Print Page - Help setting up FTP and Ping to my Linux Lite machine

Hello,

I have set up Linux Lite and have been using it for about a week.

I now want to set up ftp access to the computer.

I installed vsftpd and edited /etc/vsftpd.conf and can login through localhost.

But when I tried to ftp in from another machine in the house, it couldn't connect.

After some research I used ufw to allow ftp with:

Code: [Select]

sudo ufw allow ftpbut after restarting the firewall I still can't reach the Linux Lite machine from the other computer.

From the other computer I can ping the router 192.168.0.1 and www.google.com so I know it's working but can't get a ping response from the Linux Lite machine.

So I disabled the firewall with

Code: [Select]

sudo ufw disable and restarted the computer. Still can't get a ping response from the Linux Lite machine. The Linux Lite machine can ping the other machine, router, google.com, etc.

What can I do to get my other machine to ftp and ping the Linux Lite machine? Thanks for any help you can offer. I'm tearing my hair out with this one (the little I have left lol)

Hello timbuck2,

this is a tutorial for setting up on LL 3 series - https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-vsftpd-for-a-user-s-directory-on-ubuntu-16-04 (https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-vsftpd-for-a-user-s-directory-on-ubuntu-16-04)

This is tutorial for Ubuntu 18.04 unsure if it works on LL 4 series - https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-vsftpd-for-a-user-s-directory-on-ubuntu-18-04 (https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-vsftpd-for-a-user-s-directory-on-ubuntu-18-04)

Ok thanks I'll read the tutorial. I am just perplexed why I can't even ping the LL machine even with the firewall disabled??

Could there be any other security subsystem preventing this? I haven't used Linux in years since I had an old Gentoo installation and never had a problem interfacing between machine then but I haven't kept up on changes since then.

You wrote you rebooted after disabling the UFW, did you check the UFW status after rebooting to see if UFW was enabled again on reboot ?
for the command

Code: [Select]

sudo ufw allow ftpit needs to say

Code: [Select]

sudo ufw allow port-number-hereReplacing port-number-here with the actual port number.
for example 20, 21, 990, 40000, 50000 as per the tutorial (second link)

Yes, it was disabled. I edited my previous post if you didn't see regarding ping.

Then when you check the firewall status you will see in the Rules the numbered rules for the ports you have set to open (to allow traffic) for using ftp.

Yes, this is what shows:

Quote

Status: active

To Action From
-- ------ ----
21/tcp ALLOW Anywhere
22/tcp ALLOW Anywhere
21/tcp (v6) ALLOW Anywhere (v6)
22/tcp (v6) ALLOW Anywhere (v6)

Also have after sudo iptables -L

Code: [Select]

Chain ufw-before-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ufw-logging-deny  all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate INVALID
DROP       all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate INVALID
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp destination-unreachable
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp source-quench
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp time-exceeded
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp parameter-problem
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp echo-request

So I can't understand why a Ping is not responded to.

Quote from: timbuck2 on January 01, 2019, 09:49:04 PM

Could there be any other security subsystem preventing this?

iptables, UFW is a front end for it.
Look at the tutorial link #2, it explains it. https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-set-up-vsftpd-for-a-user-s-directory-on-ubuntu-18-04

So if I disable ufw, then iptables is still in effect? My iptable -L output is:

Code: [Select]

Chain INPUT (policy DROP)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ufw-before-logging-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-before-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-logging-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-reject-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-track-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain FORWARD (policy DROP)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ufw-before-logging-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-before-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-logging-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-reject-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-track-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ufw-before-logging-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-before-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-after-logging-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-reject-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ufw-track-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-after-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-after-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:netbios-ns
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:netbios-dgm
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:netbios-ssn
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:microsoft-ds
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:bootps
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:bootpc
ufw-skip-to-policy-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ADDRTYPE match dst-type BROADCAST

Chain ufw-after-logging-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
LOG        all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 10 LOG level warning prefix "[UFW BLOCK] "

Chain ufw-after-logging-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
LOG        all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 10 LOG level warning prefix "[UFW BLOCK] "

Chain ufw-after-logging-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-after-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-before-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp destination-unreachable
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp source-quench
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp time-exceeded
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp parameter-problem
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp echo-request
ufw-user-forward  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-before-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ufw-logging-deny  all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate INVALID
DROP       all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate INVALID
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp destination-unreachable
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp source-quench
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp time-exceeded
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp parameter-problem
ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere             icmp echo-request
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp spt:bootps dpt:bootpc
ufw-not-local  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             224.0.0.251          udp dpt:mdns
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             239.255.255.250      udp dpt:1900
ufw-user-input  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-before-logging-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-before-logging-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-before-logging-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-before-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED
ufw-user-output  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-logging-allow (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
LOG        all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 10 LOG level warning prefix "[UFW ALLOW] "

