Settin Up WarFtp

by imh

Ok, to start off, i'm assuming you know how to use a ftp client, and that your somewhat familiar with File Transfer Protocol.  If you've never run a ftp client, you dont need to be settin up a server. I wrote this because I read someone else's "how to set up warftp" and it sucked.  This page is dedicated to that lamer.  If anything is unclear please contact me on Efnet in one of my channels or email me at the address at the bottom.  Chances are that even if you figure it out, someone else will have the same problem.  Your critisisms are welcome.  Hope this clears up the mystery of warftp.

First, we need the software.  Current Version = 1.65 when this page was written.  You can obtain the latest version at http://www.jgaa.com.  Notice: this program is freeware. Either way, if you're too busy... direcet download it ward165.exe. Ok, now install it...

Good Idea: Make sure that the "No Anonymous Logins" box is checked. I suggest doing it all off of logins and passwords.

Ok, lets start...  First of all let me say that im going to run my "example" off of a different port rather than the standard port 21.  Why am i doing this??? To confuse you! (Theres ppl on my server and i dun want to piss em off).

Ok, lets start. Make a dir called "temp" or something. Run ward165.exe

Should unzip into lots of files.  Run Setup.exe Choose "typical" intallation. Click on Finish. It should install just fine...

Now run the program, you should see a screen like this (only where i have port 50, you'll see a 21. If you want to use a different port, click in the white box and change the port BEFORE you go online!!!)

Ok, click on the little lightning bolt to go online.  Cool. Now that wasnt so hard, your up and running.  So concludes this tutorial... WHAT?!?!? You want ppl to be able to login???  Darn, well, then thats not the end, but merely the begining...  Ok, first of all, we're using warftp right! If we wanted a crappy server we'd use serv-u. So, lets kik this baby into advanced options!!!! 

To start off this tutorial, we're gonna configure your options real quick at first, then go back to em later...

Click On Properties|Options to get this menu.

Ok, like i said, pick advanced options.  Thats where the real power comes in.  For shutdown options, its always best to have this checked so that if you accidently hit "close" and someones uploading you a cool file, they dont get knocked off.  I leave it checked. Also, i have it go online when started.   Only makes sense.  Uncheck the welcome dialog if you wish to kill the splash screen.

File System, Virtual File System, Site tab: leave it as it is.

FTP Tab : Its a good idea to check the "preform reverse dns lookup" tab.  Helps keep better track of whose on your server.

Server Name Tab: now its time to name your server.  Choose a name for it (I was generic and chose "Imh's Ftp server")  This shows up when ppl connect.  Also set your email if you wish and leave "limit to local ip" blank.

Priority, Sounds, Upload Verification : i leave these the way they are for now.

Log: i would check "system warnings".

OK, We're configured! Hit "OK" and lets move on...

Whats a file server without users???? Lets add some.

Whoah... Wait a minute... lets configure the "Default" first.  Default is a set of properties that you expect all users to have.  we need to configure this...

Click on Properties|Security|Edit default

Now click on the "File Access Tab And highlight the "/" dir (shown below)

Ok, this is REAL important.  You see the "/"??? that means your entire computer.  /c/ would be c drive, /d/ would be your d drive, and / is your entire computer.  The way warftp is set up initially is that "/" has access to "list" all the directories and files on your hard drive. (You should see the little "list" box is checked. Uncheck it.  This way ppl can only see the dir's you tell them to see.  Ok, now click the "history" tab.   You see the middle section?

This is an important section.  Be sure to set your maximum idle time to what you want it.  If users do not issue any ftp commands or have any file transfers in progress, it is considered idle time.  Once idle time hits the specified amount, it kiks the user off.  Set zero for infinite idle time.  I dont reccomend this.  I recommend 3-5 min.  Max logins on account means whether a person can log in more than once using several clients.  0 means infinite.  Its up to you whether to set it or not.  Depends on what you want.  If your unsure, leave it zero. Time limit i suggest you leave at 0 (infinite), you can ALWAYS change ALL of these properties when you edit a user.  What default account is for, is for if you DONT specify a privlege in the user profile, it looks to this.  Its mainly a way to be "lazy". Set this file to how you think most of your user profiles will look, so that you dont have to continuously fill out the entire profile, it can just look to default for the information.   Ok, now default is set up.

Lets make our first user.

Click on Properties|Security|Edit User

When the user editing screen pops up, select "ADD". "Enter Name of user" Appears.  This is the users login.  Lets go ahead and make one called "pgm98".  Enter "pgm98" for the user's name. Now we get to set the password.  Lets go ahead and enter "pgm98" once again.  Ok, we have a user.  Now lets go through this thing tab by tab.   First off, the "security" tab, as shown below:

Security Tab

Step 1: Ratio's

Ok, down at the bottom you see the ratio settings.  The "Put 1 for each 1 Files to download" means upload 1 file, and you can then download 1 file.  The Left Number is amount of uploads needed, while the right value is the credit that they recieve.  The last box is whether to use bytes or files.   I suggest using bytes, so lamers dont upload "scandisk.log" or something like that. Session means that "credits" are erased every time the user logs out (for multi user accounts). Normal keeps track of the credits and allows them to log back in later to download (for private accounts). The "typical" ratio would look something like this:

A 1:5 ratio is most common.

