Tag: way

Stupid Easy Way to Transfer Small Files to or from Ubuntu 22.04

Posted on by Kernel

There are quite a few ways to transfer files between different machines. For Ubuntu and most other Linux, here’s an easy way for choice.

Usually, I use a USB cable or a messenger app for transferring photo images between my personal PC and mobile devices.

However, my USB cable is always NOT near at hand and I hate to scan QR code again and again on PC for logging 3rd app. In this case, creating a temporary http file server with Python is an easy and good choice.

Upside and downside

Python is pre-installed in most Linux Distros. So this is an universal method for Linux. It also works in Windows and macOS with Python programming language installed.

As a simply http server, any devices with a web browser can download (or upload) files from/to the server side either over local network or internet.

However, http is NOT designed for transferring files. It’s OK to handle small files (e.g., photo images and short videos less than a few hundred MB). But for large files with a few GB or more file size, it may not work! As well, it’s NOT secure for accessing important files outside from local network.

Single command to create a Python http server:

For those who are new to Linux, user may first open file manager, navigate to the folder that contains the files to share with other device, right-click on blank area and select “Open in Terminal”.

It will open a terminal window and automatically navigate to that folder as working directory.

Or, you can also open terminal from start menu and run cd command to navigate directory. For example, run the command below to navigate to user’s Pictures folder:

cd ~/Pictures

Then, run the single command to start a http file server (For some Linux, replace python3 with python in command):

python3 -m http.server

By default, it listens to port 8000. If the port is already in use, use python3 -m http.server 9090 to set another port number (change number 9090 as you want).

After that, visit http://ip-address:8000 (change number 8000 if you set another port) in any device via a web browser. You can then open and/or right-click save as to download any file from that folder.

Create python http server with upload support

1. If you want to send files from any device to Ubuntu Linux, open terminal and run command:

python3 -m pip install --user uploadserver

Install pip first via sudo apt install python3-pip if the command above does not work. This command will install a Python module uploadserver.

2. Then open or navigate to your desired folder in terminal window, and run command to create simple http file server with both download and upload support:

python3 -m uploadserver

Also specify port number if you want, for example, python3 -m uploadserver 9990

3. Finally, visit http://ip-address:8000 in any device via web browser can access and download files. Or, go to http://ip-address:8000/upload for uploading files.

For security reason, you may add a token authentication so client machines need to verify before being able to upload a file. To do so, run the command below instead in Ubuntu Linux:

python3 -m uploadserver -t password_here

How to Setup OpenVPN Server in Ubuntu 22.04 [The Easy Way]

Posted on by Kernel

This simple tutorial shows how to easily setup OpenVPN in your Ubuntu 20.04 | 22.04 server and connect remotely in Windows or Linux with GNOME.

My PPTP and IKEv2 VPN server refused to work recently due to the Great Firewall (maybe). So I decided to setup OpenVPN in my Ubuntu VPS as a workaround.

DigitalOcean has a step by step setup guide, but it’s really long and complicated for beginners. Thankfully, there’s a free open-source script make things as easy as few commands.

Step 1: Install OpenVPN

As mentioned, there’s a script in the github to make things easy. It automatically detects your system, environment variable, IP address, and setup OpenVPN and firewall.

The script is totally safe in my own opinion, and you can view the code by yourself. Though, there’s always disclaimer that use it as your own risk!

1. First, connect to your Ubuntu/Debian server either via SSH or other method that you favorite. Then grab the script by wget:

wget https://git.io/vpn -O openvpn-install.sh

In case wget command does not exist, install via sudo apt install wget.

2. After downloaded the script, add executable permission via command:

chmod u+x openvpn-install.sh

3. Finally, run the script:

sudo bash openvpn-install.sh

It will ask you a few questions to confirm IP address if your server is running behind NAT, choose UDP or TCP, set which port to listen to, and select a NDS server. For lazy men, it’s OK hit Enter to use default for all previous questions.

But, you need to finally type a name for the client. It will create a .ovpn file with the name you just typed.

Default options are usually OK except the client name

After answering all the questions, hit any key to get start. It will do all the remained things, and generate a .ovpn file.

Step 2: Copy & paste the .ovpn to client machine

As the screenshot above shows you, it generates the .opvn file in /root directory in my case. In case you logged in via non-root user, copy the file to user’s home via:

sudo mv /root/*.ovpn ~/ && sudo chown $USER:$USER *.ovpn

Finally, you need to send the file to client machine, such as running the scp command below in your client PC (run this command in client/local machine):

scp -P 22 username@server-ip:~/*.ovpn ./

Replace * with the filename, though it works if there no other .ovpn files. And, change port number 22 if non-default SSH listening port in use.

Step 3: Connect to OpenVPN server in Ubuntu/Fedora

GNOME desktop has built-in client support for OpenVPN connection. Simply open Gnome Control Center (aka Settings) via the top-right corner system status menu.

Then, go to ‘network’ in left pane, and click on ‘+’ after VPN section. Finally, click ‘Import from file…’

In the pop-up file selection dialog, choose the .ovpn file you got from the server side. It will generate the VPN network automatically once you click open (see the screenshot below).

It automatically create the VPN network after selected the .ovpn file

The default configurations are OK, though you may click editing advanced options as you need. After clicking on ‘Add’ button, you can finally start connecting to the OpenVPN server either within Gnome Control Center or system status menu:

Connect from Windows & macOS:

OpenVPN website provides a client application for Windows and macOS users, simply download and install the app. Then, drop the .ovpn file into app window to create VPN connection.

Find Your Way to a Strong SysAdmin Team

Posted on by Kernel

It’s tough sourcing enough talent today to meet growing IT team needs, but life finds a way. Our recent 10th Annual Open Source Jobs Report found 93% of employers are struggling to find enough employees with open source skills. It doesn’t help that 73% of professionals feel it would be easy to find another job, and they are demanding higher salaries than ever before to stay put. Between an overwhelming talent shortage and competition from other employers, many companies’ IT teams are at risk of “going extinct”.

93% of employers are struggling to find enough employees with open source skills.

There is a way to address this situation however. The Open Source Jobs Report  also found:

74% of professionals are asking for more training opportunities so they can keep up with current technologies
62% said training is the thing their employer can provide that would help them be more successful, a higher percentage than any other option
81% of professionals want to add new certifications to their resumes this year
90% of employers are willing to help them pay for them

Companies need to keep up by providing formal training and certification opportunities to their employees or risk giving them one more reason to leave.

62% said training is the thing their employer can provide that would help them be more successful, a higher percentage than any other option.

It should be kept in mind that providing training and certifications not only makes employees happier by demonstrating an employer’s willingness to invest in them and their career opportunities, but these opportunities also benefiSavet the employer. Having a better skilled team means you will be more successful in achieving your technology goals, and having more certified professionals on staff means your customers can have more confidence in your teams’ abilities.

Providing training and certifications not only makes employees happier by demonstrating an employer’s willingness to invest in them and their career opportunities, but these opportunities also benefit the employer.

Linux Foundation Training & Certification offers a wide catalog of training and certification in the most important open source technologies, from cloud to system administration to networking, blockchain, web development and more. This SysAdmin Day, give your team what they really want and provide them with training and/or certification that will help both you and them achieve your goals. We provide group classes, team discounts and more to help you be successful when it comes to upskilling. Learn more and contact us here.

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