Set up FTP Server and Client

Setting up an FTP server and client for beginners.

CONFIGURING THE FTP SERVER ON RHEL 9

1. Become Root

sudo su

2. Confirm internet connectivity.

ping google.com

3. Confirm if FTPD is already installed. If it is, skip to step 5.

rpm -qa | grep ftpd

4. Download FTPD.

dnf install vsftpd -y

5. (Optional) Create a backup of the vsftp.conf file.

cp /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd_orig.conf

6. Make these changes:

vi /etc/vsftpd/vsftpd.conf

• Confirm: anonymous_enable=NO
• Uncomment: ascii_upload_enable=YES
• Uncomment: ascii_download_enable=YES
• Uncomment (optional): ftpd_banner=Welcome to [your name]’s FTP service
• Add at the end of the file: use_localtime=YES

7. Start and enable the service.

systemctl start vsftpd.service && systemctl enable vsftpd.service

8. You may have to allow FTP inbound traffic on the firewall (firewalld).

Temporarily allow FTP:

firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-service=ftp

Permanently allow FTP:

firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=ftp

Remove the FTP firewall rule (if you want to remove it later):

firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --remove-service=ftp

9. Switch back to a regular user (ctrl + d).

CONFIGURING AN FTP CLIENT ON UBUNTU

1. Become root

sudo su

2. Confirm internet connectivity.

ping google.com

3. Update your packages.

apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

4. Confirm if FTP (client) is installed.

sudo apt show ftp

5. Install FTP if it’s not listed.

apt install ftp

6. Switch back to a regular user (ctrl + d).

TRANSFER FILES VIA THE FTP CLIENT

1. On the FTP client, log into the FTP server.

ftp [ftp-server-IP]

2. Enter the username and password. This uses a local account from the FTP server (if Kenny is an account on the FTP server, then you can use that account).

3. Switch to binary mode (transfers files without modification).

bin

4. Enable progress logs.

hash

5. Set where the file will be saved on the client.

lcd [path-to-save-files]

6. (Optional) Confirm where it will be saved:

lpwd

7. Transfer the files.

put [file-you-want-to-transfer-FROM-client-to-server]

get [file-you-want-to-PULL-from-server]

8. Leave FTP mode.

bye