FTP Server

[abulfares]

I am looking for FTP Server software for Windows.

I just want to turn my home PC into a server to access my files from iPhone and laptop. Having said that, I will need minimal user accounts since its mainly me who is gonna access these files (maybe a family member or two).

Should I go with password protection or with FTPS?

Can someone suggest something free (open source preferred but not a necessity), easy to use, and reliable?

I am behind a router and using Vista, if that makes a difference in accessing my server from school (not only locally).

Thanx

EDIT: I tried Filezilla Server in the past but couldn't get it work for some reason and I didn't bother digging into the problem. If its worth re-looking into it, I will do so. I also heard of zFTPServer, Quick 'n Easy FTP Server, Golden FTP Server, and Cerberus FTP Server. I don't wanna install them all, so if someone tried any of these (or others) and recommend it, please let me know.

[CrashG]

I use Serv-U although it's not free, or real cheap, it works fine for me. There is a Personal Version that is free and should do what you need. I'm on Vista Ultimate x86 with a Linksys WRT54G. Easy to set up/configure. I also tried Filezilla Server and couldn't get it to work either.

[POWER2112]

FileZilla has a free FTP server software. I've used Serv-U years ago and I liked it, but it's not free anymore. Check out FileZilla - they make great client-side software too.

[abulfares]

thnx guys for the prompt replies. I'll try Serv-U personal edition first and see if that works for me.

thnx again

[CrashG]

thnx guys for the prompt replies. I'll try Serv-U personal edition first and see if that works for me.

thnx again

No problem, helping out is what it's all about. :laugh: Hope it does what you need, although $100/year (for the Home version) isn't that much if you use it alot. Main reason I suggested it was the iPhone support which you said you wanted.

As long as you have your IP address that is assigned to your router (and forward the ports to your internal IP that your running Serv-U on) you should have no problems connecting.

[abulfares]

Ok, so I have Serv-U up and running now. I configured it and I can access it internally without any problems.

I tried the 192.168.1.xxx address as well as my external ip address and they both connect fine if I am on the local network.

Once i switch to external network (3G on iPhone). I cannot connect anymore. I tried setting up dyndns.com account and configure the router for it, but no luck.

I forwarded port 21 to my internal IP btw.

What am I doing wrong? I am not getting any error messages from the FTP server (seems like I'm not even reaching it).

[CrashG]

Ok, so I have Serv-U up and running now. I configured it and I can access it internally without any problems.

I tried the 192.168.1.xxx address as well as my external ip address and they both connect fine if I am on the local network.

Once i switch to external network (3G on iPhone). I cannot connect anymore. I tried setting up dyndns.com account and configure the router for it, but no luck.

I forwarded port 21 to my internal IP btw.

What am I doing wrong? I am not getting any error messages from the FTP server (seems like I'm not even reaching it).

I assigned my internal IP (the machine i have it running on, and forwarded it through the router) then all I have to do from anywhere is type

ftp://insert your external ip here

in IE7 and I get a login box and give it my user/password, even on the internal network.

PM me if you want.

[Lewism]

Some ISPs block the port 21. You should try another one.

[offroadaaron]

i use cygwin and SSH for SFTP :-P

[CrashG]

Some ISPs block the port 21. You should try another one.

That could be it, especially if it's on a school's network.

[+BudMan MVC]

What I love about these threads -- is you had issues with filezilla, but were too lazy to troubleshoot the root cause.. You figured oh I will just try another one.. WTF did you think was going to happen with the other server software?? Did you think it uses some magic or something that the other one doesnt? It's a freaking FTP server -- they all listen on 21 and send data on 20. Are you trying to connect active or passive from the outside?

Sure you can change them -- is that your issue? Maybe??? You need to understand if the network you leaving allows 21, you need to understand if the network your on allows 21 inbound.

If you say you can reach the box from your internal network using a loopback forward -- ie hitting your routers wan IP from the lan side and getting forwarded back in. Most routers do not support this btw, but would kind of point that your forward is good -- but something is blocking it.

What is your router connected to? You sure your not behind a double nat -- which would cause you problem you saying, can hit it through a loopback, but not from the outside.

