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    FTP server behind pfsense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Firewalling
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    • S
      sizeur
      last edited by

      Hi,

      I have installed a FTP (vsftpd) server on a linux server in my LAN network and i would like to access it from the WAN server but i does'nt work :(

      The server should be reachable via SFTP (port 22) from the WAN network, here is my configuration of port fowarding: ( i made it from "Firewall->Rules->WAN)
      http://hpics.li/cf3cb77

      When i try to access it with with WinSCP via WAN it keep searching for the host without finding it. I used the configration in https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/FTP_without_a_Proxy for the conf of vsftpd but i have a question:

      Can the the vsftpd server be reachable when with the configuration i made via "Firewall-> Rules" or should i add something in " Firewall->NAT->1:1" and if yes, what should i add ? Should i erase my current conf and create a new one in firewall->NAT ?

      Thank you  :P

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      • chpalmerC
        chpalmer
        last edited by

        22 is SSH..  Is it possible you have SSH (Secure Shell Server) enabled on your pfSense?

        Triggering snowflakes one by one..
        Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4590T CPU @ 2.00GHz on an M400 WG box.

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        • S
          sizeur
          last edited by

          Hello chpalmer,

          I have enabled the secureshell now i can access the server with the Public IP from the LAN but not from the WAN :(

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          • S
            sizeur
            last edited by

            I ama pretty sur i should add someting in "Firewall->NAT->1:1" but i don't know how to do it ;( i thought the configuration i have psoted would be enough :(

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            • D
              doktornotor Banned
              last edited by

              You do not need any 1:1 NAT to do a dead simple port forward. You are doing it wrong - use Firewall - NAT - Port Forward, not Firewall - Rules.

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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                so your running your control channel for ftp on 22??  SSH or sftp??  WTF??  Makes ZERO sense to do that.. vsftp is not sftp server.. its a ftp server..

                So which is it do you want to run ftp or ftps/ftpes (ftp using ssl) or do you wan to run sftp - which secure ftp using ssh.. Part of ssh, you do not need to install the ftp server vsftp to do that.

                If sftp then simple as port forward 22.  If then its a bit more complicated - are you clients active or passive.  Are you going to do it over ssl then the common port is 990..

                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                • S
                  sizeur
                  last edited by

                  Hello doktornotor & chpalmer,

                  Thank you for your feedback, i am going to focus on ftp instead of sftp which looks easier.

                  Thank for your help, i will get back to you when i will be available.

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by

                    Not sure where u got idea ftp is easier? In ftp there are multiple ports involved control and data and data changes direction if active or passive much more involved in getting to work through nat firewall while sftp is 1 port

                    An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                    If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                    Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                    SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

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                    • S
                      sizeur
                      last edited by

                      Hi there again,

                      I have made progess regarding my FTP server but it still doesn'work. I have erased my old configuration and add this conf:
                      http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=153586501.jpg

                      First rule "FTP passive port forward":
                      http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=805386262.jpg

                      Second rule "FTP port forward 4101":
                      http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=597823163.jpg

                      The FTP works normally in the lan when the followwng line is uncommented:
                      "MasqueradeAddress              x.x.x.x"  (where x.x.x.x is the public adress of my pfsense).

                      As soon as i uncomment it i cannot access my FTP anymore with his private IP adress from the LAN or with the public adress of my pfsense from the WAN, i have the same error message with winscp or filezilla client:
                      http://www.hostingpics.net/viewer.php?id=791995304.jpg

                      In the log of proftpd i see the messages:
                      "USER ftpuser: Login successful"
                      "FTP session opened"

                      In the log of winscp i see:
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:22.133 Using FTP protocol.
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:22.133 Doing startup conversation with host.

                      2017-03-07 13:15:22.196 PWD
                      < 2017-03-07 13:15:22.212 257 "/" est le répertoire courant
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:22.212 Getting current directory name.
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:22.383 Retrieving directory listing…
                      2017-03-07 13:15:22.383 TYPE A
                      < 2017-03-07 13:15:22.399 200 Type paramétré à A
                      2017-03-07 13:15:22.399 PASV
                      < 2017-03-07 13:15:22.415 227 Entering Passive Mode (x,x,x,x,234,144). (NOTE: x.x.x.x is the public addressof pfsense)
                      2017-03-07 13:15:22.415 MLSD
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:22.415 Connecting to x.x.x.x:60048 ... (NOTE: x.x.x.x is the public addrress of pfsense)
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:37.811 Timeout detected. (data connection)
                      . 2017-03-07 13:15:37.811 Could not retrieve directory listing

                      • 2017-03-07 13:15:37.982 (EFatal) Lost connection.

                      I have the same thing in filezilla client so i think the problem doesnt come from the ftp client

                      Here is my proftpd config:

                      Includes DSO modules

                      Include /etc/proftpd/modules.conf

                      Set off to disable IPv6 support which is annoying on IPv4 only boxes.

