[Note that the following instructions have not been fully tested.]

To install ProFTPd on Ubuntu (or most Debian based) Linux, execute the following commands.  Although highly recommended, only the first command should be used if you don't have a GUI desktop installed on your server:

sudo apt-get install proftpd

Installing a GUI Manager for ProFTPd

Just a few short commands will get you there.

sudo apt-get install gadmin-proftpd

sudo rm /etc/proftpd/proftpd.conf

Be sure to see the note above regarding setting gksu-properties or you will not be able to run gadmin-proftpd.

The first time you start gadmin-proftpd, you will need to configure a few settings. All default values should be used unless otherwise noted below:

  • Server Name: off
  • Admin email: your.email@yourdomain.com
  • Enable virtual users: checked
  • Server user: ftpuser
  • Server group: ftpgroup

To add a virtual user:

  • Click on the Users tab
  • Click the '+Add' button. All settings can remain with their default values except:
    • Username: Enter a username.
    • Password: Enter a password.
    • Group: ftpgroup
  • Click +Add directory
  • Click File System
  • Click home
  • Click ftpuser
  • Click the Open button
  • Modify the directory permissions as needed.
  • Click the Apply button.

CAUTION: Each time you click the Apply button, the selected user changes back to the first user in the list and you will be looking at that accounts settings. To make review and/or make further changes, you will need to re-select the user.

By default, system users get FTP access. However once the vitual users option is enable, system account users will no longer be able to login. If this is not what you want, remove the entire AuthPAM off module lines in the Configuration tab.

In the Configuration tab, APPEND the following lines AT THE END to fix an issue that prevents FTP clients such as Filezilla or WinSCP from connecting to the server:

<IfModule mod_facts.c>
FactsAdvertise off
</IfModule>

IMPORTANT: Once the server is configured, you may be prompted, when launching Gadmin-ProFTPd, to overwrite the current configuration with a suitable standard configuration. This is likely because you placed the above code before the end of the file. Be sure to click No or you will loose your current configuration.