Cannot Download Files from ftp:// Internet Sites

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sam
  • Start date Start date
S

Sam

I have a Dell Dimension 8200 computer with windows XP Pro installed, use
Outlook Express for my email, and Internet Explorer for my browser. I am
unable to download a file from any ftp internet site. For example:
ftp://ftp.download.com/pub/techrepublic/support/resource_doc/membertips_harddrives.zip.

I have checked IE options (properties) but did not see anything that is
involved with ftp sites. Any help would be very much appreciated, Sam.

P.S. I should also mention that I have BoClean, NAV 2004, and Zone Alarm
Plus (latest version) installed on my computer.
 
I can, but response from server is a bit slow, download speed ok (60 -130
kb) !

i would suspect Zone alarm to block server in your case !
 
I have a Dell Dimension 8200 computer with windows XP Pro installed, use
Outlook Express for my email, and Internet Explorer for my browser. I am
unable to download a file from any ftp internet site. For example:
ftp://ftp.download.com/pub/techrepublic/support/resource_doc/membertips_harddrives.zip.

I have checked IE options (properties) but did not see anything that is
involved with ftp sites. Any help would be very much appreciated, Sam.

P.S. I should also mention that I have BoClean, NAV 2004, and Zone Alarm
Plus (latest version) installed on my computer.
Click to expand...

Check that ZoneAlarm has not recorded any alert when you attempted that
download. The file certainly appears to download for me, so it can't be a
passive FTP problem since I have that option set. I also have ZoneAlarm Pro
running.

Can you actually see the list of files available in that folder using IE? IE
has a little loophole in that once you login to an FTP server with one
login, it keeps using that login (if you asked it to remember it), and you
have to specifically right-click a blank area and choose "Login As..." to
login with different credentials. Maybe this is why it won't download?

Failing that, if ZA did not record anything, I might suggest temporarily
uninstalling it (you would hopefully have the latest update downloaded to
your device so it can be reinstalled?), and see if it works then.
 
Thank you very much for your replies. Jason, your idea about checking to
see if ZA had recorded any applicable alerts was a very good point. I
checked the alert log and it appears that ZA was blocking the ftp site.
Even though I hated to do it, I shutdown ZA and then was able to download
the ftp file. However, I still cannot find in ZA Plus, any feature that
would restrict using the ftp internet sites.

Any other thoughts and suggestions would again be very much appreciated,
Sam.
 
Sam, I don't know about ZA Plus, but ZA (free version) and ZA Pro block all
access to FTP sites by default. You have to un-block FTP sites on a
site-by-site basis as follows:

In ZA, go to the Firewall | Zones page and click on the add button and
select host/site.
Enter ftp.download.com in the name field, give it a meaningful description,
press "Lookup". Make sure that "Trusted" is selected and press "OK" then
"Apply". You'll never have any problems with that site again (unless they
change their IP address).
Do the same for any other FTP sites you want to use.

I'd imagine that the same procedure would work for ZA Plus.
 
-----Original Message-----
I have a Dell Dimension 8200 computer with windows XP Pro installed, use
Outlook Express for my email, and Internet Explorer for my browser. I am
unable to download a file from any ftp internet site. For example:
ftp://ftp.download.com/pub/techrepublic/support/resource_ doc/membertips_harddrives.zip.

I have checked IE options (properties) but did not see anything that is
involved with ftp sites. Any help would be very much appreciated, Sam.

P.S. I should also mention that I have BoClean, NAV 2004, and Zone Alarm
Plus (latest version) installed on my computer.


.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
Thank you very much for your replies. Jason, your idea about checking to
see if ZA had recorded any applicable alerts was a very good point. I
checked the alert log and it appears that ZA was blocking the ftp site.
Even though I hated to do it, I shutdown ZA and then was able to download
the ftp file. However, I still cannot find in ZA Plus, any feature that
would restrict using the ftp internet sites.

Any other thoughts and suggestions would again be very much appreciated,
Sam.





.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
Sam, I don't know about ZA Plus, but ZA (free version) and ZA Pro block all
access to FTP sites by default. You have to un-block FTP sites on a
site-by-site basis as follows:

In ZA, go to the Firewall | Zones page and click on the add button and
select host/site.
Enter ftp.download.com in the name field, give it a meaningful description,
press "Lookup". Make sure that "Trusted" is selected and press "OK" then
"Apply". You'll never have any problems with that site again (unless they
change their IP address).
Do the same for any other FTP sites you want to use.

I'd imagine that the same procedure would work for ZA Plus.

for my browser. I
am


.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----
I can, but response from server is a bit slow, download speed ok (60 -130
kb) !

i would suspect Zone alarm to block server in your case !




.
Click to expand...
 
-----Original Message-----

Check that ZoneAlarm has not recorded any alert when you attempted that
download. The file certainly appears to download for me, so it can't be a
passive FTP problem since I have that option set. I also have ZoneAlarm Pro
running.

Can you actually see the list of files available in that folder using IE? IE
has a little loophole in that once you login to an FTP server with one
login, it keeps using that login (if you asked it to remember it), and you
have to specifically right-click a blank area and choose "Login As..." to
login with different credentials. Maybe this is why it won't download?