PM me your public IP and I will tell you if its open. I would suggest you verify that your not behind a double nat -- are you sure the IP address on the wan side of your router is a public one? What is the make and model of the device your router connects too? Or is it a adsl modem/router?

[abulfares]

thnx for the reply Bud, but please do not assume so much.

When I tried Filezilla, that was over a year ago. Yes it did not work but that is not why I did not bother. I did not bother because I did not need the FTP server after all ;)

Now (a year later) I really do need it. That is why I was asking if Filezilla is worth looking into. I have nothing against Filezilla and I love the client (use it daily). I am not a computer idiot and I do not change software to avoid a root problem.

Back to the problem. According to Shields Up, my port 21 is stealthed even though I forwarded it to my internal IP. I have Serv-U (I can try Filezilla if it is better) setup with domain IP as my local IP (192.168.1.xxx) and that same IP has port 21 forwarded to it.

I am using Linksys wrt54gl with DD-WRT.

DD-WRT is showing my external IP properly (at least I think so) because I traced it and it went back to my ISP.

Yet, when I try to connect from outside my local network (3G network on iPhone), it keeps trying to connect forever with no error messages. I tried turning the router firewall log on and I see no logged incoming connections from the iPhone's external IP. I tried disabling the firewall, but no luck.

btw, CrashGorden gave me a guest access to his FTP server and I tried from the iPhone it connected fine (using default port 21 - so that port is not blocked).

Edited October 7, 2008 by abulfares

[abulfares]

btw, the modem is Thomson Speedtouch 5T516 v6. if that helps, and no its not modem/router (just modem).

[+BudMan MVC]

Thats is clearly not just a modem.

http://www.thomson.net/GlobalEnglish/Produ...es/default.aspx

THOMSON ST 516v6 Multi-User ADSL2+ Gateway

It also offers a fast, full-feature routing engine as well as a solid firewall to ensure the best end-user experience.

That is a GATEWAY device!! ie it does NAT!

So unless you have it in FULL bridge mode -- your not going to see anything at your router to forward. But my scan just finished and it shows 21 is open

Starting Nmap 4.53 ( http://insecure.org ) at 2008-10-07 06:50 CDT

Interesting ports on d75-157-x-x.bchsia.telus.net (75.157.x.x):

Not shown: 1713 filtered ports

PORT STATE SERVICE

21/tcp open ftp

But it clearly does not answer to the control connection.

budman@ubuntu:~$ ftp 75.157.x.x

Connected to 75.157.176.190.

421 Service not available, remote server has closed connection

Do you have the ftp server running? Are you filtering -- do you have software firewall on the box running the server only allowing connections from your local lan?

[Kami-]

budman@ubuntu:~$ ftp 75.157.x.x

Connected to 75.157.176.190.

421 Service not available, remote server has closed connection

lol at x-ing the ip out all way through but at the end :D

[abulfares]

don't worry its dynamic and its already changed ;)

nice try though

[Kami-]

don't worry its dynamic and its already changed ;)

nice try though

Not what I was laughing at, mainly the point Bud went through his msg changing them all to x.x at end but missed one :)

[+BudMan MVC]

Oh shoot I did miss that -- I am sorry about that.. But yeah its changed already.

I PM'd you some info about the error you getting.. IN your passive command its stating to connect to private - which will never work. You need to configure your ftp server to send out the correct IP.. I would have to look it up where exactly you do that in filezilla server.

Or you could just use active -- I sent you a link to how active and passive ftp differ. If you send me some login info, I will give it a test in active mode, etc.

This is a great writeup on active vs passive ftp.. Anyone looking to run a ftp server should really understand this.

http://www.slacksite.com/other/ftp.html

Active FTP vs. Passive FTP, a Definitive Explanation

edit: here is where you would put in your public IP or fqdn that resolves to your external, etc. so that passive will work correctly on filezilla

Edited October 7, 2008 by BudMan

[Kami-]

Thanks BudMan,

Despite running FTP servers for years I still found that a good read :D

[+BudMan MVC]

Well its working just fine here

ftp> open melwan.xxx.net 35350

Connected to melwan.xxx.net.

