Setup FTP server for LAN only, anonymous login?

I want to setup a basic FTP service on one Win 10 desktop for updating some WYSE thin clients. The desktop gets a DHCP assigned IP address in the 192.168.0.xxx range. That's from the DSL router.

The thin clients also get DHCP assigned IPs from the same DSL router.

If I can assign the FTP service a fixed IP, like 192.168.0.111, that would be very handy so it'll stay the same no matter what IP the DSL router assigns its host PC. There's only ever two* printers and at most four computers on my small network, and the printers I've given fixed IPs so Windows can't "forget" where they are, which still hasn't been cured in Win 10 with dynamic assigned printer IPs. Anyway, plenty of IPs available to just pick one nothing else is using.

I want the FTP server to share one folder, only accessible on the LAN, with anonymous local access so I don't have to setup every thin client with a user name and password and add a bunch of users to the desktop just for the thin clients to pull updates from. They'll be used as mini-desktops with all their software local instead of working as smart terminals running software off a server.

Thus the FTP will only be enabled as needed for installing and updating software on the thin clients. I'm not setting them up for public access so I don't need passwords and unique logins for them.

Such a pain in the backside that the OS can be flash upgraded by booting them off a USB drive but adding additional software can only be done by pulling from FTP - or setting up an elaborate thing with remote management software to push updates to the clients.

*Will be 3 when I get around to taking apart the color HP laser to clean its mirrors and seal up the holes in the light box which HP carefully included to allow stray toner to get on the mirrors.

Hi there

The easiest way IMO is to use something like W.A.M.P (Windows /Apache / MySQL / PHP) for your server - use port forwarding or tunnelling to forward port 80 to the IP address of your computer on the LAN. XAMPP is also fine

XAMPP vs WAMP - Which One Is Best For You - tutorialgear.com

For the Client's -- a good FTP FREE client is Filezilla -- simple

FileZilla - The free FTP solution

(actually this also has an FTP server as well if you don't want to host a website. Could be simpler for you).

Most routers allow you to "mix" DHCP and fixed IP addresses so you could give your server a fixed IP address on your LAN and everything else on that LAN will be assigned an IP by the router. You'll need a fixed IP address you'll have to forward the FTP port request to the correct machine usually Port 21.

Cheers
jimbo

The clients have apps to install software. They expect the IP address or name of the FTP server, the directory where the app packages are located, and a login/pass. They can get the FTP server info from DHCP, but my DHCP is the DSL router and I don't want to change that.

There's no browsing, all packages found are presented in a drop list. Choose which one you want to install then click OK.

That's the way it's supposed to work when you have an FTP server setup properly. It's designed to keep the more clueful users from installing unapproved stuff willy-nilly and causing headaches for the sysadmins. (If you work with WYSE equipment, never ever mention in user's earshot that holding G while turning the client on resets it to factory defaults, or that the default BIOS password is Fireport.)

I don't want to run a local web server, just FTP. Windows 10 Pro has FTP and IIS, which I installed. That should be enough for thin clients to pull updates from, if it can be configured to work as the clients need.

You don't need port forwarding as it's only local you just need filzilia FTP or other simple FTP