Network Password and FTP access

[raymondjpg]

Two different issues with new firmware v16.1:

1. Network access to the Root directory from a Windows PC. I have tried beyonwizt2 as username, and changed the root password to something memorable. No cigar. Also changed Samba server name, same result. What has to be done to gain access?

2. FTP. Although I use it rarely I like to have it working. Previously access was through (I think) root/pass. What would it be now?

[IanSav]

Hi Raymondjpg,

The root share username is "beyonwiz" and the password is "beyonwiz". For FTP the username is "root" and the password is "beyonwiz".

Regards,
Ian.

[raymondjpg]

Hi Raymondjpg,

The root share username is "beyonwiz" and the password is "beyonwiz". For FTP the username is "root" and the password is "beyonwiz".

Regards,
Ian.

Thanks, but neither of those are working for me.

[MrQuade]

For FTP the username is "root" and the password is "beyonwiz".

Password is blank/null for ftp, but "beyonwiz" will also work, as the Wiz doesn't really care what the password is.

[MrQuade]

Thanks, but neither of those are working for me.

If you are accessing the Wiz using Samaba from Windows, then you will frequently find that the "beyonwiz" user name will be rejected. This is because Windows has already gone and authenticated your logged in user as "guest" on the Wiz.

Now because Windows is incapable of connecting to a network resource as note than one use at the same time, you will be unable to connect to the root share on the Wiz.

As an alternative, you can try connecting to it using ftp or using Samba but using its IP address instead of its network name. (It tricks Windows onto thinking it is connecting to a different network device)

[raymondjpg]

For FTP the username is "root" and the password is "beyonwiz".

Password is blank/null for ftp, but "beyonwiz" will also work, as the Wiz doesn't really care what the password is.

That is what it used to be. Now, FTP login for my T2 is username "root" and password (with new firmware) is "beyonwizt2".

After a couple of tries, network access was granted with beyonwiz/beyonwiz. Either I didn't enter it correctly, or it granted access after I entered the credentials into "another account".

[MrQuade]

That is what it used to be. Now, FTP login for my T2 is username "root" and password (with new firmware) is "beyonwizt2".

FTP just uses the password that is configured for your Beyonwiz "root" user account. The root user account does not have a password.

I can log into any of my Wiz units with ftp using "root" and no password at all.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

That is what it used to be. Now, FTP login for my T2 is username "root" and password (with new firmware) is "beyonwizt2".

FTP just uses the password that is configured for your Beyonwiz "root" user account. The root user account does not have a password.

I can log into any of my Wiz units with ftp using "root" and no password at all.

Yeah sure, same same me - but raymondjpg said he changed the root password -

... and changed the root password to something memorable.

[raymondjpg]

That is what it used to be. Now, FTP login for my T2 is username "root" and password (with new firmware) is "beyonwizt2".

FTP just uses the password that is configured for your Beyonwiz "root" user account. The root user account does not have a password.

I can log into any of my Wiz units with ftp using "root" and no password at all.

Not here. If I don't use the password "beyonwizt2" Filezilla complains that a pass is needed. Then when I get access to the T2 I see a number of directories that I don't see under the Windows file manager.

Also, I haven't been able to replicate a successful network login with beyonwiz/beyonwiz. Why it let me in before I have no idea.

[MrQuade]

Not here. If I don't use the password "beyonwizt2" Filezilla complains that a pass is needed. Then when I get access to the T2 I see a number of directories that I don't see under the Windows file manager.

That's a limitation of Filezilla not accepting blank passwords I suspect. Try putting anything in there as a password and see what happens.

Also, I haven't been able to replicate a successful network login with beyonwiz/beyonwiz. Why it let me in before I have no idea.

Use the IP address as I suggestion.

If you read the error message that Windows displays you will see mention of trying to connect to a resource as a different user as I described earlier.

[raymondjpg]

Not here. If I don't use the password "beyonwizt2" Filezilla complains that a pass is needed. Then when I get access to the T2 I see a number of directories that I don't see under the Windows file manager.

That's a limitation of Filezilla not accepting blank passwords I suspect. Try putting anything in there as a password and see what happens.

Tried "abc" as pass, no cigar. Filezilla needs that password "beyonwizt2". Now it is possible that my previous change of the root password in the T2 had something to do with that, but I restored my settings and now the root password has reverted to a random string of characters so I don't think so.

With the previous firmware, Filezilla did indeed grant access with username "root" and password blank.

Also, I haven't been able to replicate a successful network login with beyonwiz/beyonwiz. Why it let me in before I have no idea.

Use the IP address as I suggestion.

If you read the error message that Windows displays you will see mention of trying to connect to a resource as a different user as I described earlier.

