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Setting up a ProFTPd port-based VirtualHost

By admin | February 13, 2011

ProFTPd is a very powerful FTP server software that is most commonly used on Linux servers to provide a FTP service to the public, Intranet or Web Services. ProFTPd, much like its HTTP counterpart, Apache, contains the ability to host multiple different services on one physical computer by using “Virtual Hosts”, which makes it appear as it were multiple hosts hosting different content. Unfortunately, FTP does not support named-based virtual hosting like HTTP does, so to allow customers/clients to be able to FTP you must use a different port.

Procedure

  1. Open up your ProFTPd configuration file (by default it is /etc/proftpd.conf) using your favourite text editor: 
    sudo nano -w /etc/proftpd.conf
  2. Add a VirtualHost. The following snippet sets up a “virtual” server on Port 3003 for all bound IP addresses (IPv6 and IPv4). You can change the 3003 to the port you want to host, change the ServerName to a useful description of the host and DefaultRoot to the root of the FTP. 
    <VirtualHost ::0.0.0.0>
	Port 3003
	Umask 022
	ServerName "VirtualHost FTP"
	DefaultRoot /home/www/customer3003
</VirtualHost>
  3. If you do not want IPv6 support or it gives you problems on your specific host, then you can bind it to all IPv4 addresses on Port 3003 (same as above otherwise): 
    <VirtualHost 0.0.0.0>
	Port 3003
	Umask 022
	ServerName "VirtualHost FTP"
	DefaultRoot /home/www/customer3003
</VirtualHost>
  4. If you want, you can also modify it to bind to only certain ports to the specified port. When you are comfortable with your configuration, save the file and exit.
  5. Reload the FTP server and connect away: 
    sudo /etc/init.d/proftpd restart

What did not work

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