Lion Server: Enabling the FTP service

This article discusses how to enable the FTP service in Lion Server.

Use the following steps (you must use Terminal). Note: In the steps 1 and 2, the example local administrator's short name is ladmin. Change it to your own local admin account's short name.

1. Create an Access Control List (ACL) group:

   dseditgroup -o create -n /Local/Default -u ladmin com.apple.access_ftp

2. Enter your password when prompted.

3. Add users and groups to the ACL group.

   • For example, to add a user named jacob:

     dseditgroup -o edit -u ladmin -a jacob com.apple.access_ftp

   • For example, to add a group named teachers:

     dseditgroup -o edit -u ladmin -a teachers -t group com.apple.access_ftp

4. Repeat the example commands above for any additional users or groups that need FTP access.

5. Configure the FTP service to load on demand:

   sudo launchctl load -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/ftp.plist

Learn more

Lion Server uses tnftpd by default. For more information, refer type man ftpd in Terminal.