How to Setup and Connect to SFTP Server

Transferring files over a network is quite common. Some people do it without realizing they're sharing data, while others have a dedicated server set up for this purpose. The SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) server is now preferred over the standard FTP (File Transfer Protocol) due to its accompanying SSH encryption.

If you have used FTP, you would know that the data involved during the transfer, such as usernames, passwords, and more, are shared via plain text. This would be a nightmare for network administrators, but thankfully, there are now different versions available, such as FTPS and SFTP, as mentioned above.

One of the reasons why you may find people preferring FTP is that it does not have a file size limit for the files to be transferred. Having an SFTP server on your work network has to be one of the most important things as it provides you with secure file transfers to both the client applications and the server.

However, when it comes to setting up an FTP server, things can get a bit complicated due to the numerous options available on the internet. Although there are many options to choose from, SolarWinds stands out as usual due to the high quality of its products, such as NPM, which allows you to monitor the performance of your network along with many other things.

SolarWinds' Serv-U FTP server is no different than its high-end products, so we'll be using it in this article to install and configure an SFTP server.

How to install Serv-u FTP Server

To set up your own SFTP server, you'll first need to install it. To download the Serv-U FTP server, go to this link . You can choose to download the free trial version by clicking the respective button or purchase the product via the provided button, which we highly recommend.

Whatever you decide, you will get a zip file when the download is complete that contains the installer. So, go ahead and unzip it and then run the installer. The installation process is pretty simple, so just follow the on-screen instructions to complete it.

During setup, make sure the " Install Serv-U as a system service" option is selected. At the end, you'll be prompted to add Serv-U as an exception; ensure the checkmark is selected and then click Next . Once you've done this, the installation is complete, and you'll have an SFTP server running on your system.

SFTP Server Configuration

Now that we have completed the installation, it is time to configure the Serv-U FTP server. The process is nice and easy to use thanks to the Serv-U Administration Console. Follow these simple instructions to configure the server.

Create a domain

A domain is basically the core of the Serv-U server. For a layman, a Serv-U domain is essentially a number of listeners and user accounts that can basically connect to the SFTP server and access the files and folders.

For added restriction and control, you can configure the domain you create to restrict access based on IP address and even limit bandwidth usage so that server performance remains optimal. That being said, creating a domain is really just a matter of doing it. Follow the instructions below:

• First, when you finish the setup wizard, the Serv-U Administration Console should open automatically. If it doesn't, open the start menu and look for it.
• When you open the management console for the first time, you will be asked to define a domain. Click the button Yes.

• Alternatively, you can click the button new domain on the left side to define a domain.

• This will open the Domain AssistantFirst, give your domain a name and provide a description.

• On the screen Domain Type, choose what you want the domain to be used for, i.e. transferring or sharing files. Click Next.

• Now, if you choose the option Share files, you will be directed to the tab File SharingHere, provide the domain URL to be used and then proceed to choose the directory to share files.
• If you want to use HTTPS, make sure to check the checkbox Use secure URL.

• Additionally, if you want the server to send emails for email notifications as well as events that use email actions, click the button Configure SMTP and provide the requested details.
• In case you choose the option File Transfer, you will see the screen Family instead. Here, choose the protocols to be used along with the respective ports. Then, click Next.
• By default, the SFTP server will listen for connections on all addresses IPv4 e IPv6 available; however, you can change this later via the tab Listeners which is located on the page Details of the domain.
• If you choose File Transfer, you can choose the password encryption mode on the screen Encryption. In case you want to enable password recovery via the login page HTTP, check the option Allow users to recover passwords.
• Finally, once you have done all this, click on the button Finalize.

Create a account of user

Now that we have created a domain, it is basically useless if there are no user accounts created. So, let's get started and create a user account that will be used to connect to the SFTP server.

When you create your first domain, you'll automatically be prompted to create a user account. Click the Yes button . When prompted to use the wizard, click the Yes button.

• First, provide the login ID of the user account. Additionally, you can also provide the name and email. Click on Next.

• On the next screen, you will be asked to create a password. A password will be automatically generated for you to choose to use or create one on your own. Additionally, if you want the user to change their password at your next login, click the checkbox. User must change password at next login. Click on Next.

• Next, you will need to choose the home directory of the user. This is where the user will be placed after you have successfully logged in. You can also choose to lock the user to your home directory via the given option. While providing the home directory, you can use the macro % HOME% to insert the login ID into the path.
• Finally, on the last screen, you will be asked to choose the Rights de Access of user.
• Grants read only access to the user if you want them to be able to browse and download files. On the other hand, choose the Full Access option if you want to give the user full control of your files and folders in your home directory.

• Then you need to click on the button Finalize to add the user.
• You can also add more users via the button Add provided on the Users page.

Connect to the SFTP server from the Windows command prompt

At this point, we have successfully created a custom domain as well as a user account that we can use to connect to the SFTP server. With the help of this, we will be able to send and receive files based on the type of domain you have created.

You can easily connect to the server through a Windows command prompt window . To connect to the SFTP server from the Windows command prompt , follow the instructions below:

• First, open a window symbol of the system looking for her in the start menu.
• Once it is open, type the following command to connect to your SFTP server. Make sure to replace the user and the domain: sftp user@domain with your respective user account and domain name. Once done, press the Enter key.

• After doing that, you will be prompted to enter the user account password. Provide the password you created earlier during the user account wizard.
• Once you connect to the SFTP server, you will see the prompt change to » sftp> «.
• Now, to see a list of all the commands available, write helps and press Enter.

• You can use these commands to interact with the server, for example, to download a file, you can use the command get.

I hope that with these simple tips you will be able to install and configure the SFTP Server on your system. You can share your opinions with us in our comments section. See you in a future post.