Configure pfsense for FTP server
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""The issue with firewalls is, in active mode, the server opens a 2nd connection""
True - but to be honest passive connection to a server behind a nat is a bigger pain because you have to have the passive ports forwarded and your ftp server has to present its public IP not the rfc1918 that it is on.
Now from a client side firewall yes passive is easier, but from a server side passive is more firewall rules to be created and bigger pita.
"There are still plenty of sites that use ftp for file download."
Yeah and its PITA through nat since you have to understand if your clients are active or passive, etc. As to what is harder to setup for anonymous file download - clickity clickity I can have a httpd serve up files with only 1 port to forward, ie 80. Vs having to understand how the data channel of a ftp server works and what is being used active or passive.
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I finally bit the bullet, nuked my FTP server and replaced it with an ownCloud. Best decision I've made this month. More features, better management and no FTP firewall hassles.
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Just disable support for active mode FTP and screw those who for some insane reason can't use passive mode clients. For passive mode FTP the server side and port forwarding is almost trivial.
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"For passive mode FTP the server side and port forwarding is almost trivial."
You have that BACKWARDS!! With ftp server behind a nat, with passive clients connecting you need to make sure the ftp server presents its public IP not its rfc1918. You also need to make sure you know what passive ports the ftp server is going to use and then forward those as well.
When clients are going to use active the only port you have to forward is 21, the client will tell the ftp server what port to connect to. So as long as your outbound firewall rules do not block your ftp server from talking outbound to random high ports your fine. Normally the ftp server would create the connection from source port 20. So even if you lock down outbound rules. 1 simple rule allow the ftp server to go anywhere from source port 20 allows your ftp to work.
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Well it's not terribly difficult either at least with the FTP server software I've used. With ProFTPd it's just two configuration directives and you're set assuming you have the command port and the passive range forwarded on the firewall.
What if you're trying to use active mode server in an environment where the server can't make any outgoing connections other than connections related to the incoming ones? That's where you would have to have some sort of proxy/helper like the ftp-proxy that we still had a while ago.
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None of its is actually difficult.. The problem is people trying to do it that don't have a clue to what active vs passive in ftp actually means.
If your setup is blocking your ftp server from making outbound connections then yeah your going to have issues trying to allow active connections. If your in such a setup then FTP is really bad choice. The client is who determines what connection it is going to be active or passive.
the built in ftp cli in windows for example doesn't even support passive. If your wanting to run a ftp server to allow for anonymous people to download files then you really would need to support both modes both active and passive. If you ask me if your wanting to provide files anonymous for clients on the public internet to download your best choice would be to just provide those up via http. This way your only needing 1 forward, and the server would never be making outbound connections it would just be answering a connection you forwarded to it.
I agree some ftp servers are easier to setup then others behind a nat. But some can be more difficult than others. Where its not easy to present a different IP then what its interface has or to limit what passive ports it will use, etc.
KOM gets it and moved away from ftp. To be honest if you ask your typical user they don't have a clue about ftp, for sure the difference between active or passive. Most don't even have a actual ftp client that would allow them to easy change to different modes. If your goal is to make it easy for users to access files you want to serve up your best choice would be http..
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Thanks for the reply..
I have to setup FTP server and I has not any choice.
I want to use active mode , but i don't know , how to define the rule for it.
Please help me with further explanation. -
There is NOTING to do special on the firewall for clients to connect active to ftp behind pfsense. Forward 21 to your ftp server and your done!!
Unless you have your lan rules locked down to limit outbound connections?
In an out of the box pfsense with any any as the lan rule, forward 21 to your ftp and your done with clients making active connections. Since the client will tell the ftp server what port to connect to for the data connection and the server will make the outbound connection. With rules any any its just like your ftp server was going to access www.google.com..
"I have to setup FTP server and I has not any choice. "
Sorry but I don't buy that.. I just don't… why do you not have a choice?? Run sftp?? Run some web based access. FTP is not secure and is for gosh sake not the only game in town for moving files..
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Thanks for the reply.
You are very best and help me a lot.
I define rules "Single host with any port to single host(IP FTP server) with port 21" and "Single host with any port to single host(IP FTP server) with port 50000-50999" in LAN for specific user.
Are They true? when I connect to ftp server , I can see my files in FTP server.
Please help me, I'm nervous and stressed.
Best Regards
FAD -
Are those the ports your ftp server is using for passive? You stated you wanted ACTIVE only..
"I want to use active mode , but i don't know , how to define the rule for it."
So why are you forwarding ports for passive mode? When you connect tot he ftp server from where??
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Hi,
Thanks for reply.
After reading more about FTP and your guidance , I decide to config FTP server for passive mode and I define range 50000 to 50999 for passive port.
I don't get "So why are you forwarding ports for passive mode?"
I use FTP server and Pfsense firewall only for local Network and Specified number of my partners in company's network are going to connect to FTP server ,so FTP server don't service to out of network and over internet.
but the rules that I define, Are true? I 'm not sure about tasks that I do.
Thank you -
Port forward and pass traffic for ports 21 and 50000-50999 to your FTP servers inside IP address.
Set your FTP server to send the actual outside WAN address, not its inside address, to clients for the DATA connections.
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Hi,
I don't want to use internet connection then do I need to config for port forward and outside WAN address?I'm confused.
Thanks a lot for your guidance,You 're grate. -
So this is an internal network only? Why are Natting inside a rfc1918 network??? Are you?? If your not natting then you wouldn't be port forwarding..
As to my question on why your forwarding passive.. Because you stated you wanted ACTIVE!!! Then in your next post your forwarding passive ports.. So that is the reason for my question..
"I'm confused."
Clearly I will agree with that statement 110% ;)
So this is an internal network.. Why are you using ftp?? Why not something like smb,nfs or afp? And across a nat even?? WTF???
But does not matter if your natting to public or another rf1918 address. The fact your natting means you you need to make sure that the ftp server hands out the IP that its address is natted too, not its actual address.
