FTP Users: Access Control

WebSTAR FTP allows you to specify individual users, and for each user, a user name, password, root folder, and file access privileges. This information is stored in WebSTAR FTP Users file in the WebSTAR FTP Data folder in the Plug-Ins folder. Be sure to keep frequent backup copies of this file, in case you have any problems with your file, drive or server machine.

You should only have one FTP user entry per name, because when a client attempts to log in, the server will use the first name which matches exactly.

Making an FTP User Entry

Before you make a new FTP User entry, you should decide which folder will be the root folder for this user. If it doesn't exist, you'll have to create it, either at the server Mac or by logging in via FTP and using the FTP client's command to make a new folder (also called a "directory").

To edit the FTP Users list, open the WebSTAR Admin application, select "Server Settings" from the Edit menu, and choose the "FTP Users" panel.

User Name and Password

User Name --the name the user enters in the FTP client, or in the login dialog. It can be up to 31 characters long, and can include spaces.
Password --the password associated with this user name. This can also be up to 31 characters long. For security suggestions, see Safe Passwords .

See also FTP Security .

For public access without password protection, see Anonymous FTP .

Note that FTP users may log in from any computer. Therefore, it's a good idea for names and passwords to use standard ASCII characters, rather than Mac extended characters.

FTP Root Folder File Path

The FTP Root Folder is the user's base FTP folder. It can be anywhere on your server's hard disks, so be sure that you don't accidentally allow others to access personal or sensitive data. Note that a user can open all subfolders in this folder, but not any folders enclosing this folder.

The FTP server requires a complete file path from the Mac hard drive name to the desired folder. The Choose button allows you to use a Mac interface to specify the folder on the server machine, and creates the file path for you. This string can be up to 255 characters.

These example paths start from the same drive as the WebSTAR application, and the root folder is within the WebSTAR folder:

 

	ServerHD:WebSTAR:users:ericz:

 
	ServerHD:WebSTAR:widgets:marketing:

It's best to avoid spaces or Mac Extended characters in the folder and file names. If you must use them, you'll have to encode them in any FTP URLs, as described in Macintosh Special Characters in File Names .

Here are some example paths starting from a separate volume, such as a second hard drive:

 

	pub:

 
	FTPHD:ericz:

 
	FTP:a:avirr:

Max Folder Size

To control your server's disk space, you can limit the size of the users's folders (their root folder and all enclosed folders).

When a user tries to upload a file to a folder that is too full, they will get a message that they have exceeded the storage limit. WebSTAR FTP will allow users to upload additional files, even large ones, until they reach that limit.

The default value, 0 , means that there is no limit. The allowed range is from 1 MB to 999 MB and you can set the limit individually for each user.

Privileges

You can use these items to allow limited access to some users and more control to others.

Allow Login --uncheck this item to temporarily disable this user's access.
Download Files --allow this user to copy files from the server to their local disk.
Upload New Files --allow this user to copy files from their local disk to the server, in their root folder.
Delete and Change Files --allow this user to delete files in their root folder, or replace a file with another of the same name.

Clients cannot delete folders if there are any files in them. Some FTP clients will do a recursive delete, removing the contents of the child folders and then the parent folders.

Create Folders --allow this user to make new subfolders in their root folder on the server.
Delete Folders --allow this user to delete subfolders from the server. They cannot delete their root folder.

FTP Users Import & Export

If you have many FTP Users, you may want to edit their access information in a database or text file, rather than in WebSTAR Admin. These buttons let you import and export the user entries to a tab-delimited text file. The format is:

username
password
root folder path
privileges codes, corresponding to the checkboxes in the FTP Users panel (in any order)

a --allow login

r --download files

c --upload files

w --delete & change files

f --create folders

x --delete folders

maximum folder size

For example, the following entries allow some users to change files and others simply to view them.

 

anonymous     *       FTP-HD:pub:                      ar       0

 
knickknacks   z8cK2   Web-HD:WebSTAR 3.0:knicknacks:   arcf     500

 
widgets       2wid6   Web-HD:WebSTAR 3.0:widgets:      arcfw    0

Anonymous FTP

The Internet custom is to allow public FTP access to a server via a special anonymous user: the FTP client enters "anonymous" for their user name. In many cases, the client automatically sends the user's email address as the password. The WebSTAR FTP server supports an anonymous user account.

When a client logs in, the FTP monitor and log file shows you the client software name, and password, if any:

 

	FTP: Anonymous user (user@domain.com) logged in

To make a public-access folder for your FTP server:

1 Select the location of the FTP root folder carefully, preferably on a separate disk or partition.

Anonymous access requires special attention to security issues: see FTP Security .

2 Name your FTP root folder. A common name for these folders is "pub", short for "publications".
3 Put an example file in the anonymous root folder, for testing.
4 Make an FTP User entry with the name "anonymous ", and the public-access folder as the root folder.

Even if you require some text, it's not a real password: you cannot require a specific password on an anonymous account.

5 Set the FTP Privileges. You may not want anonymous users creating folders or even uploading files.
6 Save the entry to your server.
7 Log into your FTP server's "pub" folder from any FTP client using their "anonymous" setting, to make sure that you can access the correct folder.