FTP Problem

[Jack Gillis]

It has been a long time since I tried to download a file via ftp. This
morning I tried and failed no matter which file and which site. Usually
I get a message that says something like 'could not connect to server.'
Sometime IE6 just hangs for a long time. The same thing using Firefox.

I am running XP SP2 behind a router to a DSL connection. Things seem to
work fine in all other respects but downloading from an ftp site but
from an ftp site fails. I can download via http with no problem.

Is there something special I need to do to enable ftp downloads?

Thank you.

 

[Sergio Pozzetti]

Jack,

My guess is, since you're behind a router which (I speculate here) has NAT
firewalling, you should enable PASSIVE FTP in the Advanced tab of your
Internet Explorer Options (section "browsing").

Bye,

Sergio Pozzetti - (e-mail address removed)

 

[Jack Gillis]

Yes, I forgot to mention, Passive FTP is enabled in Internet Options.
Thank you.

 

[Sergio Pozzetti]

Jack,

I think the first step is to figure out whether what you have is a general
software problem or a connectivity problem. Have you tried accessing the ftp
site through command-line FTP?

Start->Run "cmd" then type "ftp".
ftp> o ftp.linksys.com
Connected to ftp.linksys.com.
220 Cisco-Linksys FTP service.
User (ftp.linksys.comnone)): (...)

Tell me if you're able to access ftp sites this way.

Bye,

Sergio Pozzetti - (e-mail address removed)

 

[Jack Gillis]

Jack,

I think the first step is to figure out whether what you have is a
general software problem or a connectivity problem. Have you tried
accessing the ftp site through command-line FTP?

Start->Run "cmd" then type "ftp".
ftp> o ftp.linksys.com
Connected to ftp.linksys.com.
220 Cisco-Linksys FTP service.
User (ftp.linksys.comnone)): (...)

Tell me if you're able to access ftp sites this way.

Yes, I can connect to all the sites I was blocked from before. I had
fogotten about trying from the command prompt. Thanks for reminding me

 

[Jack Gillis]

Try turning off the windows firewall long enough to see if that's
what
causing the problem. I just posted here a day or two ago about the
same
problem. In my case, that was it. Since I run another firewall too, I
just
left the windows firewall turned off. I got some replies and some
links to
look at, but I was never able to resolve it with the windows firewall.

Thank you.

I don't have the Windows firewall set up. It is turned off and I rely
on the router (Westell VersaLink Model 327W) for my firewall.

 

[Jack Gillis]

Jack,

I think the first step is to figure out whether what you have is a
general software problem or a connectivity problem. Have you tried
accessing the ftp site through command-line FTP?

Start->Run "cmd" then type "ftp".
ftp> o ftp.linksys.com
Connected to ftp.linksys.com.
220 Cisco-Linksys FTP service.
User (ftp.linksys.comnone)): (...)

Tell me if you're able to access ftp sites this way.

A follow up to my first response

Not only can I access the ftp sites, I can download files from them
using the command line through the router.

 

[SlowJet]

I'm having the same problem with FTP in the IE browswer, even from Intel. I
can do HTTP. I have a 3rd party FW, I have tried passive on the browser and
the FW. I do not have a router.

This has stared within the last month and a half. I have alway done ftp
downloads with no problem.

I haven't a clue why it is happening. There are other odd things happening
on the net also. Seems to change from one problem to another every 3 weeks.

SJ

 

[Jack Gillis]

EUREKA! as an ancient Greek said. The problem lay in the Westell
router. I had its firewall set a notch too high. I lowered one notch
and now I can ftp to my hearts content and still remain 'stealthed'
according to Shields Up. Yes, I know I am paranoid .

I still don't understand why I was able to ftp from the command line but
not from either IE or Firefox if problem lay in the router but I'm not
going to worry about.

Thanks for getting me started in the right direction.

 

[Alex Nichol]

It has been a long time since I tried to download a file via ftp. This
morning I tried and failed no matter which file and which site. Usually
I get a message that says something like 'could not connect to server.'
Sometime IE6 just hangs for a long time. The same thing using Firefox.

I am running XP SP2 behind a router to a DSL connection. Things seem to
work fine in all other respects but downloading from an ftp site but
from an ftp site fails. I can download via http with no problem.

Is there something special I need to do to enable ftp downloads?

Enable Passive mode FTP, and in SP2 firewall. Exceptions page, ensure
that Internet Explorer (or other FTP application) is added

 

[Jack Gillis]

Enable Passive mode FTP, and in SP2 firewall. Exceptions page, ensure
that Internet Explorer (or other FTP application) is added

Thanks Alex.

I tried that straight away and it didn't solve the problem. With the
help of other replies as well as Google , I finally tracked the problem
down to the router's (Westell Versalink) firewall. Everything is fine
now.

Thanks again.