OwnCloud error message

[lyle]

Hi, there. I just installed the OwnCloud plugin. But on the OwnCloud webserver, I get an error during setup when trying to create an admin account:

Can't create or write into the data directory /media

Can anyone help a newbie out?

Many thanks, Lyle

 

[lyle]

Hi! Can anyone point me in the right direction on this?

 

[Bostjan]

Sorry but the plugins are outdated. Please use iocage.

 

[lyle]

Oh wow! Really? That stinks. iocage looks well above the newbie level, would you agree?

 

[Bostjan]

It is not so much the problem with the iocage (you’ll probably need 10 commands to get started), after you’ll make an iocage jail you are left out in the cold of FreeBSD and FreeNAS world.
You’ll need to be quite experienced sys admin to manage all that.


Whit that said, if you are willing to learn with time you’ll manage it! :)
There are 1.000 tutorials how to install OwnCloud on Linux and about 100 how to install it on FreeBSD and 10 on how to install it on FreeNAS jail.
Google is your friend. Take time. Be patient. Try. Learn.

But most importantly BACKUP your data first. :)

 

[lyle]

OK thanks. The plugin tutorials made it look so simple. But you have inspired me! I will figure it out!

 

[danb35]

There are 1.000 tutorials how to install OwnCloud on Linux and about 100 how to install it on FreeBSD and 10 on how to install it on FreeNAS jail.

...and one script to rule them all. OK, that's for Nextcloud, not Owncloud--but if you really wanted to use Owncloud instead, it'd probably take very little tweaking.

 

[lyle]

Hi, Dan. I'm just a casual user looking to access my files from a browser. It looks like Nextcloud and Owncloud are very similar, so I am definitely not set on OC. If you've made it easier for me to install NC, then I'm all in! I'll give your link a read this weekend. Thanks!

 

[lyle]

Hi, Dan. I tried the Freenas Nextcloud plugin just for kicks and giggles, and it worked for me. I can access my files from a browser while I'm on the LAN using 192.168.0.16. Feels like progress, no? Now I have to figure out how to access my server remotely....

 

[danb35]

Now I have to figure out how to access my server remotely....

Port forwarding, or a VPN connection. The latter is safer.

 

[lyle]

Oh, snap. You lost me again! Got any links?

 

[danb35]

Best case is if you're using (or switch to) a router that will act as a VPN server--I use pfSense, which works very well in this regard. For many consumer routers, you can install alternate firmware like Tomato or DD-WRT (see here for more information), which adds this capability. Another alternative is to install a VPN server in another jail; there are other threads here with instructions on doing that, though I prefer running that on the router.

The other option would be to forward ports from your router to your Nextcloud jail--but that's going to have a greater potential to expose your home network to attackers, and even more so if you don't enable SSL in Nextcloud (which is one of the things that my script does).

 

[lyle]

According to my research, my current modem/router from Rogers (Hitron Coda-4582) does not support VPN clients or the DD-WRT firmware. I have a TP-Link Archer C7 lying around and it is supported by the DD-WRT firmware. So....first step will be to demote my Hitron to modem mode only and install the Archer as my router. Then I'll do the firmware upgrade. Then I'll figure out what the heck to do next. Baby steps.

Thanks again for all your help!!!

 

[danb35]

my current modem/router

demote my Hitron to modem mode only

Probably a good idea--although an all-in-one unit is handy, you lose a lot of flexibility. I prefer to keep all three roles (modem, router, WiFi access point) separate.

 

[lyle]

Hi, Dan. Got the DD-WRT working and set up the VPN service. Not sure how to test everything while I'm still in the house. I assume next steps are to connect to the vpn from a windows computer outside my lan. Assuming I did everything right and can make the vpn connection, how do I activate Nextcloud? Do I just use the local static ip address I setup: 192.168.1.119?

 

[danb35]

I assume next steps are to connect to the vpn from a windows computer outside my lan.

Probably the easiest way to test it is using your smartphone. Install an appropriate VPN client if required (i.e., if your phone doesn't natively support whatever VPN technology you're using--and please don't let it be PPTP), turn off WiFi, and then try to connect. You should be able to troubleshoot from there, if needed.

Assuming I did everything right and can make the vpn connection, how do I activate Nextcloud?

Once you're connected, just browse to the IP of your jail.

 

[lyle]

Hi, Dan. Couldn't figure out how to get a VPN client working on my phone, but got into the office today and....SUCCESS! Thanks so much for your help!

I did use the PPTP server option on dd-wrt. Is that bad? The only other option was openvpn, but that looked like a whole other world of pain to setup compared to pptp.

 

[danb35]

I did use the PPTP server option on dd-wrt. Is that bad?

Yeah, it's pretty bad. PPTP is only slightly more secure than ROT13. OpenVPN is more of a hassle to set up, it's true, but it's far more secure.

 

[lyle]

Well, I'm up for the challenge! I'd be grateful for any links you'd be willing to share.

 

[danb35]

I don't have any personal experience with configuring OpenVPN using DD-WRT (I use it on pfSense, which makes it pretty easy). The first two hits on Google for "openvpn dd-wrt" are from the dd-wrt wiki, the second captioned "VPN (the easy way)", which sounds like a good sign. I can't open the link from here, though--stupid Internet blocking at work. However, archive.org has a copy. Looks like it calls for the key generation to be done on one of your client machines, which I guess makes sense (key generation is CPU-intensive, and there isn't a lot of horsepower on the router itself), but doesn't look like fun. But it nonetheless looks do-able.

Are you sure you don't want to set up a pfSense box instead? ;)