I make my document root for the server permissions
username:www-data
user:group
the command is from the level above the directory whose permissions you want to change
Code:
$ stat 'the directory name'
#return the ownership info, *check any sub-directories and files too.
$ stat *
#everything below the target
#then if necessary
$ chown -R username:www-data
#recursively change ownership permissions
#you need root or sudo
you need these permissions for the server and php to function correctly
also to FTP into the ..../html owner 0 root if html/mydocroot is username:www-data and there is a symbolic link ...
I use scp at the command line or sftp in a FTP client -- then you need no FTP server, its all over ssh -- more secure and less resources used.
the symbolic link may not work due to a permissions conflict?
**
ln -s yeah ....