Setting up an FTP Server on macOS: A Comprehensive Guide

Setting up an FTP server on macOS, formerly known as OS X, can be a straightforward task using the built-in capabilities or third-party applications, depending on the macOS version you are using. This guide will walk you through the process for both macOS Mojave and earlier versions, as well as the newer macOS Catalina and later versions. For the latest major versions, third-party software is often the simplest and most reliable solution. Always prioritize security, especially if your server will be accessible over the internet.

Setting Up an FTP Server on macOS Mojave and Earlier

To set up an FTP server on macOS Mojave and earlier versions, you can leverage the built-in support for FTP. However, please note that with macOS Catalina (10.15) and later, Apple has removed the built-in FTP server functionality, and you will need to use third-party software.

Enable FTP Server: Open Terminal located in Applications Utilities. Start the FTP server with the following command:

sudo -s launchctl load -F 

You will be prompted to enter your administrator password. Configure User Accounts: The FTP server uses the existing user accounts on your Mac. Ensure that the users you want to allow access are set up in System Preferences Users Groups. Set Permissions: Navigate to the folders you want to share via FTP. Right-click on the folder and select Get Info. Under the Sharing Permissions section, modify the permissions to allow the necessary users to read/write as needed. Connect to the FTP Server: You can connect to your FTP server from another computer using an FTP client like FileZilla, Cyberduck, or through the command line:

ftp [your-ip-address]

Replace [your-ip-address] with the IP address of your Mac. Stopping the FTP Server: To stop the FTP server, run the following command in Terminal:

sudo -s launchctl unload -F 

Setting Up an FTP Server on macOS Catalina and Later

In macOS Catalina (10.15) and later, Apple has removed the built-in FTP server functionality, and you must use third-party software to set up an FTP server. Here are a few popular options:

FileZilla Server: Download and install FileZilla Server. Follow the setup wizard to configure your FTP server, including user accounts and permissions. Pure-FTPd: Install Pure-FTPd using Homebrew by running:

brew install pure-ftpd

Create a user for FTP access and start the server:

sudo pure-pw useradd [username] -u [ftpuser] -d [directory]
sudo pure-pw mkdb
sudo pure-ftpd -j -Y 2 -p 30000:50000 -l puredb:/usr/local/etc/pureftpd.pdb

Replace [username], [ftpuser], and [directory] with your desired values.

Security Considerations

While setting up an FTP server, it is crucial to focus on security. Here are some recommendations:

Use SFTP Instead: Consider using SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) instead as it is more secure. macOS includes an SFTP server by default. You can connect using:

sftp [username]@[your-ip-address]

Firewall Settings: Make sure your firewall allows FTP connections. You can configure this in System Preferences Security Privacy Firewall.

Conclusion

Setting up an FTP server on macOS can vary based on the version you are using. For macOS Mojave and earlier, you can use the built-in service, while for Catalina and later versions, third-party applications are necessary. Always prioritize security, especially when setting up a server that will be accessible over the internet.