Failing that, if ZA did not record anything, I might suggest temporarily
uninstalling it (you would hopefully have the latest update downloaded to
your device so it can be reinstalled?), and see if it works then.


--
--
Jason Teagle
(e-mail address removed)


.
Click to expand...
 
Mark, many thanks, you have explained the reason for my problem! Did not
realize that ZA plus by default blocks ftp sites (the more I learn about
computers, the less I know!!!) and so will add the ftp sites as needed.

I went to the Help function of ZA Plus and found the below information. I
am now wondering if enabling the passive or PASV mode in the FTP client
would give full permission for ftp sites so I would not have to add each
site to the ZA Trusted Zone for the files I wanted to download. Jason
mentioned the point "can't be a passive FTP problem" in his reply and I did
not initially appreciate the significance of his comment. I would
appreciate it if someone could explain or list the procedures to enable
passive or PAS mode in the FP client. Thanks, Sam.

Using FTP programs with Zone Labs security software
To use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) programs, you may need to make the
following settings adjustments in your FTP client program and in Zone Labs
security software:

a.. Enable passive or PASV mode in your FTP client


This tells the client to use the same port for communication both
directions. If PASV is not enabled, Zone Labs security software may block
the FTP server's attempt to contact a new port for data transfer.

b.. Add the FTP sites you use to the Trusted Zone


c.. Give Trusted Zone access permission to your FTP client program.
 
Sam, I don't know about ZA Plus, but ZA (free version) and ZA Pro block all
access to FTP sites by default. You have to un-block FTP sites on a
site-by-site basis as follows:
Click to expand...

No they dont. I can download from any FTP site I want with no
problems using ZA Pro. Have never had to manually add any FTP site to
ZA.
 
I have a Dell Dimension 8200 computer with windows XP Pro installed, use
Outlook Express for my email, and Internet Explorer for my browser. I am
unable to download a file from any ftp internet site. For example:
ftp://ftp.download.com/pub/techrepublic/support/resource_doc/membertips_harddrives.zip.

I have checked IE options (properties) but did not see anything that is
involved with ftp sites. Any help would be very much appreciated, Sam.

P.S. I should also mention that I have BoClean, NAV 2004, and Zone Alarm
Plus (latest version) installed on my computer.
Click to expand...


Do you have the built in ICF turned on?

If so then turn it off.

By default it blocks access to FTP.

Since you are running ZA, you dont need the built in ICF turned on.
 
What are you using as far as IE versions ? I have the latest (6.0.2800) and
when I went to the site you had
ftp://ftp.download.com/pub/techrepublic/support/resource_doc/membertips_harddrives.zip

It wanted to start into a download right away and that is with ZoneAlarm on.
Do you have DOWNLOAD ON checked in the Internet security section under
Internet Tools ?
 
Do you have the built in ICF turned on?

If so then turn it off.

By default it blocks access to FTP.

Since you are running ZA, you dont need the built in ICF turned on.
Click to expand...

Correction. Opened my mouth too soon. It blocks others from access
to FTP on your system.

However having it running along with ZA can cause you problems. If
you have Application Layer Gateway blocked in ZA and the ICF is turned
on then you will not have access to FTP sites.
 
TO: Les and Tedd, thanks very much for your replies.

Regarding the ICF, it is turned off (unchecked). Regarding the Application
Layer Gateway, it is not listed in the ZA Program Tab of the Program Control
Section. I also went to windows XP Pro services and checked the Startup
Type for Application Layer Gateway and it was set to Manual. I changed it
back to Automatic and still could not connect to a ftp web site.

Tedd, regarding the "DOWNLOAD ON checked," , if I understand correctly
(sorry still somewhat of a newbie), I opened IE, clicked on Tools, Internet
Options, Security Tab, then clicked on the Custom Level Button, and then
scrolled down to the Downloads Section, and the "Enable" entry had the dot
next to it. I also went to the Advanced tab, and under the Browsing
Section, the only thing that I could see that might be somewhat related were
two entries that did not have a check mark: "Enable Install on Demand
(Internet Explorer)" and "Enable Install on Demand (Other)."

Any other suggestions would again be very much appreciated. Thanks, Sam.
 
Don't have ZA anymore but do have BLACK ICE a similar functional program. In
Black Ice I have it set to a very protective setting
(paronoid I think it says). In order to receive a file from a ftp site I
must disable the BlackIce program first.

I would recommend that
FIRST: be sure you trust that FTP site!!
disable your firewall / virus programs, preferably have them set to not
start up on a reboot. then reboot
now try your ftp download - be careful where you go while your protections
are off!

If you can get the FTP site to download then you can investigate setting in
the protection programs that you might be able
to change. (I do FTP so seldom that I leave it mine at paronoid and kick
myself each time I do try to FTP)

Michael
 
Michael, if I disable my ZA Plus, I can access any ftp web site. So the
problem is definitely related to my ZA. What I don't understand, is why two
of the individuals who replied to my initial posting, said they were able to
access the ftp web with their ZA active, and I cannot. Ah me!!! Have a
good weekend, Sam.
 
On some sites I do have to disable my Zone Alarm Pro completely. However on
the site that was referenced here, I did not do anything to Zone Alarm, but
there are so many different ways (permissions etc.) I can see how some
people get thru and others do not.
 
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