Chain ufw-logging-deny (2 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
RETURN     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate INVALID limit: avg 3/min burst 10
LOG        all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 10 LOG level warning prefix "[UFW BLOCK] "

Chain ufw-not-local (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
RETURN     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ADDRTYPE match dst-type LOCAL
RETURN     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ADDRTYPE match dst-type MULTICAST
RETURN     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ADDRTYPE match dst-type BROADCAST
ufw-logging-deny  all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 10
DROP       all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-reject-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-reject-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-reject-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-skip-to-policy-forward (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
DROP       all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-skip-to-policy-input (7 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
DROP       all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-skip-to-policy-output (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-track-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-track-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-track-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate NEW
ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate NEW

Chain ufw-user-forward (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-user-input (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:ftp
ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:ssh

Chain ufw-user-limit (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
LOG        all  --  anywhere             anywhere             limit: avg 3/min burst 5 LOG level warning prefix "[UFW LIMIT BLOCK] "
REJECT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             reject-with icmp-port-unreachable

Chain ufw-user-limit-accept (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         
ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

Chain ufw-user-logging-forward (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-user-logging-input (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-user-logging-output (0 references)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain ufw-user-output (1 references)
target     prot opt source               destination

When I try to stop iptables I get:

Code: [Select]

sudo service iptables stop
Failed to stop iptables.service: Unit iptables.service not loaded.

The rules need to be in usage order.
Earlier rules take higher value.
To prevent later rules being nulled by earlier rules you need to place those rules earlier than any that would null it, before those affecting re; drop.
example - allow all, then later add a rule to block an IP address it wont get blocked because the blocked IP is not set as rule 1 so it is nulled by the - allow all (including allow the blocked IP) , so it needs to use (insert 1) on the deny/reject for the specified ip, and so it will then override the allow all.
Meaning it blocks the IP specified in insert 1, as this is Rule #1, but allows all other IP that are not the ip in rule 1, as it perform allow all as Rule #2.

So you need to follow that reasoning with your rules, I don't know if the iptables rules or the ufw rules for it run first.
Eg; UFW default deny incoming , allow outgoing, if it runs first it will do as asked and Deny incoming etc.
With UFW being called a front end I am guessing that it might run first, but I am not sure, only guessing.
Someone with more experience will answer soon.

Eh I uninstalled and purged ufw. I will manually manage iptables. ufw had too much overhead for me and obfuscated my understanding of what is going on. Thanks for your help though. It helped me get back into iptables after so long. :)

Glad it was of some use for you in making your choice for LL your way :)
I want to suggest you check an app called fail2ban, it works with any firewall using iptables (including UFW), it is for people running servers like yourself.

Ok, something deeper than iptables is going on with LL 4.2.

I still can't even ping my LL machine for the other computer.

I flushed iptables with

Code: [Select]

sudo iptables -F
and allowed all chains to accept:

Code: [Select]

sudo iptables -L
Chain INPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination         

Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target     prot opt source               destination

and still can't get a ping response from LL.

Any suggestions on what could be happening?

Setup another machine on the LAN and it can ping and ftp to the LL machine fine. I guess it's a problem on my first computer. :o

Check your BIOS on the unresponsive machine.
You can try this too: https://linux.die.net/man/8/dmidecode if you can't access BIOS normally.
Possible commands below:
dmidecode -t 24 and dmidecode -t 30
Otherwise look for other hard block switches on the system.

TC

No bios, this is a vintage Atari ST computer. Turned out it was the IOGear wired-to-wifi adapter causing the problems. I connected the computer directly to the router with a cat5 cable and everything works now. :)

One last issue remains. In my vsftpd.conf file I have the local_root set but the path has a directory with spaces in it and vsftpd won't switch to it and it dumps me in my home directory.

Code: [Select]

local_enable=YES
local_root=/mnt/windows/home/users/My FTP Files/

What is the proper way to format this line to allow the path with spaces in it?

Eh I just changed the directory name with no spaces lol. Linux and it's spaces issues. ::)

Quote from: timbuck2 on January 02, 2019, 07:48:48 PM

Eh I just changed the directory name with no spaces lol. Linux and it's spaces issues. ::)

It doesn't have any 'spaces issues'. Use back slashes like so:

Code: [Select]

/mnt/windows/home/users/My\ FTP\ Files/

Yes, I tried that of course but it dumped me to my linux home directory instead of the local_root until I took the spaces out of the pathname.

Btw, thanks for LL. It's a great distro and am really enjoying it. I donated $20 to the project.

Thank you timbuck2 :)

Quote from: Jerry on January 03, 2019, 08:39:40 PM

Thank you timbuck2 :)

yw, maybe it was because my vsftpd local_root directory was on a windows drive. Don't know but it's working fine now without the spaces.

I just became a LL Patreon supporter. Hope more people learn and use this lightweight, efficient distro!

Linux Lite Forums

Hardware - Support => Network => Topic started by: timbuck2 on January 01, 2019, 07:57:54 PM