Problem with establishing FTP connection

[Anita]

2 @ll again

I tried to connect to my friend's FTP - I managed to connect, but only in passive mode...

Logging in as an anonymous user gave the same effect as in the beggining - illegal port command...

Again I ask - could a private IP number be the cause of such problems? My internet provider supplies such numbers with their own, additional firewalls...

[Anita]

2 IGL

I have Kerio 2.1.5 firewall - both leaving it working and disabling it temporarily gave the same effect... "illegal port cmd" (am I getting boring?:) ).

[Clo]

2Anita
  Hello Anita,
• You aren't boring in anyway! Just a moment ... to dine  
• I tested again now, I can connect to your server still. However, I noticed that it took a long while to read the directory - though it's almost empty for "anonymous" users-.
• Since that doesn't work still, even without proxy / firewall, I guess there is really something wrong in your system. So :

If have any unusual problems,
please report them via e-mail to <root@twojepc.twojepc.pl>

- It seems the most urgent thing to do !
Hoping news about this,
 Kind regards,
Claude
Clo 

[Anita]

2 Clo

Contacting <root@twojepc.twojepc.pl> won't help - that's our server's administrator adress and I already talked to him several times - he says there's nothing wrong with the server or the system... I really feel it's time to give up

[Vansumsen]

2 Clo

I really feel it's time to give up

Certainly not, an hardware or a software may not make law...
Courage !

Paul

[Clo]

2Anita

Again I ask - could a private IP number be the cause of such problems?

Hi Anita,
• In my modest opinion, it could. Whether this private IP is false, then it doesn't match with other indications - user-name, password... -
<Anectode>
- Some years ago, I had a provider who gave me by mistake the parameters of another user living in the same region than me ! Login was letters and digits, the same for an imposed password, so impossible to know… Fortunately, that other user had none Web site, and that worked like this with FTP for months ! When that I.P. has upgraded the server, that no longer worked, so I found out what's been going on !
</Anecdote>
• Please, don't give up ! Go to the cable-network office, and protest strongly ! Ask for they see by themselves your problem on the spot !
- Even annouce them a payment-strike, since you can't use the service you pay. Generally, they wake up hearing this !
Glad to hear the continuation,
   Kind regards,
Claude
Clo

[Anita]

2 Clo

I have no reason to prostest at the cable-network office When my internet connection was being set up I had the choice - private or public IP numer. I chose private due to the fact, that besides me 2 other people (internet -beginners ) are using this computer and at that point I was totally aware that such number has some additional security services.... the only thing is that I did not think that the firewalls they attatch to private IP's will cause such problems...

So for now the thing I can do is mail the internet provider and ask to change my IP into a public one (with no firewalls or other serurity devices attatched). This will cost me about 2 Euro, but if you think this might do the thing I am willing to pay

[Anita]

2 Vansumsen

Big thanks for lifting me up!!

[Clo]

>>> Anita
Hi again,
• Since your provider gave you the choice for either a private or a dynamic (public) IP Nr., they must assume that all'll work fine in both cases, I guess...

So for now the thing I can do is mail the internet provider and ask to change my IP into a public one (with no firewalls or other security devices attatched). This will cost me about 2 Euros, but if you think this might do the thing I am willing to pay

 You might send a registered letter... And explain the reason to change this IP number mode in that letter... And also ask for they verify if your actual private IP number is really right and yours ! Tell in brief the tests that you and we made here...
• Please, try this - although the 2-€ fee, I don't see another thing to do currently...
  Kind regards,
Claude
Clo

[ghisler(Author)]

I have now tested this connection in the debugger, and I think that I know now what is happening and why it isn't working:

1. Total Commander sends the PASV command
2. The server sends back the passive port
3. Total Commander tries to connect to that port, but it FAILS!
4. Total Commander switches to PORT mode

In my case PORT mode works, but in your case, PORT mode fails because you are probably behind a NAT router without FTP support. And PASV mode fails on the server side because the server is behind a NAT router too! So in the end, no FTP connection is possible between the two systems, because both are protected.

The solution would be to ask the owner of the FTP server to define a port range for passive FTP (e.g. 1024-2048), and then forward these ports from the router to his server.

[Clo]

2ghisler(Author)
  Hello Mr. Ghsler,

3. Total Commander tries to connect to that port, but it FAILS!

• Why nothing in the log file about that failure ? And TC does not display any warning before to send PORT if the passive mode fails... In such a case, it should be very useful ! ???

4. Total Commander switches to PORT mode

• PORT works for me too at home... and for the friends of Anita in the same cable-network (without a private IP-number, I guess).
  Best regards,
Claude
Clo

[IGL]

I tried to connect to my friend's FTP - I managed to connect, but only in passive mode...

To sum-up:
+ It seems that you can make passive connections with other servers (make sure your friend's FTP is no in your local network),
- but you cannot establish a connection in passive mode with ftp.twojepc.pl server.
- Is it true that you are unable to make any connections in ACTIVE mode.

Try to find out if your ISP could allow you to make Active FTP connections (it does not need public IP, only a firewall should be monitoring FTP connections and allow to make data connection).
I guess that if you could make active FTP connections it could solve the problem and additionally allow you to connect to various FTP servers that do not support passive FTP.

BUT: You say your friends in the same network are able to connect. Do they also have problems when connecting to other FTP servers in ACTIVE mode? Please, provide us an answer.

[Anita]

2 IGL and the other great helpers

I'm not quite sure what type of adresses my friends have - public or private. As far as I remember one of them probabely has a public IP... anyway, public or not, they all have problems connecting in active mode...

[IGL]

2Anita
1. Try to force your ISP to let he support access to active FTP from his customers.
2. Otherwise consider public IP, but Personal Firewall is an absolute minimum to protect your computer and it may not be enough to protect from hackers. But solution number 1 is better.
Only it may be difficult - I also live in Poland and I know how it is. You are using probable chello/UPC company - and it is difficult to talk to them. But who knows, maybe you will get something from them?
Also see post of Christian Ghisler:
"The solution would be to ask the owner of the FTP server to define a port range for passive FTP (e.g. 1024-2048), and then forward these ports from the router to his server."
(Probably target FTP server network does not fully support passive FTP)

[Anita]

2 All Again

IGL first: forcing my ISP had no sense - they clearly said they are not blocking any ports. I'm not a Chello client, but I use Aster and frankly saying contacting them was a pleasure. They emailed me instantly and also phoned me twice.

And the others (Ghisler, CLO) - I changed the IP into public and...voila! My FTP works At first I contacted my ISP to check wheather they could connect using public and private IP. Their reply was: private - negative, public - positive So I switched and all my problems were gone in that very moment

Again big thanks to U ALL