                      UseIPv6                        off

                      If set on you can experience a longer connection delay in many cases.

                      IdentLookups                    off

                      ServerName                      "Debian"
                      ServerType                      standalone
                      DeferWelcome                    off

                      MultilineRFC2228                on
                      DefaultServer                  on
                      ShowSymlinks                    on

                      TimeoutNoTransfer              600
                      TimeoutStalled                  600
                      TimeoutIdle                    1200

                      DisplayLogin                    welcome.msg
                      DisplayChdir                    .message true
                      ListOptions                    "-l"

                      DenyFilter                      *.*/

                      Use this to jail all users in their homes

                      DefaultRoot                    ~

                      Port 21 is the standard FTP port.

                      Port                            4101

                      In some cases you have to specify passive ports range to by-pass

                      firewall limitations. Ephemeral ports can be used for that, but

                      feel free to use a more narrow range.

                      PassivePorts                  60000 60050

                      If your host was NATted, this option is useful in order to

                      allow passive tranfers to work. You have to use your public

                      address and opening the passive ports used on your firewall as well.

                      MasqueradeAddress              x.x.x.x (the public IP adress of my pfsense)

                      This is useful for masquerading address with dynamic IPs:

                      refresh any configured MasqueradeAddress directives every 8 hours

                      <ifmodule mod_dynmasq.c=""># DynMasqRefresh 28800</ifmodule>

                      To prevent DoS attacks, set the maximum number of child processes

                      to 30.  If you need to allow more than 30 concurrent connections

                      at once, simply increase this value.  Note that this ONLY works

                      in standalone mode, in inetd mode you should use an inetd server

                      that allows you to limit maximum number of processes per service

                      (such as xinetd)

                      MaxInstances                    30

                      Set the user and group that the server normally runs at.

                      User                            proftpd
                      Group                          nogroup

                      Umask 022 is a good standard umask to prevent new files and dirs

                      (second parm) from being group and world writable.

                      Umask                          022  022

                      Normally, we want files to be overwriteable.

                      AllowOverwrite                  on

                      Uncomment this if you are using NIS or LDAP via NSS to retrieve passwords:

                      PersistentPasswd              off

                      This is required to use both PAM-based authentication and local passwords

                      AuthOrder                    mod_auth_pam.c* mod_auth_unix.c

                      Be warned: use of this directive impacts CPU average load!

                      Uncomment this if you like to see progress and transfer rate with ftpwho

                      in downloads. That is not needed for uploads rates.

                      UseSendFile                  off

                      TransferLog /var/log/proftpd/xferlog
                      SystemLog  /var/log/proftpd/proftpd.log

                      Logging onto /var/log/lastlog is enabled but set to off by default

                      #UseLastlog on

                      In order to keep log file dates consistent after chroot, use timezone info

                      from /etc/localtime.  If this is not set, and proftpd is configured to

                      chroot (e.g. DefaultRoot or <anonymous>), it will use the non-daylight

                      savings timezone regardless of whether DST is in effect.

                      #SetEnv TZ :/etc/localtime

                      <ifmodule mod_quotatab.c="">QuotaEngine off</ifmodule>

                      <ifmodule mod_ratio.c="">Ratios off</ifmodule>

                      Delay engine reduces impact of the so-called Timing Attack described in

                      http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/11430/discuss

                      It is on by default.

                      <ifmodule mod_delay.c="">DelayEngine on</ifmodule>

                      <ifmodule mod_ctrls.c="">ControlsEngine        off
                      ControlsMaxClients    2
                      ControlsLog          /var/log/proftpd/controls.log
                      ControlsInterval      5
                      ControlsSocket        /var/run/proftpd/proftpd.sock</ifmodule>

                      <ifmodule mod_ctrls_admin.c="">AdminControlsEngine off</ifmodule>

                      This is used for FTPS connections

                      #Include /etc/proftpd/tls.conf

                      Useful to keep VirtualHost/VirtualRoot directives separated

                      #Include /etc/proftpd/virtuals.conf

                      Include other custom configuration files

                      Include /etc/proftpd/conf.d/

                      <limit login="">DenyGroup !ftpuser</limit></anonymous>

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                      • D
                        doktornotor Banned
                        last edited by

                        Dude, when you passive ports range is  60000 60050 then kindly do NOT redirect 6000 - 6050. WTF.

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                        • S
                          sizeur
                          last edited by

                          Hi doktornotor,

                          Thank you for you kind advice, indeed the port redirection was not correct, i modify it and its working now.

                          Thanks a lot WTF bro ;)

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                          • D
                            doktornotor Banned
                            last edited by

                            You are welcome.

                            P.S. FTP still sucks, definitely would use SCP/SFTP whenever it's a viable alternative. :P

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