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Overview

Wings includes a built-in SFTP server that provides secure file access to game servers. The SFTP server authenticates users against the Panel and provides isolated access to each server’s files.

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Basic Configuration

SFTP settings are configured under the system section: 
system:
  sftp:
    bind_address: 0.0.0.0
    bind_port: 2022
    read_only: false

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Configuration Options

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Bind Address

system:
  sftp:
    bind_address: 0.0.0.0
Default: 0.0.0.0 The IP address that the SFTP server listens on. Common values:
  • 0.0.0.0 - Listen on all interfaces (default)
  • 127.0.0.1 - Listen only on localhost
  • Specific IP - Listen on a specific network interface

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Bind Port

system:
  sftp:
    bind_port: 2022
Default: 2022 The port that the SFTP server listens on.
Port 22 is the standard SFTP port but is typically used by the system SSH server. Wings uses port 2022 by default to avoid conflicts.

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Read-Only Mode

system:
  sftp:
    read_only: false
Default: false When enabled, no write actions are allowed on the SFTP server. Users can browse and download files but cannot upload, modify, or delete files.

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Authentication

The Wings SFTP server authenticates users through the Panel. Authentication credentials are validated in real-time.

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Username Format

SFTP usernames follow a specific format: 
<panel-username>.<server-identifier>
Example: john.a1b2c3d4 Where:
  • john is the Panel username
  • a1b2c3d4 is the 8-character server identifier

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Supported Authentication Methods

  1. Password Authentication - Standard password login
  2. Public Key Authentication - SSH key-based authentication

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Security

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Host Key

Wings automatically generates an ED25519 private key for host verification on first startup. This key is stored in: 
/etc/pterodactyl/.sftp/id_ed25519
The key is generated automatically if it doesn’t exist.

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Encryption

The SFTP server uses strong cryptographic algorithms: Key Exchange:
  • curve25519-sha256
  • [email protected]
  • ecdh-sha2-nistp256
  • ecdh-sha2-nistp384
  • ecdh-sha2-nistp521
  • diffie-hellman-group14-sha256
Ciphers: MACs:

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Connection Limits

Max Authentication Tries: 6 After 6 failed authentication attempts, the connection is closed.

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Firewall Configuration

Ensure your firewall allows incoming connections on the SFTP port: UFW: 
ufw allow 2022/tcp
FirewallD: 
firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=2022/tcp
firewall-cmd --reload
iptables: 
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 2022 -j ACCEPT

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Connecting to SFTP

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Using FileZilla

  1. Protocol: SFTP
  2. Host: Your Wings server IP/hostname
  3. Port: 2022 (or your configured port)
  4. Username: <panel-username>.<server-id>
  5. Password: Your Panel password or SSH key

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Using Command Line

sftp -P 2022 [email protected]
With SSH key: 
sftp -P 2022 -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa [email protected]

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Using WinSCP

  1. File protocol: SFTP
  2. Host name: Your Wings server IP/hostname
  3. Port number: 2022
  4. User name: <panel-username>.<server-id>
  5. Password: Your Panel password

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Troubleshooting

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Cannot Connect to SFTP

  1. Check Wings is running: 
    systemctl status wings
  2. Verify SFTP is listening: 
    netstat -tlnp | grep 2022
  3. Check firewall rules: 
    ufw status
  4. Review Wings logs: 
    journalctl -u wings -n 100

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Authentication Failures

  1. Verify username format - Must be username.serverid
  2. Check Panel credentials - SFTP uses Panel authentication
  3. Review Wings logs for authentication errors
  4. Verify user permissions on the Panel

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Permission Denied Errors

  1. Check server directory permissions: 
    ls -la /var/lib/pterodactyl/volumes/
  2. Verify pterodactyl user ownership: 
    chown -R pterodactyl:pterodactyl /var/lib/pterodactyl/volumes/

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Advanced Configuration

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Using a Different Port

To use a custom port: 
system:
  sftp:
    bind_port: 2222
Remember to:
  1. Update firewall rules
  2. Update the SFTP port in the Panel node configuration
  3. Inform users of the new port

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Binding to Specific Interface

For servers with multiple network interfaces: 
system:
  sftp:
    bind_address: 192.168.1.100

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Read-Only Access

To provide read-only SFTP access (useful for troubleshooting): 
system:
  sftp:
    read_only: true
Read-only mode affects all users. There’s no per-user read-only configuration.

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Performance Considerations

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Connection Limits

The SFTP server can handle multiple concurrent connections. Performance depends on:
  • Available system resources (CPU, RAM)
  • Disk I/O performance
  • Number of files being accessed
  • Network bandwidth

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Large File Operations

For servers with many files:
  • Directory listings may be slow
  • Consider using compression for large transfers
  • Use rsync over SFTP for large directory synchronization

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Example Configuration

Complete SFTP configuration: 
system:
  # ... other system settings ...
  
  sftp:
    # Listen on all interfaces
    bind_address: 0.0.0.0
    
    # Use standard SFTP port (change if needed)
    bind_port: 2022
    
    # Allow read/write access
    read_only: false

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Security Best Practices

  1. Use SSH Keys - Prefer public key authentication over passwords
  2. Firewall Rules - Restrict SFTP access to trusted IPs when possible
  3. Regular Updates - Keep Wings updated for latest security patches
  4. Monitor Access - Review logs for suspicious authentication attempts
  5. Strong Passwords - Enforce strong password policies on the Panel
SFTP server behavior is also affected by:
  • System data directory - Where server files are stored
  • Pterodactyl user - File ownership and permissions
  • Panel node configuration - SFTP port must match Panel settings

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