So it appears that the reason Windows file manager let me in before was because I had just made a successful connection with Filezilla. While Filezilla was connected I was still unable to gain access via the Windows file manager, but when I disconnected Filezilla, Windows file manager granted me access without need to enter username or password.

Using the IP Address instead of machine name also granted me access, but probably because I was also able to get access by using the machine name after I had been granted a successful FTP login.

All totally bizarre to me. I have tried rebooting both the T2 and the PC, same result each time.

[MrQuade]

Tried "abc" as pass, no cigar. Filezilla needs that password "beyonwizt2". Now it is possible that my previous change of the root password in the T2 had something to do with that, but I restored my settings and now the root password has reverted to a random string of characters so I don't think so.

With the previous firmware, Filezilla did indeed grant access with username "root" and password blank.

Restoring settings will not reset the root password. If you have set the root password to anything other than blank, then that is the password that you need to use for ftp when logging in as the root user.

In an out of the box state, the ftp and root login password is most definitely blank. I literally just installed the firmware from USB and tested this prior to restoring any settings.

[raymondjpg]

Restoring settings will not reset the root password. If you have set the root password to anything other than blank, then that is the password that you need to use for ftp when logging in as the root user.

That probably explains why FTP needs the root password I set, but I still don't get why I cannot get into the Root directory from the Windows file manager unless I have previously made a successful FTP connection. I have had a brief look at permissions on the Root folder but cannot see a way to change them.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

That is what it used to be. Now, FTP login for my T2 is username "root" and password (with new firmware) is "beyonwizt2".

FTP just uses the password that is configured for your Beyonwiz "root" user account. The root user account does not have a password.

I can log into any of my Wiz units with ftp using "root" and no password at all.

Not here. If I don't use the password "beyonwizt2" Filezilla complains that a pass is needed. Then when I get access to the T2 I see a number of directories that I don't see under the Windows file manager.

Also, I haven't been able to replicate a successful network login with beyonwiz/beyonwiz. Why it let me in before I have no idea.

I posted this over in Whingepool, but I'll post here in case it's useful for others who don't frequent there -

I use the below in a Windows batch file [because I'm lazy ] -

Code: Select all

net use \\beyonwizt4 beyonwiz /U:beyonwiz
pause
start \\beyonwizt4

If Windows barks at me due to already authenticating as another user (because Windows has done it), then I use my 2nd batch file (by IP address) -

Code: Select all

net use \\192.168.1.62 beyonwiz /U:beyonwiz
pause
start \\192.168.1.62

I find (and MrQuade has too) that Windows will eventually 'forget' that you've authenticated as the 'bad' user attempting the share by T-series host name.


raymondjpg, what happens when you try this in a Windows command prompt?

Code: Select all

net use \\beyonwizt2 beyonwiz /U:beyonwiz

Forgetting FileZilla for the moment, for FTP access from a web browser, try this - ftp://root:none@beyonwizt2 (replace string "none" with "beyonwizt2" if you changed your root password "beyonwizt2").

[Grumpy_Geoff]

..., but I still don't get why I cannot get into the Root directory from the Windows file manager unless I have previously made a successful FTP connection. I have had a brief look at permissions on the Root folder but cannot see a way to change them.

MrQuade posted a reasoning of this in the alpha thread. At times, it appears that behind the scenes, Windows authenticates to the T-series as your Windows logon user - of course that user can't get to the "Root" Samba share (because it's user/password beyonwiz/beyonwiz). You can't make Windows forget that 'bad' authentication (that I know of, it'll happen over time). The authentication by IP address will succeed where the one by name won't.
Hence my use of the batch files, one by name and one by IP address (saves typing user name and password too).

[raymondjpg]

I find (and MrQuade has too) that Windows will eventually 'forget' that you've authenticated as the 'bad' user attempting the share by T-series host name.

Looks like the easiest way I can get into the Root directory from windows file manager is by entering some "bad" credentials then using "another account" with username "beyonwiz" and password "beyonwiz" as advised by IanSav.

So it looks like MrQuade's suggestion that Windows has already authenticated a login as Guest might be the answer here, but that may be because I have already either clicked on the T2 machine name or the Movie directory under the machine name first. I'll try a reboot then accessing the Root directory first and report back.

Reporting back: even easier is to provide the Windows credential manager with username "beyonwiz" and pass "beyonwiz" before accessing the T2 in Windows file manager.

I'm even emboldened to try and reset the Root password back to blank in the T2!

[prl]

Restoring settings will not reset the root password. If you have set the root password to anything other than blank, then that is the password that you need to use for ftp when logging in as the root user.

That probably explains why FTP needs the root password I set, but I still don't get why I cannot get into the Root directory from the Windows file manager unless I have previously made a successful FTP connection. I have had a brief look at permissions on the Root folder but cannot see a way to change them.

