CentOS 7 /RHEL 7: How To Install And Configure FTP Server (vsftpd)
Normally you can download or upload files to FTP Server and you cthe defalut FTP package used is vsftpd, it is a very secure file transfer protocol under CentOS 7 or RHEL 7 linux system. How to install vsftpd package on centos 7 system? How do I install and configure FTP server or Vsftp service? in this article, you will see how to install, configure and setup FTP server on CentOS 7 or RHEL 7 linux system.
From wikipedia:
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer computer files from one host to another host over a TCP-based network, such as the Internet.
Actually FTP is still not a very secure protocol and still has many security weaknesses., if it is possible, you can setup it with SSL/TLS connection or use SFTP (Secure FTP), it is a more secure protocol and use the Secure shell protocol to transfer files.
From Wikipedia:
The SSH file transfer protocol or secure FTP (SFTP), also transfers files and has a similar command set for users, but is built on different software technology. SFTP uses the Secure Shell protocol (SSH) to transfer files. Unlike FTP, it encrypts both commands and data, preventing passwords and sensitive information from being transmitted openly over the network. It cannot interoperate with FTP software.
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Install Vsftpd
Issue the following yum command to install the vsftpd package to setup ftp server on centos 7 system, type:
yum install vsftpd
Outputs:
[root@osetc Desktop]# yum install vsftpd Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks base | 3.6 kB 00:00 extras | 3.4 kB 00:00 updates | 3.4 kB 00:00 updates/7/x86_64/primary_db | 4.8 MB 00:04 Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: mirrors.btte.net * extras: mirrors.btte.net * updates: mirrors.nwsuaf.edu.cn Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package vsftpd.x86_64 0:3.0.2-9.el7 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: vsftpd x86_64 3.0.2-9.el7 base 165 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 1 Package Total download size: 165 k Installed size: 343 k Is this ok [y/d/N]: y Downloading packages: vsftpd-3.0.2-9.el7.x86_64.rpm | 165 kB 00:00 Running transaction check Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded Running transaction Installing : vsftpd-3.0.2-9.el7.x86_64 1/1 Verifying : vsftpd-3.0.2-9.el7.x86_64 1/1 Installed: vsftpd.x86_64 0:3.0.2-9.el7 Complete!
Before edit the configuration file” vsftpd.conf“, you’d better backup it, type:
cp /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf.bak
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Configure Vsftpd FTP Server
After installed vsftpd package, now we can start to edit vsftpd configuration file, using “vim” command to edit “/etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf” and find the following lines and make the changes as below :
anonymous_enable=NO #==> line 12: To disable anonymous access local_enable=YES #==>enable local user access write_enable=YES #==>enable write permission for ftp user chroot_local_user=YES #==> line 100, 101: uncomment ( enable chroot ) chroot_list_enable=YES ascii_upload_enable=YES #==>uncomment ( allow ascii mode )ascii_download_enable=YES chroot_list_file=/etc/vsftpd/chroot_list #==>uncomment ( specify chroot list ) listen=YES listen_ipv6=NO
If you want to learn more information about “vsftpd.conf”, you can have a look manual page of “vsftpd.conf”, just type “man vsftpd.conf” command.
Then save above configuration file and restart the vsftpd service using the following command:
sudo systemctl restart vsftpd.service
outputs:
[root@osetc Desktop]# systemctl restart vsftpd.service [root@osetc Desktop]# systemctl status vsftpd.service vsftpd.service - Vsftpd ftp daemon Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/vsftpd.service; disabled) Active: active (running) since Fri 2014-12-05 09:08:53 EST; 11s ago Process: 14095 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/vsftpd /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS) Main PID: 14096 (vsftpd) CGroup: /system.slice/vsftpd.service └─14096 /usr/sbin/vsftpd /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf Dec 05 09:08:53 itsprite systemd[1]: Starting Vsftpd ftp daemon... Dec 05 09:08:53 itsprite systemd[1]: Started Vsftpd ftp daemon.
Set vsftpd service to start while system startup, type:
sudo systemctl enable vsftpd.service
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Add A FTP Users
As disallowing anonymous user to login the ftp server in above configuration so you’d better create a new ftp user, As root user is not allowed to login the ftp server by default. using the following command to create a user and set use password. create a ftp user named “ftpuser”, type:
useradd ftpuser passwd ftpuser
Outputs:
[root@osetc Desktop]# useradd ftpuser [root@osetc Desktop]# passwd ftpuser Changing password for user ftpuser. New password: BAD PASSWORD: The password is a palindrome Retype new password: passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Configure Firewall For vsftpd
If you want to connect to the Vsftp FTP server remotely, you must allow the default FTP port 21 through firewall, type the following command:
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=21/tcp
or
firewall-cmd --permanent --zone=public --add-service=ftp
then reload the firewall service, type:
firewall-cmd --reload
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Install FTP Client
If you want to login the ftp server, you should install a ftp client , issue the following command:
yum install ftp
Outputs:
[root@osetc Desktop]# yum install ftp Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, langpacks Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile * base: mirrors.btte.net * extras: mirrors.btte.net * updates: mirrors.nwsuaf.edu.cn Resolving Dependencies --> Running transaction check ---> Package ftp.x86_64 0:0.17-66.el7 will be installed --> Finished Dependency Resolution Dependencies Resolved ================================================================================ Package Arch Version Repository Size ================================================================================ Installing: ftp x86_64 0.17-66.el7 base 61 k Transaction Summary ================================================================================ Install 1 Package Total download size: 61 k Installed size: 96 k Is this ok [y/d/N]: y Downloading packages: ftp-0.17-66.el7.x86_64.rpm | 61 kB 00:00 Running transaction check Running transaction test Transaction test succeeded Running transaction Installing : ftp-0.17-66.el7.x86_64 1/1 Verifying : ftp-0.17-66.el7.x86_64 1/1 Installed: ftp.x86_64 0:0.17-66.el7 Complete!
Or you can use other third part software, such as: filezilla.
CentOS 7 /RHEL 7 Test FTP Server
After installed and configured vsftpd ftp server, the next step is to verify that if the ftp server can work normally. let’s have a test to login the ftp server using ftp user in command interface line, type:
ftp 127.0.0.1
Output:
[root@osetc Desktop]# ftp 127.0.0.1 Connected to 127.0.0.1 (127.0.0.1). 220 (vsFTPd 3.0.2) Name (127.0.0.1:root): ftpuser 331 Please specify the password. Password: 230 Login successful. Remote system type is UNIX. Using binary mode to transfer files. ftp>
done……
