Originally Posted By: NJC
Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
NJC - Does anyone need *graphical* access to the server? If they just need access to the files, you need not worry about VNC (why does an Ubuntu Server install even have a GUI to forward, anyhow?) or forwarding an X session; you just need a SFTP program like Filezilla.
uc50, no one would need graphical access. I thought it would be both interesting and useful to create a ssh remote login to transfer files to a family member. I had him download openssh and putty, but I'll likely have to go over to setup. Not because of inability, but it will be way down the project list.
I found a script to reveal public IP. Now I need to config the router, lots to learn ... good stuff for the incoming rainy Vancouver weather.
I would *definitely*, and I mean *definitely* use Filezilla over Putty or anything like that; especially if the user of the client machine is not a nerd. Filezilla will allow all the file access the user would want, and it's as easy as a file manager to use. It is need not be installed - You can unzip the downloaded package and simply run the executable from wherever. This is handy for non-admins who cannot install software, and for those wishing to carry Filezilla around on a thumb drive.
Regarding the router, just forward port 22 to the server machine. Try to make sure the server machine gets a static, or at least a consistent IP from the router.
I would also very highly suggest getting an account at dyndns.com or no-ip.com. These sites keep track of your router's IP (as assigned by the ISP) as it changes from time to time (my cable account changes IP only once or twice per year, but many DSL users I know get a different IP each and every time they reboot!) so the client machine's user need not continually have to get the server's (router's) IP. You install a tiny script or program on the server machine (heck, most routers sport the ability to talk to sites like dyndns.com and update their IP) to keep dyndns's records up to date, and they provide you with your own URL; something to the effect of yourname.dyndns.org, for example. Then you simply set up Filezilla to access yourname.dyndns.org. DynDNS forwards that to your router, which forwards the port 22 traffic to the server machine.