After a fresh USB update without restoring settings, the password field of the root entry /etc/shadow, which contains the actual password hash, is empty, which means that there is no password protection on authentication that uses /etc/passwd (and /etc/shadow). The root entry in /etc/passwd is "x", which means "defer to the credential information in /etc/shadow". If there is a password set for root its hash would be in the password field in either /etc/passwd (nor recommended) or /etc/shadow (recommended).

If the password is set in /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow, the password field there will be a cryptographic hash of the password text and should appear to be unrelated to the actual password.

Even if you do a settings restore, neither /etc/passwd nor /etc/shadow will be restored unless those files have been added to the list of files/directories saved. For a settings restore to affect /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow they must have been saved in a settings backup, either by adding /etc (really strongly not recommended) or /etc/passwd and/or /etc/shadow to the list of backed up files/directories.

After a fresh USB upgrade to 20170310 on a T4, OS X FileZilla connects as root with an empty password without any problems.

FileZilla can change permissions on a remote (Beyonwiz side) file or directory (at least in the OS X version). Just select a file or directory on the "remote" side file browser list, right click and select "File permissions..." However, changing permissions on the Beyonwiz side probably isn't the right way to resolve Samba credential/authentication/permission issues.

I'm not sure why (or how) whether you've connected to FTP successfully or not should affect Samba authentication.

The default list for settings backups is:
/etc/network/interfaces
/etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
/etc/wpa_supplicant.ath0.conf
/etc/wpa_supplicant.wlan0.conf
/etc/resolv.conf
/etc/default_gw
/etc/hostname
/etc/samba/
/etc/auto.network
/etc/fstab
/etc/minidlna.conf
/etc/vsftpd.conf
/etc/dropbear
/etc/ssh

[raymondjpg]

I'm even emboldened to try and reset the Root password back to blank in the T2!

After unsuccessfully trying to reset the Root password back to blank in the T2, or even resetting it back to the new password I set it to before, I decided that there was nothing else for it but to reflash the new firmware and set up the PVR from scratch again.

After a fresh USB upgrade to 20170310 on a T4, OS X FileZilla connects as root with an empty password without any problems.

Yes, same with Windows 7 Professional. Ian Sav's advice to use "beyonwiz" as a password was probably incorrect for me, and sent me down the path of resetting the Root password.

I'm not sure why (or how) whether you've connected to FTP successfully or not should affect Samba authentication.

Nor I. Neither it seems does entering credentials in the Windows credentials manager when it comes to trying to access the Root directory from the Windows file manager. Like MrQuade said, it appears that Windows decides to connect with Guest and then rejects "beyonwiz" as a valid username. Connecting as another user when that happens doesn't always work either. Opening a new file manager window and connecting to the T2's IP address still seems to work, although I have yet to establish if that can be done without connecting via FTP first.

[prl]

I'm even emboldened to try and reset the Root password back to blank in the T2!

After unsuccessfully trying to reset the Root password back to blank in the T2, or even resetting it back to the new password I set it to before, I decided that there was nothing else for it but to reflash the new firmware and set up the PVR from scratch again.
..

You can remove the root password set by the GUI (and by the passwd program) by editing /etc/shadow. There should not be any characters in the second (password) field of the root entry. It should end up looking like this:

Code: Select all

root::17235:0:99999:7:::

Doing this definitely works, because it was how I removed the root password after experimenting with why ssh broke for grantc.

You need to make sure that the field has nothing in it, rather than just having white space or something else. You also need to make sure that you edit with an editor that doesn't change the line endings to DOS/Windows CR/LF. I used the vi editor on the T4 itself to do the editing.

[raymondjpg]

Opening a new file manager window and connecting to the T2's IP address still seems to work, although I have yet to establish if that can be done without connecting via FTP first.

This seems to be about the only way I can get access to the Root directory without connecting via FTP first.

Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 from my Windows PC without all this faffing around. This is definitely not a game for inexperienced players.

You need to make sure that the field has nothing in it, rather than just having white space or something else. You also need to make sure that you edit with an editor that doesn't change the line endings to DOS/Windows CR/LF. I used the vi editor on the T4 itself to do the editing.

If I ever needed to do this I would probably use Notepad++. At this point, after reflashing the firmware, all entries in /etc/shadow have line endings with :7::: and as far as I know Notepad++ would preserve Windows CR/LF.

Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

[MrQuade]

To clear the root/ssh password you can simply log in with telnet and run :

passwd -d root

[prl]

... Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

For me, that's "ssh beyonwizt2", and sometimes scp ... beyonwizt2:...

