Quick Start Guide

This guide walks you through the essential steps to get your CompleteFTP for Linux Preview Release up and running quickly. You'll create a user, set up a folder, and test connections using multiple protocols.

Prerequisites

• CompleteFTP installed and running (see Installation and Setup)
• Your user added to the completeftp group
• Basic familiarity with Linux command line

Overview

This quick start will take you through:

1. Creating your first user with password authentication
2. Setting up a folder for file storage
3. Testing connections via FTP, SFTP, and HTTPS
4. Verifying file transfers work correctly
5. Understanding security and next steps

Time required: 15-30 minutes

Step 1: Create Your First User

Let's create a user account for testing:

# Create a new user
completeftp user add myuser

# Set a password for the user (interactive prompt)
completeftp user set myuser password

When prompted, enter a secure password (e.g., MySecurePass123!).

Note: The password must meet the default policy requirements:

• At least 8 characters
• Mixed case letters
• At least one digit
• Special characters recommended

Verify the User

# Check that the user was created
completeftp user list

# View user details
completeftp user show myuser

You should see myuser in the user list with basic configuration applied.

Step 2: Set Up a Folder Structure

By default, CompleteFTP creates a /Home/myuser folder, but let's create a proper folder structure:

# Create a physical directory on the server
sudo mkdir -p /var/ftp/myuser
sudo chown $(whoami):$(whoami) /var/ftp/myuser

# Create the virtual folder in CompleteFTP
completeftp folder add /Home/myuser OS --mapping=/var/ftp/myuser

# Set folder ownership to the user
completeftp folder chown /Home/myuser owner myuser

# Set appropriate permissions
completeftp folder chmod /Home/myuser owner rwxd

Create a Shared Folder

# Create a shared directory
sudo mkdir -p /var/ftp/shared
sudo chmod 755 /var/ftp/shared

# Add to CompleteFTP
completeftp folder add /Shared OS --mapping=/var/ftp/shared

# Set permissions for all users
completeftp folder chmod /Shared all rw

Verify Folder Setup

# List folders
completeftp folder list

# Check folder details
completeftp folder show /Home/myuser
completeftp folder show /Shared

Step 3: Test Connections

Now let's test that connections work with different protocols:

Test FTP Connection

# Using command-line FTP client
ftp localhost

When prompted:

• Username: myuser
• Password: MySecurePass123! (or whatever you set)

Try basic FTP commands:

# List files
ls

# Change to home directory
cd /Home/myuser

# Create a test file
!echo "Hello from FTP" > /tmp/test.txt

# Upload the file
put /tmp/test.txt

# List files to verify upload
ls

# Download the file
get test.txt /tmp/downloaded.txt

# Quit FTP
quit

Test SFTP Connection

# Using command-line SFTP client
sftp myuser@localhost

Enter your password when prompted.

Try SFTP commands:

# List files
ls

# Change to home directory
cd /Home/myuser

# Upload a file
put /etc/hostname

# Download a file
get test.txt /tmp/sftp-downloaded.txt

# Quit SFTP
quit

Test HTTPS/Web Interface

Open a web browser and navigate to:

https://localhost/Login

Note: You may see a security warning about the self-signed certificate. This is normal for initial setup.

Login with:

• Username: myuser
• Password: MySecurePass123!

Use the web interface to:

1. Browse folders
2. Upload files
3. Download files
4. Create new folders

Step 4: Test File Operations

Let's verify that file operations work correctly:

# Create test files
echo "Test content 1" > /tmp/file1.txt
echo "Test content 2" > /tmp/file2.txt

# Test upload via SFTP
sftp myuser@localhost << EOF
cd /Home/myuser
put /tmp/file1.txt
put /tmp/file2.txt
ls
quit
EOF

# Verify files exist in the physical directory
ls -la /var/ftp/myuser/

# Test download via FTP
ftp localhost << EOF
myuser
MySecurePass123!
cd /Home/myuser
get file1.txt /tmp/downloaded1.txt
get file2.txt /tmp/downloaded2.txt
quit
EOF

# Verify downloads
cat /tmp/downloaded1.txt
cat /tmp/downloaded2.txt

Step 5: Add More Users and Test Groups

Let's create additional users and organize them with groups:

