Luminous

iTrader: (3)

My dad runs a little business from home. The problem is that the reports he makes are not little by any stretch of the imagination Even after letting all sorts of compression tools loose on the files, they are still 20Mb in size

Now the problem comes, he wants to send an electronic copy of these files to clients, without having to send them by post.

The initial obvious choice was email. We are sorted to handle attachements of unlimited size through our paid far POP3 email server. The client however, cannot recieve them. It also seems that they are uncapable of stitching together a multi part archive that I created

The only idea I have left is to setup an ftp server locally that will run through the day when they want to grab the files. Here are the points to consider:-

1) The ftp software needs to be simple to setup
2) Preferably free
3) Need to have multiple user logins and passwords
4) Each login must point to only THEIR files, not other clients' files

Any suggestions for software and setup. Keep it simple please...totaly traffic per week should not be more than 100Mb

If there are any other bright ideas out there, I'd like to hear them

Thanks

ChrisB

I've been using WarFTP for a few years.

1) Install is easy - creating the first user account can be a bit confusing but once you've done one it's pretty quick
2) It's freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
3) Not a problem
4) Not a problem - when setting up the user you map what folders it has access to, so simple to offer each client a secure area

HTH,

Chris.

MattW

Not free but http://www.streamline.net/ do an unlimited user from £34 per year. This includes a domain name. For a small extra you can have password protected access, so can host your files in diectories specific to your users. Pop mail includes with unlimited mail boxes too.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for those replies...one of those should sort it nicely

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I use Quick 'n' Easy FTP Server. Its . . . er . . . Quick 'n' Easy

jjones

do you not get free webspace with your isp?

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I do get some free webspace with my ISP. I just do not get a lot, and have no idea how to set it up so that different people have access to different files

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

That program is horrendous The user interface is just not friendly at all Been onto the website to download the guides. Still not managed to create an account that I can log into.

Going to see if there is something a little more friendly

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

I use bulletproof/G6 FTPd its not free, but easy to setup.

jowl

I;ve just bought a linkstation network hard drive.

One little advantage that I have is that it has an built in FTP server.

it's a doddle to setup.

Speeds are acceptable. The FTP side of it isn't my main use but it's a handy tool to have and easy to configure / use.

At £150 (+ VAT) for 250gb I don't think it's bad. (oh, built in print-server too - but not available over FTP)

Oh, and works with PC/MAC (and I dare say Linux - the internal software uses Linux)

darlodge

I use Titan FTP, its about $30 and is very simple to use.

Darren

ChrisB

The interface is a bit, urm, quirky

If you get stuck finding something else, I'll do you a walk through on how to set-up a new user and limit their access to certain folders.

rosqo

If your dads not to hot on using computers it may be better to store the files on a web server either sing your free webspace or purchasing some space from someone, the reason i say this is that by allowing ftp to your dads home pc you could open it up to hacking etc....

Your dad would need to ftp the files up to the server and have some usernames etc... but it would mean that his pc wouldnt need to be on to allow people to get the documents and would help keep his pc nice and secure.

I have something like that set up for my pictures through www.empowerbusiness.com

I could also get a discount of the price for anyone buying space coming from this site.

TopBanana

Why FTP and not HTTP?

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Thank you for all of those replies

Chris, your offer is very kind. Currently I am trying out Quick N Easy (and free) FTP server Seems to be going well, but we ran into other computer issues this week that have taken my focus away from this project.

Rosgo - its a great suggestion, and you are certainly correct about running a server possibly opening the PC up to hacking. The server will not run all the time, only when people have requested a file, so we should be ok there

TopBanana - its a possibility, but I only have 50Mb of webspace, some of which is already used. I also have no idea how to create a nice user friendly interface that will be secure. Our clients are not allowed to install something as simple as Winzip, so I would not be able to encrypt the files before they were transferred

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Ok...........and on to my next problem

Well I now have an ftp server up and running, but cannot seem to connect to it properly


1) Setup the server, and a user account with enough access to test the system
2) Connected to this account using an IP of 127.0.0.1 in CuteFTP - all works
3) Connected to the account using an IP of 10.0.0.14 in CuteFTP - all works
4) Popped into my router, and told it to setup port forwarding for incoming port 21 and to forward both TCP and UDP to 10.0.0.14 on port 21. I think that is the correct think to do, but not sure.
5) Looked up my static IP from WhatIsMyIP.com, and popped this into CuteFTP, got a strange connection:

ERROR:> Can't read from control socket. Socket error = #10054

So, what am I missing?


EDIT: Oh, my router has an option to act as an FTP server. I can tick or untick this box and things still do not work. No idea why my router would have this option, as I cannot see how it can work as a server. It has no files to serve, and no option to say what computer on the network is going to supply them

I think I have some learning to do on this particular topic

dharbige

You need to open port 20 too.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Hmmm....have been trying all sorts since 8pm, and have got nowhere

1) Have turned the router's ftp server mode off, as it was replying rather than forwarding anything to my machine....
2) Did all the port forwarding I could think of, then gave up and put the router into its DMZ mode, telling it to forward everything to my machine
3) Turned off the router's firewall
4) Uninstalled my firewall software
5) Disabled the windows firewall


So now what, why will it not connect?

CuteFTP gives me the error:
The remote host actively refused the attempt to connect to it.


Quick'n'Easy FTP Server settings are:
FTP Port 21
IP address, the one given my Whatismyip.com
Port range 1024-1050

That should be far more ports that I need to hold just one connection...

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Make sure you're not trying to connect in Passive Mode, this will use other ports.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I am wanting to connect in passive mode, but as all the firewalls have been disabled, and all the ports forwarded....well, I thought that would work. And PORT mode does not work either

Something is screwed up, I just cannot think what it is that I am doing wrong.

TopBanana

Just save yourself the grief and get some more webspace

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Try this (common ports): https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
. . . to see if the FTP ports are visible first.

jowl

I've had very little experience ftp servers but...

When I'm at home, I can connect locally no probs.

If I try to connect 'via the internet' (Typing in static address) then it won't let me.

AS long as I'm on another internet connection (not at home) everything works fins.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, well, nice idea We've already covered that I do not know how to build a secure back end for multiple users all with password access to different files

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

OK DJ, I can confirm that my firewall is indeed off.

All ports are being detected, but most are closed as you would expect.
FTP port 21 reports as being open

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Hmmmm, that makes life so much harder

I was hoping to test that I could indeed connect from the internet before having to "do it for real". I don't have any other internet connections available to me <sigh>

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

PM me with your IP, if you want me to try and connect. Is your IP static ? If not, use a free service like www.DynDNS.org.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Thanks DJ

I think its all sorted out now

No idea why I cannot connect to my internet IP address to gain access, but at least you can

jowl

Like I say, I can't either when at home

If it does anything, it takes me to my router login!

TopBanana

No need for the rolly eyes and sarcasm Luminous - only trying to help

As for as security goes, I'd just give each file a very unique name and turn directory browsing off. If it's long enough, they'd have to try tens of billions of times to guess a filename.