SFTP server Linux answers for people who run a VPS
SFTP and VPS basics
What does an SFTP server Linux setup involve?
SFTP is file transfer over SSH, so a Linux server that already allows SSH usually needs no separate SFTP server. The work is in the details: one user for each client or project, access limited to one directory, keys or strong passwords, no administrator access for file-transfer users and regular checks of the logs. Check each new user's login before moving on.
SFTP versus FTP: which one should beginners use?
SFTP is the one to use, because it runs inside SSH and protects the login, while plain FTP sends passwords unencrypted and should not be used on the internet. For a first server, try SFTP with one test user, then add the real users and folders once you have seen that the limits work. Read the logs after each test login.
How do I allow access to an SFTP user for one folder?
Two settings do most of the work: a dedicated user for the client and access limited to one directory. Add key login or a strong password, keep administrator rights away from this user and check the logs now and then. Test the new user from a second session before you tell the client that the account is ready. Repeat the test after any change to the limits.
Which checks should I run before closing my first SSH session?
Four checks: log in from a second session with the new settings, confirm that key login works, confirm that the firewall still allows SSH, and read the log for errors. Close the first session only after all four pass, because a wrong SSH or firewall setting can lock you out of your own server. Write the result of each check in your log.
Why should I avoid plain FTP on the internet?
The main reason is that plain FTP sends passwords unencrypted, so anyone who can watch the connection can read them. You do not need to wrap SFTP through tunnels to protect the login, because SFTP already runs inside an SSH connection. On an SFTP Linux server you add users and folder limits to SSH instead of installing a second service. Plain FTP has no place on a public server.
Using Portward
What is the difference between Ask first and Plan only?
Ask first is the mode that pauses before every action that changes something, such as a file edit or a command that alters the server, and shows a diff or a result for you to accept. Plan only writes a plan and runs nothing, no commands and no file changes, until you switch mode. Auto-run, the third mode, acts at once. Choose the mode before you describe the task.
Can Portward run commands on my VPS?
Yes. Portward has an SSH environment in which Shell commands run on your own server, and the Shell tool reports the real exit code of each command. File tools such as read_file, grep and edit_file work in the chat's working folder, so copy the configuration files you want to inspect there first. Every change appears as a card. Use it only on servers you rent or own.
Is zarahost.com the official Portward website?
Yes, zarahost.com is the official Portward website. The download button gives the original setup program, and you can compare its SHA-256 checksum with the published manifest before you run it. Questions about the app go through the Send feedback button inside Portward, which is an independent app and is not affiliated with any hosting provider, panel vendor or mail software vendor.
Are the results always right?
No. The agent can misread a log, choose a wrong setting or miss a step, so you read every diff and every result card and test the outcome yourself, for example by logging in from a second session. Portward gives no guarantee that a configuration is correct or complete, and the final decision on every change is yours. Treat every card as evidence, not as a verdict.
Do I need an account to run Portward?
No. Portward needs no account to run. You do need a model to talk to, which can be a cloud AI provider through an API endpoint, a model on your PC or the built-in model. A cloud provider may have its own account and charges, and those are separate from Portward and are agreed between you and that provider. Check the provider's terms before you connect.
Models, privacy and download
Which models can Portward connect to?
Three kinds: a cloud AI provider through a standard API endpoint, a model running locally on your PC, and the built-in model, which is ready to use without an endpoint of your own. The Test button checks an endpoint and shows the response time and the context window before you start a task. A bigger model suits hard steps, and a smaller one suits small edits.
Where do my prompts and files go?
A cloud model receives the prompt, including the text of any file or log the agent reads, while with a local model nothing leaves your PC. Portward itself sends no telemetry, chats, working folders and API keys stay on the PC, and secrets in tool output are redacted before they reach the model. Choose the model with that in mind before you paste private logs.
Why does Windows SmartScreen warn about the installer?
The installer is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen may show a warning. Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the downloaded file with the published manifest, using the Windows command certutil -hashfile, and only after the two values match click More info and then the Run anyway button that the warning offers. The app shows an Update button when a new version is ready.
What does the download button record?
The button records the time, your IP address, your browser user agent and the referral source, if there is one, to count downloads, and then redirects you to the installer. The visit counter from statinside.com records page visits, and the hosting and a CDN process IP addresses and access logs for page requests. The Privacy page lists these records in full.