220-FileZilla Server version 0.9.27 beta

220-written by Tim Kosse ([email protected])

220 Please visit http://sourceforge.net/projects/filezilla/

Name (melwan.xxx.net:budman): guest

331 Password required for guest

Password:

230 Logged on

Remote system type is UNIX.

ftp> ls

200 Port command successful

150 Opening data channel for directory list.

-r--r--r-- 1 ftp ftp 176623 Oct 07 08:53 datasheet_thomson_ST516v6__en_092008.pdf

-r--r--r-- 1 ftp ftp 2367399 Oct 07 10:12 ST516_UserGuide.pdf

226 Transfer OK

ftp> get datasheet_thomson_ST516v6__en_092008.pdf

local: datasheet_thomson_ST516v6__en_092008.pdf remote: datasheet_thomson_ST516v6__en_092008.pdf

200 Port command successful

150 Opening data channel for file transfer.

226 Transfer OK

176623 bytes received in 5.84 secs (29.5 kB/s)

Downloaded a file just fine -- could not upload - permissions denied.. Looks like its working just fine in active mode

[abulfares]

I asked my brother to connect from his home, and he couldn't. he got error about entering into passive mode and the server is responding with untouchable IP.

how come its switching to passive mode if its not even setup? do clients try to connect using passive first then active (if passive failed)?

I have 2 apps on the iphone that connect to FTP. one is failing and the other just connected (it hs the option to toggle passive mode on or off, and it is set to off right now) yet, the log from filezilla server is showing:

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:06 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> 227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,1,124,177,143)

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:16 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> EPSV

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:16 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> 229 Entering Extended Passive Mode (|||45451|)

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:19 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> LIST -a

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:19 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> 150 Connection accepted

(000048) 07/10/2008 13:47:19 PM - guest (24.114.xxx.xxx)> 226 Transfer OK

why is it using passive mode, i the app has it off?

EDIT: I just finished reading the article. I am convinced I need to get the passive options in Filezilla server in order to get it working.

EDIT 2: here is screenshots of the settings

is that all I need to do? off course I forwarded this ports range to my local IP running the server.

EDIT 3: my brother just connected finally, but this is the log he got from the client:

Command: TYPE I

Response: 200 Type set to I

Command: PASV

Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,1,124,177,152)

Status: Server sent passive reply with unroutable address. Using server address instead.

Command: LIST

Response: 150 Connection accepted

Response: 226 Transfer OK

Status: Calculating timezone offset of server...

Command: MDTM datasheet_thomson_ST516v6__en_092008.pdf

Response: 213 20081007155305

Status: Timezone offsets: Server: -25200 seconds. Local: -25200 seconds. Difference: 0 seconds.

Status: Directory listing successful

how do I fix the error in bold above? (still 1 of the iPhone apps is not connecting)

Edited October 7, 2008 by abulfares

[+BudMan MVC]

You should not have to setup custom ports.. But you need to setup the Use the Following IP.. just put your external fqdn there.. The other thing is if pulling from a script I do believe.

Passive or Active is a client thing.. So depends on your client if will use active or passive.

[abulfares]

THANK YOU. finally everything is connecting. I entered my fqdn into "Use the following IP" and its working now.

I tried removing the custom ports, but it failed:

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:37 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 230 Logged on

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:38 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> SYST

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:38 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 215 UNIX emulated by FileZilla

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:39 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> PWD

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:39 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 257 "/" is current directory.

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:39 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> PASV

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:39 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 227 Entering Passive Mode (75,157,xxx,x

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:50 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> EPSV

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:28:50 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 229 Entering Extended Passive Mode (|||51937|)

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:00 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> PASV

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:00 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 227 Entering Passive Mode (75,157)

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:11 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> PASV

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:11 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 227 Entering Passive Mode (75,157

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:22 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> QUIT

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:22 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> 221 Goodbye

(000068) 07/10/2008 14:29:22 PM - melwan (24.114.236.9)> disconnected

I enabled the custom ports and its working again.

so, with my current setup, I have it as Passive, right?

Edited October 7, 2008 by abulfares

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah your using passive to connect in the above -- but I would edit, you have your IP listed there in the passive command.

[abulfares]

oops, thnx for pointing that out.

and thnx again for all the help Bud, Crash :)