Setting up my FTP server to use passwords in Windows Server 2003

[latrosicarius]

Hello, I need some help on how to set up a password on my Windows Server 2003 FTP server, which is running on IIS (whichever version is installed by default + an IIS-related patch from Windows Update).

I want to put a password on it instead of just letting it be anonymous. So I made a User Account & password in Active Directory. The problem is... I'm not sure if I should use it b/c my friends will not be a part of my network, and therefore will not log into Windows under this User Account I created. They will log into their own Windows XP Home computers under their own User Accounts.

What should I do? Should I use that one anyway? If not, how else do I just add a password for them?

Thanks!

[badass]

Hello, I need some help on how to set up a password on my Windows Server 2003 FTP server, which is running on IIS (whichever version is installed by default + an IIS-related patch from Windows Update).

I want to put a password on it instead of just letting it be anonymous. So I made a User Account & password in Active Directory. The problem is... I'm not sure if I should use it b/c my friends will not be a part of my network, and therefore will not log into Windows under this User Account I created. They will log into their own Windows XP Home computers under their own User Accounts.

What should I do? Should I use that one anyway? If not, how else do I just add a password for them?

Thanks!

Create a user acount in Active directory and give that account permissions to the Dir thats published by the FTP server.
To log in the easiest way is for them to type the address ftp://username@yourftpserver.co.uk or whatever and their browser if its firefox or Internet Explorer will ask them for the password.
If yuo are using IIS as the FTP server if you want to give them write access to it, then you will also need to enable write access for teh website.
Finally, if you want it to use passive FTP you will have to either open up all ports above 1024 on your public IP address or you will need to change the passive port range that IIS uses (I specify a port range of 200 ports on my webserver)
Its a bit of a bugger to do - you have to edit the IIS metabase file to do it and restart IIS. Let me know if you want to do this and I'll find some links for you
If you want to prevent them from using those user accounts to log onto the server or access anything but the site, create a group called internet or something like that, add the accounts to that group, make it their primary group and remove them from domain users. In the user account properties change the log on to to not allow them to log on to any computers and you may even want to use group policy to add that group to the deny logon locally privelage. Give that group the relevant permissionn on the web folder and hey presto they have access to that folder and nothing else

[latrosicarius]

^ thanks mate! I did all that and it works like a champ! I made one user that has read-only NTFS permissions, and another user that has write/modify, so I can give out the read-only one to my friends, and if I need to add something away from home, I can sign in as the write/modify user.

The only problem I had was it said the passwords would be sent in plain text Is there any way to prevent this?

Also, I don't know what Passive FTP is, but everything is working, so I guess I probably dont need it.

Thanks!

[arthurleung]

You will need a proper FTP server like Gene6 or Raidenftpd for secure FTP transaction.
But Internet explorer does not support encrypted ftp connection (nor other web browser AFAIK).

Most people use unencrypted FTP which is fine. Most FTP doesn't allow write/execute access for non-root user so even if someone spoof the password your server won't be compromised.

Even if you login to Hexus, your username and password are sent in plain text Really there is nothing to worry about.

[latrosicarius]

oh, i see thanks a lot!