# Create additional users
completeftp user add alice
completeftp user add bob

# Set passwords (interactive prompts)
completeftp user set alice password
completeftp user set bob password

# Create a group
completeftp group add developers

# Add users to the group
completeftp group memberadd developers alice bob

# Create a group folder
sudo mkdir -p /var/ftp/developers
completeftp folder add /Developers OS --mapping=/var/ftp/developers

# Set group permissions
completeftp folder chown /Developers group developers
completeftp folder chmod /Developers group rwxd

Test Group Access

# Test alice can access the developers folder
sftp alice@localhost << EOF
cd /Developers
put /tmp/file1.txt
ls
quit
EOF

# Verify the file is there
ls -la /var/ftp/developers/

Step 6: Configure Basic Security

Let's improve security by enabling SSH key authentication:

# Generate SSH keys for alice (if not already done)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f /tmp/alice_key -N ""

# Add the public key to alice's account
completeftp user key add alice "$(cat /tmp/alice_key.pub)"

# Test SSH key authentication
sftp -i /tmp/alice_key alice@localhost << EOF
ls
quit
EOF

Step 7: Monitor and Troubleshoot

Check Service Status

# Check CompleteFTP service
sudo systemctl status completeftp

# View recent logs
sudo journalctl -u completeftp --no-pager -n 50

# Monitor logs in real-time
sudo journalctl -u completeftp -f

Check Connections

# See active connections
sudo netstat -tlpn | grep completeftp

# Check listening ports
sudo ss -tlpn | grep completeftp

Test Connectivity

# Test FTP port
telnet localhost 21

# Test SFTP port
telnet localhost 22

# Test HTTP port
curl -k https://localhost/

Understanding the Setup

What We've Created

1. User Account: myuser with password authentication
2. Home Directory: /Home/myuser mapped to /var/ftp/myuser
3. Shared Folder: /Shared for common access
4. Group Structure: developers group with members
5. Multiple Protocols: FTP, SFTP, and HTTPS access

File System Structure

CompleteFTP Virtual File System:
├── /Home/
│   ├── myuser/           → /var/ftp/myuser
│   ├── alice/            → /var/ftp/alice
│   └── bob/              → /var/ftp/bob
├── /Shared/              → /var/ftp/shared
└── /Developers/          → /var/ftp/developers

Common Issues and Solutions

Connection Refused

# Check if service is running
sudo systemctl status completeftp

# Check firewall
sudo ufw status  # Ubuntu/Debian
sudo firewall-cmd --list-all  # Red Hat

Permission Denied

# Check folder permissions
completeftp folder show /Home/myuser access

# Verify user group membership
completeftp group memberlist developers

Authentication Failed

# Check user exists and is enabled
completeftp user show myuser enabled

# Verify protocol is enabled
completeftp user show myuser sftpEnabled ftpEnabled

Next Steps

Now that you have a working CompleteFTP server, consider:

Security Hardening

1. SSL Certificates: Install proper SSL certificates for production use
2. SSH Keys: Configure SSH key authentication for all users
3. Firewall Rules: Restrict access to specific IP ranges
4. User Policies: Implement password policies and user quotas

Advanced Configuration

1. Site Configuration: Create multiple sites for different purposes
2. Advanced Folders: Set up cloud storage integration
3. User Management: Implement user groups and permissions
4. Monitoring: Set up logging and monitoring

Production Preparation

1. License Activation: Activate for remote access
2. Backup Strategy: Implement configuration and data backups
3. Performance Tuning: Optimize for your specific use case
4. Documentation: Document your configuration for team use

Reference Documentation

• Site Configuration - Configure server protocols and settings
• User Management - Advanced user configuration
• Folder Management - Virtual file system setup
• Group Management - User organization and permissions
• Keys and Certificates - Secure authentication setup

Summary

You've successfully:

• ✅ Created users with password authentication
• ✅ Set up folder structure with proper permissions
• ✅ Tested FTP, SFTP, and HTTPS connections
• ✅ Verified file upload and download operations
• ✅ Configured basic group-based access control
• ✅ Tested SSH key authentication

Your CompleteFTP server is now ready for basic use. Consider the next steps above to enhance security and functionality for your specific requirements.