[raymondjpg]

... Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

For me, that's "ssh beyonwizt2", and sometimes scp ... beyonwizt2:...

You will need to explain that to me in words of one syllable please.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

...
Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

Stick a batch file or two on your desktop with the "net use" and "start" commands I posted previously?
You possibly only need the one by IP address.
Or alternately, try mapping drives to both "Movie" and:"Root" shares, specifying the IP address and user/password details.

[Grumpy_Geoff]

... Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

For me, that's "ssh beyonwizt2", and sometimes scp ... beyonwizt2:...

I thought raymondjpg meant via Windows Explorer.

[MrQuade]

Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 from my Windows PC without all this faffing around. This is definitely not a game for inexperienced players.

If you want to be able to access root just like the 4.4 series without any password, it is pretty simple to change.

Just edit /etc/samba/smb.conf

Look for the following section:

Code: Select all

[Root]
  comment = Everything - take care!
  path = /
  read only = no
  guest ok = no

And delete the line that says "guest ok = no".

Then just reboot, or restart Samba.

The password on root is only there to stop people from accidentally damaging critical files.

[prl]

... Ideally I would like to have ready access to the Root directory of my T2 without all this faffing around.

For me, that's "ssh beyonwizt2", and sometimes scp ... beyonwizt2:...

I thought raymondjpg meant via Windows Explorer.

All he said was "ready access". The ssh-based commands give me ready enough access.

Anyway, for raymondjpg, ssh is a client program and a protocol for secure connection to the command-line interface of a machine that has an ssh server (like the T series). scp is another ssh protocol program that can be used to copy files from one machine to another. It has the advantage over GUI file browsers that it can be readily scripted.

The T series boxes also have command-line ssh commands, so I can also use scp and ssh from the PVR back to my Mac, though I don't often use that capability.

[raymondjpg]

All he said was "ready access". The ssh-based commands give me ready enough access.

Yes. I regret that I edited my post to read ready access from my PC, and omitted to delete that last comment as redundant.

[raymondjpg]

Or alternately, try mapping drives to both "Movie" and:"Root" shares, specifying the IP address and user/password details.

Thanks. That works for some reason, even though it is the PVR name not IP address that is specified. When Windows boots it complains that this drive could not be connected, but clicking on it seems to trigger the credentials and the directories then appear both against the mapped drive and against the Root directory in the Network section. It was not necessary to map a network drive for the "Movie" share because that was always available, presumably from Guest access.

I will try MrQuade's suggestion and edit /etc/samba/smb.conf. If I muck it up I haven't lost much as I haven't put much time and effort into configuring the T2 yet so could tolerate another reflash if necessary

I thought raymondjpg meant via Windows Explorer.

I did, but having edited my post to specify ready access from my PC I omitted to delete the final (redundant) comment that did not specify that.

[raymondjpg]

If you want to be able to access root just like the 4.4 series without any password, it is pretty simple to change.

Just edit /etc/samba/smb.conf

Look for the following section:

Code: Select all

[Root]
  comment = Everything - take care!
  path = /
  read only = no
  guest ok = no

And delete the line that says "guest ok = no".

Then just reboot, or restart Samba.

The password on root is only there to stop people from accidentally damaging critical files.

That seems to have done the trick. I edited the file by deleting that line then rebooted the PC and both Movie and Root directories are now available in the Windows file manager network section, without need to enter credentials, presumably because the PC is now connected to the T2 with the Guest account (or is it the other way round?). Anyway, no faffing thank you!

[MrQuade]

presumably because the PC is now connected to the T2 with the Guest account (or is it the other way round?). Anyway, no faffing thank you!

Correct. The change just allows the guest to access the root share.

[celicasx]

Hi all, to save starting a new thread....

Since the new beta firmware, my Win10 PC has lost access to the root directory via explorer (i.e. \\BEYONWIZT2\Root) , but I'm still able to access it via FTP (through explorer as ftp://ipaddress of T2/).

Anyone aware of how I might rectify that? I've checked the samba.conf file and notice that there's no longer any [Root] section, which I suspect was removed due to the security enhancements from a couple of releases ago.

Not a massive problem as I can get to what I need to with FTP, but just a minor annoyance that I'd like to solve.

Regards
Rob

[prl]

...
Anyone aware of how I might rectify that? I've checked the samba.conf file and notice that there's no longer any [Root] section, which I suspect was removed due to the security enhancements from a couple of releases ago.
...

It was removed for exactly that reason, and the fix is to add one manually.

[MrQuade]

Root access was deliberately removed to improve security.

You can add in your own root entry into the samba user configuration file, or you can continue to use ftp.

The are a few topics on the subject of adding your own samba shares that you can search for if needed.

[celicasx]

Thank you both, I'll look into that a bit further.