How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

Need help with FileZilla Server? Something does not work as expected? In this forum you may find an answer.

Moderator: Project members

Locked
Message
Author
Particle
504 Command not implemented
Posts: 11
Joined: 2008-12-09 20:55

How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#1 Post by Particle » 2008-12-09 21:41

I recently ran into this issue as have a lot of others it seems. So you want to setup FileZilla Server to share a network resource instead of a local one. You've probably tried setting it up as a mapped network drive. You can transfer files to it all day long in Windows, but it just won't work as a shared FTP folder. You get the FTP 550 error. And so on and so you will for all eternity if you don't recognize a few key elements about how this process really works.

The directions below are not a step-by-step pictorial reference. It assumes you have at least a basic understanding of how to use Windows and computers in general.

Big Deal #1
Permissions. You need to set FileZilla Server to run as a different user. This is not the whole puzzle, however, so simply running FZS under your normal administrator account will not solve your problem. To accomplish this is easy enough. Go to your Control Panel and open Administrative Tools. Open Services and locate the FileZilla Server row. Open the properties page for it (double-click) and go to the Log On tab. Enter a local username and password here that you wish to use. I strongly suggest you make a new user account for this task. Make it an administrator to start with just so you know it works...do proper security later. You will need to restart the FileZilla Server service for this to take effect.

Big Deal #2
Mapped drives aren't good enough. You need to set up the remote folder as a network location. To do this, you have to go to My Network Places. You can get to that (in XP/Server2k3) by going to your Control Panel, opening Network Connections, and clicking on My Network Places in the bar to the left. It's the Other Places group--expand it if it is closed. Once you're there, again look to the left bar thing and click on Add a Network Place. Go through the wizard and provide the network URL for what you want to share where appropriate. Name it anything you feel like.

Big Deal #3
Share your new "Network Location" that you made. In FileZilla Server, when you add a folder for a user you can scroll past the local drives to the Network Locations node. Expand it and locate the network place you setup. Select it and use it like you were intending to use your mapped drive.

Big Deal #4
More permissions. It isn't good enough to just do the things above. You must also go to the computer you are sharing a resource from (the server your network resource is on) and create a user account with the same username and password as the one you made for FileZilla Server. You're still not done. You must grant that user account both sharing and file permissions on the folder you're trying to share across the network. Start with Full Control just so you know that you're working so far. Peel away permissions after you've successfully made your first test.

Ok, so why does this happen? Mapped drives aren't good enough because effectively they don't exist as far as a service is concerned (extreme oversimplification...I know). You also have to setup the user accounts so that both the file server and FTP server are "on the same page" as far as permissions are concerned. With file permissions explicitly defined and using network places (that do work) instead of mapped drives, your FTP server will be able to access the network resource as you expect.

And there was much rejoicing.

User avatar
botg
Site Admin
Posts: 35491
Joined: 2004-02-23 20:49
First name: Tim
Last name: Kosse

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#2 Post by botg » 2008-12-10 01:37

Stickyfied. Also made it clear in the text that this is about the server. FileZilla without the Server means the client.

calm
500 Command not understood
Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-02-23 16:07
First name: Subhastian Estdahl
Last name: Nepali

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#3 Post by calm » 2009-02-23 16:31

I have done all this, but still encounter problems. I doesn't work, neither with the default share (c$, d$, e$...) nor a custom share, when sharing the root folder of a drive. A user with the same username and password as the one running the Filezilla Server service has Full Control permissions on the drives, including subfolders, and the network shares. The shares have been created as Network Places.

If I set Filezilla Server to share \\servercomputer\c$ or a custom share of C:, maybe called \\servercomputer\Cdrive the server fails with the following message:
150 Opening data channel for directory list.
could not send reply, disconnected.


...and the client with this:
Command: LIST
Error: Connection timed out
Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing


If I change the share settings in Filezilla Server so that it shares \\servercomputer\c$\subfolder it works perfectly, the folders list without a hitch..

calm
500 Command not understood
Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-02-23 16:07
First name: Subhastian Estdahl
Last name: Nepali

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#4 Post by calm » 2009-02-23 17:39

calm wrote:I have done all this, but still encounter problems. I doesn't work, neither with the default share (c$, d$, e$...) nor a custom share, when sharing the root folder of a drive. A user with the same username and password as the one running the Filezilla Server service has Full Control permissions on the drives, including subfolders, and the network shares. The shares have been created as Network Places.

If I set Filezilla Server to share \\servercomputer\c$ or a custom share of C:, maybe called \\servercomputer\Cdrive the server fails with the following message:
150 Opening data channel for directory list.
could not send reply, disconnected.


