and not giving you the login prompt.

Also, just an FYI, your DynDNS entry is pointing to your Private IP, so nobody can use that to get to your computer from the outside. To do that you need to change it to the output from http://www.whatismyip.com

The IP address that the site gave me isn't working! It now says that there's an error. The other one worked...

 

[ElectricMan5]

That's not going to fix the issue you're having unfortuantly. Just something you would need to do if you wanted others to connect to your FTP server.

So, what you need to decide is if you want anonymous users to be able to connect or not. Personally, I do NOT recommend this. If you do, then you need to go through editing conf files to complete it, not something I recommed I would opt for steveza third party FTP server in that case.

If not, just figure out why your browser is trying to log you in as anonymous and not giving you a login prompt. I use opera, and on my test on my computer and it will prompt me for a username and password. Might want to try a different browser and see if you keep getting the same anonymous user error.

I can't connect to yours to see if it will do that also because you don't have port 21 forwarded on your router (Not trying to do anything nasty, promise, i'm a good fella ) Check out http://www.portfoward.com for instructions on that if you need them.

I know it doesn't. But now the IP isn't working at all! I had to switch it back. Why wasn't the one that the site gave me working? It said it couldn't connect.