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FTP user access: Multiple Sharepoints?

I am running OSX server on OS 10.9.5.


Setting it up for ftp access is no problem and works great. In earlier versions, you were able to create multiple share points and grant access to each for specific users.


Currently, I am able to only create one share point, and every user sees the same information when they log in. We have some sensitive materials that not all parties should be able to see, so we would like to have different directories for different users.


Can anyone see where they moved this to in this version? Or any idea why they took it out?

Mac mini, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on May 19, 2015 12:40 PM

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5 replies

May 19, 2015 2:06 PM in response to Inglesworth

Current versions of Server do indeed allow only 1 sharepoint from the GUI as you have found. Frustrating I agree.


Possibly this could apply: http://igerry.com/desktop/apple-os/enabling-ftp-server-os-x-mavericks.html


Not sure it helps keep things under control easily though. Maybe make folders inside the FTP root available for each group...


Not easy regardless.

May 19, 2015 3:11 PM in response to Erich Wetzel

I don't think the link provided does anything to change our current situation. Thanks for the suggestion, though.


I have tried setting the permissions for certain users/groups using the server app. When connecting via ftp, it seems to ignore any permission settings, which is rather annoying. Did they attempt to use the permissions to overwrite the need for multiple share points? If so, is there any details on actually making them work?

May 19, 2015 7:30 PM in response to Inglesworth

First you have to control the FTP Daemon itself. Turning it on through the GUI will only enable it for the single FTP share so make sure it stays turned off in the GUI.

Turn On FTP

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

Turn Off FTP

sudo -s launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchDaemons.ftp.plist


Now you have to define a new user for each of your FTP logins in the Server app, give that user a custom home folder so that they automatically log into that folder when the connect via their user name and password, and make that folder a share point if it needs to be accessed from inside the network.

In the Server App...

  • Click on Users and create a new local user with the FTP user's login name.
  • Right Click on this new user and choose Advanced Options… to set shell to /bin/bash and set Home Directory to the full path of their specific FTP folder
  • Click on Server name and click the Access denture choosing the Plus icon to add FTP services adding all your defined FTP users here
  • Click on the File Sharing service and add all FTP share points giving access to the FTP user as well as any that need to access the files internally.


Something to note. I've only used this internally and have not tested to see if each ftp home folder is locked down so that a users can't surf out of their folder to get to others. I don't believe the structure will allow it but you should test it if that's important to you.

May 21, 2015 12:45 PM in response to Morphire

This got us closer than anything else yet, but not quite there. Users are still able to navigate to directories above their home folder upon login.


Thanks for the suggestion, though.


One other thing, in the command line you provided, there should be a slash - / - between "...LaunchDaemons" and "ftp.plist" instead of a period.


Anyone else have any suggestions?

FTP user access: Multiple Sharepoints?

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