I'm running an OS X Server with the following services turned on: Web, MySQL, DNS, AFP, Firewall. I'd like to also start FTP, and I did this, but I can't seem to make it work properly. I'm sure there is a way, but I can't find a way to make it work for me.
What I've done so far:
– activated the FTP service
– opened port 20-21 in the Firewall
– forwarded ports 20-21 from the router to the Server
I use Coda to connect to my FTPs (as I do a lot of web development). When I type in this server's address + credentials it tries to connect for about 2-3 minutes before actually succeeding, and when it does it lists the following directories: "Public" (with a shortcut icon), "Users" (with a shortcut icon) and a file named "???" which it tries to open right away. Doing [cmd + k] in Finder also results in a 2-3 minutes waiting.
Also, I have no idea where to create new users for the FTP (just for the FTP) and how to give them permissions to specific directories (without useless ones like "Users" or "Public").
I've come to the conclusion that the built-in FTP server might not be the best option for me, but I have no idea what I should try. Using a separate app is not the ideal scenario for me as I'm trying to avoid keeping extra apps open on my server.
Best Answer
I would recommend using SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol). FTP is a very insecure protocol. Coda supports SFTP, and if you have SSH set up, you already have SFTP set up in most cases