VSFTPD FTP Server on the MSS

First we need to install the vsftpd package, which has been prepared by Jon.

# ipkg install vsftpd
Installing vsftpd (2.0.3-2) to root...
Downloading http://ipkg.openmss.org/experimental/vsftpd_2.0.3-2_mipsel.ipk
Configuring vsftpd
#

Now, we will need ftp users and passwords of course. VSFTPD needs information which users of the system should be allowed to ftp. For this howto I chose the username test.

First we login to the MSS as root, in SSH if possible. Make the new user and give him a password. You can also make users in the colorful web based administration, but passwords you set there won’t work for ftp. So better use this way (otherwise just change the password of the user with passwd username) :

# adduser test
adduser: /home/test: No such file or directory
adduser: /home/test: No such file or directory
adduser: /home/test: No such file or directory
Changing password for test
Enter the new password (minimum of 5, maximum of 8 characters)
Please use a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers.
Enter new password:
Bad password: too short.

Warning: weak password (continuing).
Re-enter new password:
Password changed.

The output of adduser might look a little different in your case.

Then we need to edit the file /opt/etc/vsftpd.user_list.

We will use vi for this task… (see my short vi-howto, if you are new to this)

# vi /opt/etc/vsftpd.user_list

vi will only show you the text file, you have to do the commands „blind“.

youruser
~
~

Delete the first line (dd) and enter (i) the name of the users you want…

test
~
~

Stop editing ([ESC]) save the file and quit vi (:wq)

Now, you’ll have to modify the users home directory, in case you have made your user with adduser. Therefore edit the file etc/passwd

# vi /etc/passwd 

The original line might look like this:

test:$1$$XHRypMVmwwXaoHSogc3/F/:35002:35002:Linux User,,,:/home/test:/bin/sh

Change the line to (test will have his home directory in one of the public shares)

test:$1$$XHRypMVmwwXaoHSogc3/F/:35002:35002:Linux User,,,:/shares/mss-hdd/Yourshare:/bin/sh

Finally reboot your MSS to initialize the vsftpd service.