Raspberry Pi TFTP server
A TFTP server is a handy thing to have for firmware updates (IP phone, 4550T, MRV, etc), or for IP set Auto Provisioning.
Preparation:
Use the Raspberry Pi Imager to prepare a 4GB (or bigger) SD card with Raspberry PI OS lite.
Enable SSH, either with sudo raspi-config → “Interfacing Options”, or touch /boot/ssh
Boot up the Raspberry, connect it to the internet, and install the xinetd tftp package:
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install xinetd tftpd tftp
Disconnect the PI from the internet, and connect it to the TLAN for IP phones, or ELAN for equipment firmware upgrades.
Static Address:
Servers need a static IP address! If not already configured, this is set up in /etc/dhcpcd.conf:
sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf
Scroll down to the eth0 section, uncomment and edit:
# Custom static IP address for eth0. interface eth0 static ip_address=192.168.0.2/24 static routers=192.168.0.254 #static domain_name_servers=192.168.0.1 8.8.8.8
Notes: 'static routers' = optional gateway address, 'static domain_name_servers' - comment out if no DNS
Save the file with Ctrl-X, Y, Enter.
Bounce ethernet port to apply:
sudo ifconfig eth0 down sudo ifconfig eth0 up
ifconfig should now display your static IP address.
Configuring the TFTP server:
Create and edit the config file: sudo nano /etc/xinetd.d/tftp, copy/paste in the following:
service tftp
{
protocol = udp
port = 69
socket_type = dgram
wait = yes
user = nobody
server = /usr/sbin/in.tftpd
server_args = /tftpboot
disable = no
}
Create the servers root directory:
sudo mkdir /tftpboot - server root directory sudo chmod -R 777 /tftpboot - make it writeable sudo chown -R nobody /tftpboot - change owner
Control the TFTP server with:
sudo /etc/init.d/xinetd start | stop
Copy a system.prv and/or firmware files to the server root directory (/tftpboot).
TFTP on a Mac:
Start and stop the built in TFTP server with the following:
sudo launchctl load -F /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/tftp.plist - start sudo launchctl unload -F /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/tftp.plist - stop
Check if its running with:
netstat -atp UDP | grep tftp
If you directly return to command prompt, its NOT running, if there's some output it probably is.
The default root directory is: /private/tftpboot, so copy any files there. You may need to chmod them:
sudo chmod 777 /private/tftpboot sudo chmod 777 /private/tftpboot/* - ALL files in directory
To transfer a file TO the TFTP server, strangely it first needs to already exist there. Do this with touch:
sudo touch /private/tftpboot/running-config sudo chmod 777 /private/tftpboot/running-config
Pumpkin is a simple TFTP server and TFTP client with a GUI, it's available for Windows and Mac.