...and the client with this:
Command: LIST
Error: Connection timed out
Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing


If I change the share settings in Filezilla Server so that it shares \\servercomputer\c$\subfolder it works perfectly, the folders list without a hitch..
I managed to work this out actually :mrgreen: I can now set up Filezilla Server to share network shares of other computers that are the default shares or custom shares of a drives root folder, no timeout:
  • When I turned off the Windows Firewall it worked, which made no sense to me as an Exception for File and Printer Sharing was already active.
  • Turned on logging of dropped packets in the firewall, and the log showed that it dropped incoming TCP packets on port 111 from the machine running Filezilla Server.
  • Opened this port in the Windows Firewall, and everything worked smoothly.
What I find strange is that the port I opened is listed as Sun Remote Procedure Call in the portlists I checked. Nothing about that port and Windows File Sharing from Microsoft either.

slim356
500 Command not understood
Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-06-02 23:45

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#5 Post by slim356 » 2009-06-02 23:53

I have read a lot in the forum and have tried a lot of things but still, I cannot do what I would like to. I'm trying to set Filezilla to access shared network device (external HDD) wich is plugged directly in my router.

Is it possible to do that and if so, could somebody help me please!!! :roll:

User avatar
boco
Contributor
Posts: 26899
Joined: 2006-05-01 03:28
Location: Germany

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#6 Post by boco » 2009-06-03 10:19

Filezilla or Filezilla Server?
### BEGIN SIGNATURE BLOCK ###
No support requests per PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
FTP connection problems? Please do yourself a favor and read Network Configuration.
FileZilla connection test: https://filezilla-project.org/conntest.php
### END SIGNATURE BLOCK ###

slim356
500 Command not understood
Posts: 2
Joined: 2009-06-02 23:45

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#7 Post by slim356 » 2009-06-03 21:49

Well...both! Actually, I'm able to see my network HDD with Filezilla server installed on my computer and give users access to the folders in this HDD. But when I'm logging as a client, there's nothing in the directory.

I also have another concern. This external HDD is connected right into my router and has an auto power switch that makes it reachable at any time on demand. I'd like to know if it's possible to install Filezilla server so it could run only on this HDD, without having my computer running all the time?

User avatar
boco
Contributor
Posts: 26899
Joined: 2006-05-01 03:28
Location: Germany

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#8 Post by boco » 2009-06-04 22:22

I'm able to see my network HDD with Filezilla server installed on my computer and give users access to the folders in this HDD. But when I'm logging as a client, there's nothing in the directory.
By default the server service runs under account SYSTEM. SYSTEM has no rights to access network resources. Use the service control panel to change the account the server runs under (to one that has the rights).
I also have another concern. This external HDD is connected right into my router and has an auto power switch that makes it reachable at any time on demand. I'd like to know if it's possible to install Filezilla server so it could run only on this HDD, without having my computer running all the time?
Is this a NAS? Most NAS have a built-in FTP server. Also NAS mostly have a special OS, you can't install PC software on it.
### BEGIN SIGNATURE BLOCK ###
No support requests per PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
FTP connection problems? Please do yourself a favor and read Network Configuration.
FileZilla connection test: https://filezilla-project.org/conntest.php
### END SIGNATURE BLOCK ###

User avatar
boco
Contributor
Posts: 26899
Joined: 2006-05-01 03:28
Location: Germany

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#9 Post by boco » 2009-09-07 08:33

### BEGIN SIGNATURE BLOCK ###
No support requests per PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
FTP connection problems? Please do yourself a favor and read Network Configuration.
FileZilla connection test: https://filezilla-project.org/conntest.php
### END SIGNATURE BLOCK ###

User avatar
boco
Contributor
Posts: 26899
Joined: 2006-05-01 03:28
Location: Germany

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#10 Post by boco » 2015-01-10 16:02

Had to make this an announcement instead of a Sticky. Somehow the Sticky didn't stay at the top.
### BEGIN SIGNATURE BLOCK ###
No support requests per PM! You will NOT get any reply!!!
FTP connection problems? Please do yourself a favor and read Network Configuration.
FileZilla connection test: https://filezilla-project.org/conntest.php
### END SIGNATURE BLOCK ###

User avatar
botg
Site Admin
Posts: 35491
Joined: 2004-02-23 20:49
First name: Tim
Last name: Kosse

Re: How to make network shares available using FileZilla Server

#11 Post by botg » 2016-03-09 18:56


Locked