TomatoUSB

Hello!

I want to be able to access the files on my local network from outside with any internet browser though some sort of web interface that's running on my external debian server.

I'm not at all sure which way to go… I could to it all with php, but I guess there must be a better solution?
- There should be some sort of client software running on the debian server, that gives me a web interface for downloading / uploading files on the router.
- I guess sftp would be the right type of connection to choose between the router & server, so I need a web sftp client?
- Also, the debian server has to keep track of the router external ip to maintain that connection. I don't think I want to install my own dynamic dns server just for that, so I could either do that with a small script (just have the router ssh to the server on connect and have its own ip echoed to whatever place it is needed in?)… or I could use a free dynamic dns server although I'm not sure if I want to involve a third party.
- optionally: regularly generating new passwords that work only once / for half an hour after first use would be nice. I could do that server side, so the router sftp passwords stay the same and are only used between server & router while the client / browser on the other side stays oblivious to the "real thing"…
- There are no traffic issues even if I reroute all traffic through the server… I'm not going to use this connection too often, so it should be ok. And I guess there's no way around this, if I really want to be able to access it with any browser? Putting an extra webserver etc on the router sounds sort of like a waste of CPU / RAM there and also time on my side…

To make it short: chaotic random ideas. But I'll try hard as to not try & reinvent the wheel… someone please point me to relevant software / solutions / manuals / tutorials & stuff so I have a chance to avoid that ;)

Thanks!

Unless an encrypted traffic is a requirement, you can use built-in FTP server - FTP can be accessed via any browser.

If encryption is important, you may want to wait for the next build - the VPN+USB edition will include a version of FTP server with SSL support compiled in (configurable via Vsftpd Custom Configuration box in the GUI). Alternatively, you can install Optware vsftpd with SSL support, or use pre-compiled vsftpd binary from Rodney's site (also with SSL support), or install other FTP server available from Optware (I didn't check what's there - but I'm sure there're some). I don't think that SFTP is a solution you're looking for - it's not the same as FTP with SSL, and I don't know what browsers are supporting it.

For generating passwords, you can definitely write a script that will either set the corresponding nvram settings and restart FTP server (in case of built-in FTP), or re-create (S)FTP server' config file(s) and restart it when using additionally installed FTP server.

Not sure why you'd need your own ddns server - is there any reason not to use one of the available free ddns services supported by Tomato?