Configure an IIS FTP site

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This article describes how to set up an FTP site in Microsoft® Internet Information Services (IIS)
and add an FTP user to an existing FTP site. For help installing FTP, see
Install FTP on Windows Server® 2012 (R2).

Verify the installation of IIS and FTP services

To check for the IIS role installation, open the Server Manager and click Tools
(in Windows® 2012 and later) or expand Roles (in Windows 2008 R2). If IIS is installed, use
PowerShell® to simply check that the FTP service exists by running the following command:

gsv 'FTPSVC'

If the IIS role is not already installed, install the role by using Server Manager. You can also install the
FTP role as part of this installation. You don't need to restart the server to install the required roles.

Set up an FTP Site

Use the following steps to set up the FTP site in IIS:

Expand the server name in IIS until you see Sites.

a. Right-click Sites and click Add FTP Site.

b. Name the FTP Site as IsolatedFTP.

c. Under Physical path, browse to C:\inetpub\ftproot and click Next.
Leave the IP Address as All Unassigned and on port 21.

a. Ensure the box is checked next to Start FTP site automatically.

b. Under SSL, select No SSL.

c. Click Next.
Under Authentication, select Basic.

a. Under Authorization, select Specified roles or user groups.

b. In the text box, type FTPUsers.

c. Ensure that the permissions are set to Read.

d. Click Finish.

FTP user isolation

After the site build completes, use the following steps to set up FTP user isolation:

Ensure the IsolatedFTP site is selected in the left-hand pane. You should see several options available in the IsolatedFTP Home page.
Open FTP User Isolation.
Under Isolate Users, select User name directory (disable virtual directories).
Click Apply in the right-hand pane.

Configure FTP directory browsing

Use the following steps to configure FTP directory browsing.

Ensure the IsolatedFTP site is selected in the left-hand pane. You should see several options available in the IsolatedFTP Home page.
Open FTP Directory Browsing.
Check the box next to Virtual Directories under Directory Listing Options.
Click Apply in the right-hand pane.

Create the FTPUsers group

Use the following steps to create the FTPUsers group:

Open User Management. You can select Server Manager > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups or run the run command lusrmgr.msc.
Open Groups, right-click a blank area and select New Group from the menu.
Name the group FTPUsers and click Create.

Create the Local Groups folder

Use the following steps to create the Local Groups folder:

Go back into IIS.
Right-click IsolatedFTP site and select Add Virtual Directory.
Under Alias, type LocalUser.
Under Physical path, choose C:\inetpub\ftproot and click OK.

Create an FTP account

Use the following steps to create an FTP account:

To create a user, open User Management on the server.

a. Create the new user and add the user to the group FTPUsers.

b. Set the attribute Password never expires.

c. Remove the flag User must change password at next logon.
Open IIS, expand Sites, and expand IsolatedFTP.

a. Right-click LocalUser and click Add Virtual Directory.

b. Under Alias, enter the username of the user you created in the previous step.

c. Set the physical path to C:\inetpub\ftproot and click OK.
Ensure the username directory you just created is highlighted in IIS and open FTP Authorization Rules.

a. In the right-hand pane, click Add Allow Rule.

b. When the window opens, under Allow access to this content to, select Specified users and enter
the username of the user you created.

c. Under permissions, select Read and Write.

d. Click OK. Now any folders you create under that user inherit the properties of their username folder.
To give the user access to the directory the customer has requested, such as MySite, right-click
the username directory you previously created and select Add Virtual Directory.

a. Input an alias, such as the folder name (destination).

b. Input the physical path.

c. Click on OK.
To add the NTFS permissions within Windows for C:\inetpub\wwwroot\MySite, right-click the FTP
folder name you just created in the previous step, and select Explore.

a. Right-click an area within the folder and select Properties.

b. In the Properties window, click on the Security tab.

c. Click on the Edit button and click Add in the Edit window.

d. Enter the name of the user you previously created, and click OK.

e. In the Permissions window, ensure you leave the defaults, and check the box next to Write under Allow.

f. Click OK.

Test an FTP Account

Use the following steps to test the FTP account:

Open PowerShell and enter the following command to open FTP locally on the server:
```
ftp ::1
```
Enter the username and password as requested. Note that Windows does not show anything when you enter the password.
Type the following command to check which folders you have access to:
```
dir
```
Go into the folder you previously created, which displayed in the dir command.
```
cd \<foldername>
```
Run the following command to verify that you have write permissions by creating a test folder:
```
mkdir testfolder
```
Check to see if the testfolder is created with the following command:
```
dir
```
Remove the testfolder with the following command:
```
rmdir testfolder
```
Use the following command to exit FTP:
```
quit
```

Updated 12 months ago