FTP Integration Has Not Been Setup in Centova Cast: What It Means and How to Fix It

Updated: 8 October 2026 · Applies to: Centova Cast v3 (current release 3.3.4); port and service checks tested on AlmaLinux 9 and Debian 13

"FTP integration has not been setup" means Centova Cast's own FTP server (cc-ftpd) is not installed on that server, so stream accounts have no FTP login yet. The server owner fixes it by disabling any other FTP server on the machine and then running, as root, /usr/local/centovacast/sbin/update --add ftp. Until then you can upload music with the web uploader in the Centova Cast file manager, or the server owner can copy files straight into the stream's media folder.

Hosted stream customers

You cannot install the FTP server yourself. Use the web uploader instead:

1. Log in to your Centova Cast panel and click Files under AutoDJ in the menu.
2. Open the media folder and click Upload in the toolbar at the bottom.
3. Click Select files, choose your music and click Open. The upload starts straight away.

Files in the media folder are added to your media library automatically. If you want FTP access for large uploads, open a support ticket. For when each method makes sense, see FTP or the web-based file uploader.

Set up FTP integration (root)

On a Centova Cast dedicated server or VPS:

1. Check whether another FTP server uses port 21. According to Centova, no other FTP server may use port 21 on Centova Cast's IP address if you want its built-in FTP server, and a control panel FTP server on the same address causes a port conflict. In our test, vsftpd was holding the port:

   # ss -ltnp "sport = :21"
   State  Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:PortProcess
   LISTEN 0      32                 *:21              *:*    users:(("vsftpd",pid=99,fd=3))

2. Stop and disable that FTP server if you do not need it. With systemd, one command does both:

   # systemctl disable --now vsftpd
   Removed "/etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/vsftpd.service".
   # ss -ltnp "sport = :21"
   State Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address:Port Peer Address:PortProcess

   Replace vsftpd with the name ss showed you (for example pure-ftpd or proftpd). On a server with cPanel, use WHM's Service Configuration › FTP Server Selection page and choose Disabled instead. If you need both FTP servers, Centova says to run its FTP server on a separate IP address or port.
3. Install Centova Cast's FTP server, as Centova's FAQ describes:

   /usr/local/centovacast/sbin/update --add ftp

4. Check that it runs: /usr/local/centovacast/centovacast status lists Centova Cast's processes, including cc-ftpd. If it is not running, start it with /usr/local/centovacast/centovacast start-ftp and read /usr/local/centovacast/var/log/cc-ftpd.log.
5. Open TCP port 21 in the firewall. Centova's firewall guide uses this for firewalld:

   firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=21/tcp
   firewall-cmd --reload

   More ports and other firewalls: configure your firewall for Centova Cast.
6. Test a login with an FTP program. Use the stream account's own username and password, not the admin login and not the source (DJ) password. You should see a media folder. Files you upload there appear in the media library within a minute or two, according to Centova.

No FTP at all: copy files directly (root)

Centova Cast does not mind how music reaches the server. Each stream reads its music from /usr/local/centovacast/var/vhosts/USERNAME/var/spool/media/, and the files must be readable by the ccuser account. From another Linux machine you can use rsync over SSH and set the owner on the way in (tested with rsync 3.5.0):

rsync -av --chown=ccuser:ccuser /path/to/music/ root@your-server:/usr/local/centovacast/var/vhosts/USERNAME/var/spool/media/

Our local test copy produced correctly owned files:

-rw-r--r-- 1 ccuser ccuser 1000 Oct  8 03:20 Artist - Song A.mp3
-rw-r--r-- 1 ccuser ccuser 1000 Oct  8 03:20 song-b.mp3

Files copied this way are not picked up automatically. Update the library afterwards, either in the stream's panel (AutoDJ › Media, then Options › Manual library update) or as root:

/usr/local/centovacast/bin/ccmanage reindex USERNAME

If tracks still do not appear or the upload fails with "Permission denied", see fixing permissions problems in Centova Cast and errors while uploading by FTP.

Ucartz Centova Cast dedicated servers come with the Centova Cast licence included and full root access for these steps.

Official documentation: Uploading media (MP3) files, Configuring a firewall for Centova Cast, Custom installation.