Minor problem with Linux ftp server.

[masterdieff]

I've been trying out Linux for a few days now, almost a week, and I really like it. As I was looking aroundat the different things in the taskbar I noticed I could add a "public file server". So I checked that out, and in a minute or so I have one. I'm pretty sure I know how to connect to it, there's just one problem: when I use another computer to connect to it (I'm using smartFTP on a 98se machine), I can't get through because it says the username is invalid. Well, I've tried logging in as anonymous, as my main profile in mandrake, and even a couple other guesses like "public" and "anon". I just can't seem to get in. And when I go to the preferences for the file server, it just allows me to change the port number and the maximum bandwidth. There's no option to add users. (It also has a checkbox entitled "Follow symbolic links", but I haven't tried that because when I click the checkbox the "OK" button doesn't highlight.) So my question is, what do I have to do to get into my server? I've already thought of quite a few problems that an ftp transfer service would solve, so I'm really interested in getting this working.

 

[IbnSina]

I recommend against using anonymous ftp. Actually, I recommend against using ftp at all - it is a desperately insecure way to arrange file transfer. Instead, run sshd with sftp enabled. You can configure sshd on a linux machine by altering the file /etc/ssh/sshd_config (on some distros that file is just in the /etc directory). Doing so is pretty intuitive/well-documented.

If you really, really want ftp, I recommend making a special account for it. If you really, really want anonymous ftp, I recommend looking at the CERT site on the topic. Good luck.