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AyushDabhi
AyushDabhi

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TFTP ( Trivial File Transfer Protocol ) Server and Client Configurations

#networking #protocol #tftp

What is TFTP ?

Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a simple file
transfer protocol that allows a client to retrieve or
transfer files from a server.

It is a UDP-based protocol that uses port 69 for
communication.

TFTP supports only two transfer modes: "netascii" and
"octet." Netascii mode is used for transferring text files,
while octet mode is used for transferring binary files.

Advantages of TFTP

  1. Lightweight: TFTP is designed to be lightweight, meaning
    it uses fewer system resources than other file transfer
    protocols such as network switches and
    routers.

  2. Simple: TFTP has a simple packet format and supports only
    two transfer modes, making it easy to implement and use.

  3. Fast: TFTP uses the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) instead
    of Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which makes it
    faster than other protocols.

  4. Easy to configure: TFTP is easy to configure and does not
    require complex setup or authentication.

  5. Widely supported: TFTP is widely supported by many network
    devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls.

  6. Low overhead: TFTP has a low overhead, meaning it uses
    minimal network bandwidth and system resources.

Disadvantages of TFTP

  1. No authentication: TFTP does not provide any authentication mechanisms, which means that anyone who has access to the TFTP server can download or upload files to it.

  2. Slow transfer speeds: TFTP uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol), which does not provide any error-checking or congestion control mechanisms. This can lead to slower transfer speeds.

  3. Limited file size: TFTP has a maximum file size limit of 32 MB, which makes it unsuitable for transferring large files.

  4. No encryption: TFTP does not provide any encryption mechanisms, which means that data transferred using TFTP can be intercepted and read by third parties.

How can we configure TFTP server in Ubuntu?

Step 1: Open the terminal and update the package lists for apt

sudo apt update
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Step 2: Install the TFTP server software on the PC that will act as the server using the following command:

sudo apt install tftpd-hpa
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Step 3: Check the status of the TFTP daemon service called "tftpd-hpa" on a Linux system

sudo systemctl status tftpd-hpa
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Step 4 : Open and edit the configuration file for the TFTP daemon service called "tftpd-hpa" on a Linux system

sudo gedit /etc/default/tftpd-hpa
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Step 5 : Make tftp Folder

sudo mkdir /tftp
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Step 6 : Change the ownership of the directory "/tftp" to the user and group "tftp" on a Linux system.

sudo chown tftp:tftp /tftp
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Step 7 : Restart the TFTP daemon service called "tftpd-hpa" on a Linux system.

sudo systemctl restart tftpd-hpa
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How can we configure TFTP Client in Ubuntu?

Step 1 :

sudo apt install tftp-hpa
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If you got errrors run below commands

sudo lsof /var/lib/dpkg/lock
sudo lsof /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo lsof /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/lock
sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock
sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock

sudo kill -9 <process_id>
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Server Command 

ip a show
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Client Command

Step 1 : Start a TFTP client session with a TFTP server located at the specified IP address.

sudo tftp <<server's ip_address>>
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Step 2 : Download a file called "server.txt" from a remote TFTP server to the local system.

get server.txt
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Server Command

Upload a file called "client.txt" from the local system to a remote TFTP server.

put client.txt
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Conclusion

Overall, TFTP is a simple and lightweight protocol that is suitable for transferring small files in a low-security environment. However, it may not be the best choice for transferring sensitive or large files, or for use in high-security environments where data privacy is a concern.

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