Anyway, for the purpose of this user, i'm not going to use ratio's.   Im just gonna leave it as it is "USE DEFAULT". Remember our default user that we configured? Default was set as "No Restriction" (meaning "Leech").  So therefore, I can select "use default" OR "no restriction" and it will have the same effect.

Step 2: Belong in Class

You wont need to get into "classes" for a while.  I suggest leaving it as Default, (Which default = "visitor")

Step 3: Reports

This is a useful function that lets you see all kinds of statistics

Ok, we're done with that tab.... On to The major tab "FILE ACCESS"

File Access Tab

This is the most important tab on your database, because it gives access to your hard drive to your users.  First we need to clear something up.

White Box With a check means "Allow" the user access to do this function.

Grey Box With a Grey check means to look and see what kind of access Default user has, and give the user the default access.

A white box means Disallow the user access to this function.

Ok, now lets give the user some access! 

Ok, if you remember correctly, we set "Default" up so that the user doesnt have any access to anything.  This will make our lives easier now. Ok on this tab we have some options. You see the white box in the middle with "default permissions"??  Well, since the default user has NO permissions, we need to put some in!  Ok, below the "path" box, click on "ADD" and then select the directory with the stuff you want to offer.  My mp3's are in \ftp\mp3 so i chose that.  Now, we need to set up file access.  Since i want "START" off his session in the \ftp\mp3 directory, i check the "root" and "home" boxes.  For now, lets just say that they are the same thing... make it easy on you. I want the user to be able to SEE what the directory has in it, so i choose "list".  If he cant see the directory contents, he doenst know anything's there!  Of course, i want the user to be able to download, so i check the "read" box as well.  I dont want him putting files in this directory though, nor do i want him to delete any, so i leave these grey (which means look to default, which says "dissallow") Anyway, it looks something like this:

WAIT!!!! What on earth!!  It automatically Clicked on the "Recursive" check too! What?!?!?! 

Ok, lets go over an extremely important definition.

Recursive:  Include all sub-directories with same permissions.

Why did it check "recursive"??? Because its the "Root" dir is your primary directory, and it should be the "top" of all your directories

Everything that you include should fall "under" the root directory.

Anyway! Lets continue.  Now the users have access to download off the account. Go ahead and log into your own ftp using your favorite client and check it out.  Make sure everything is working like you think it does.

127.0.0.1 is the address for yourself.  Enter this into Cuteftp as host address to check yourself. 

Ok, now lets say your uploads directory is in ftp\mp3\uploads.   What are we going to do?  Click on "Add" Once again and add the dir ftp\mp3\uploads.  Now check the read/write/list tabs.  Now they can upload.   Hey, wait a sec, i cant choose "create" or "remove" dir's???   Heh. Check "recursive" on.  Now you can.

Now lets assume something.  That your uploads dir is NOT on your d drive like mine, but on E:  Here's how to do it, click on all the same stuff as above, but click on "mapping". Mapping creates a "virtual" directory, allowing the user to see it as a normal directory, and not as a drive...  Play around with it if you dont understand yet.

Ok, you should have the file access tab under control by now....

Personal Tab: This is information you can save for your own records

Greeting: the message that is delivered when they sign on.

Banned Files: you can play around with this if you want to... but its not necessary.

Access list - Important Tab.  It allows IP checking. Basic thing to remember: masks to ALLOW OVERRULE masks to DENY.

Lets say that joe blow pisses you off and his ip address is 123.45.67.89  Under "masks to deny, write in "123.45.67.*"  this will ban his domain on THAT ACCOUNT ONLY.  (To ban him off all accounts set it on default).  Ok, now lets say that Yuki-Doll is your best friend, and you give her a personal account.  Even though Yuki-Doll is VERY TRUSTWORTHY and you KNOW she will never give her account out to friends, its a good idea to check EVERY PRIVATE ACCOUNTS ip address, so that only when they are at thier computer can they log in.  How to do this, Enter "*.*.*.*" for masks to deny.  Lets say Yuki-Dolls Ip is 111.22.33.44 , so under masks to allow we enter "111.22.33.*"  the reason you put stars is because sometimes peoples ip addresses change slightly.  Anyway, thats how to implement ip checking.

Hit Apply, Hit OK.  User is in there.  Painless huh.

One more thing to help you out, Groups.  A group is merely a level between default and the user.  Its nice for private accounts.  Esp if they all have the same permissions.  See, when the computer checks permissions, it looks to the "user" first of all, then it looks to the group, then it looks to default. 

So essentially, if you have 10 ppl to enter with the same permissions, enter a "group," with these permissions, and then select that group under the security tab.  It helps save alot of time for personal accounts. 

Ok, well thats about it.  I know i cut this mabey a little short, but warftp comes with an excellent help file =)

look in there!  oh, and dont be scared at all to tell me if anything is unclear.  I will be compiling a FAQ to help ppl out, so if you have a question, ASK IT!

Just Email me at [email protected]

Lates!  Have fun.

Imh