Re: [gftp] Problem with gftp

[Bret Busby <bret@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 2 Jul 2008, Bret Busby wrote:

> Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 23:30:14 +0800 (WST)
> From: Bret Busby <bret@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: gftp-users@xxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [gftp] Problem with gftp
>
> On Wed, 2 Jul 2008, Brian Masney wrote:
>
> > Go to FTP->Preferences->FTP and disable Passive File Transfers. That
> > should fix the problem.
> >
> > Brian
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 2:33 AM, Bret Busby <bret@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > Hello.
> > >
> > > I hope that this is the correct way to post to this list (the mailing list
> > > administration messages did not include that information), and I hope that
> > > this is the correct way to ask about problems using gftp.
> > >
> > > I have a number of web sites, and I have previously used gftp to upload
> > > files to my web sites, without any significant problems that I remember.
> > >
> > > I am currently using gFTP 2.0.18 running on Denian 4.0 Linux.
> > >
> > > In trying to access two of my web sites, today, using gftp, I got the
> > > following response:
> > >
> > > "
> > > 230 User xxxxxxxx logged in.
> > > SYST
> > >
> > > 215 UNIX Type: L8
> > > TYPE I
> > >
> > > 200 Type set to I
> > > PWD
> > >
> > > 257 "/" is current directory.
> > > Loading directory listing / from server (LC_TIME=en_AU.UTF-8)
> > > PASV
> > >
> > > 227 Entering Passive Mode (203,113,228,30,224,10).
> > > Cannot create a data connection: Connection refused
> > > Disconnecting from site
> > > "
> > >
> > > I have contacted the ISP that hosts the web sites, and that ISP could not
> > > find anything in the logs, and, restarted the ftp daemon, but the problem
> > > continued.
> > >
> > > I used the ftp comand line utility, and that worked without any problem, 
> > > and
> > > I was able to upload the particular files that I sought to upload to one 
> > > of
> > > my web sites.
> > >
> > > I do not know where the problem lies; whether it is within gftp (which 
> > > would
> > > surprise me, as I do not remember having any problems in using gftp, in 
> > > the
> > > past), at the ISP, or with the ISP that provides us with Internet access,
> > > or, with Debian Linux.
> > >
> > > Has anyone else experienced this prolem, and, does a known solution, 
> > > exist?
> > >
> > > Thank you in anticiaption.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Bret Busby
> > > Armadale
> > > West Australia
> > > ..............
>
> Hello.
>
> The problem with that, is that, in doing a mouseover on the checkbox for 
> "Passive file transfers", a dialogue box is displayed, and the text inside 
> the dialogue box, includes "If you are behind a firewall, you will need to 
> enable this".
>
> We have a LAN, and it goes through a firewall/gateway, to the Internet.
>
> If the text of the dialogue box was able to be displayed in a way that 
> allowed it to be copied and pasted, I could insert the text in a message to 
> send to the ISP that is hosting my web sites, as it appears from the text in 
> the dialogue box, that a failure to communicate using passive file transfers, 
> can be due to an old FTP server, so inclusion of the text in an email message 
> to the ISP, could cause an upgrading of the ISP's FTP server utility (or, 
> could be used in a request that the ISP ensure that the FTP server utility is 
> up to date).
>
> However, I believe that, in the past, the passive file transfer method has 
> been used without any problem, in using gftp with the ISP hosting the web 
> sites.
>
> I do not know whether gftp keeps a history of previous transaction logs, or 
> whatever the name would be, for the communications that are displayed when 
> using gftp, that tells a user what has hsppened during a session. If such a 
> history is kept, and can be retrieved it, would either confirm or refute my 
> belief that, previous to this problem, I had also been using passive file 
> transfer in FTP operations, in uploading to the web sites.
>
> Something appears to have changed, that now prevents me from using gftp, in 
> its default configuration, for uploading to the web sites.
>
> The only things of significance, that I believe have changed recently, ar 
> that we have switched our ISP that provides access to the Internet, and that 
> we have gone from using ADSL1, to ADSL2.
>
> --
> Bret Busby
> Armadale
> West Australia
> ..............

Hello.

In the file .gftp/gftprc
in relation to passive file trasfer mode, is the following text.
"
# If this is enabled, then the remote FTP server's PASV IP address field 
will
# be ignored and the host's IP address will be used instead. This is 
often
# needed for routers giving their internal rather then their external IP
# address in a PASV reply.
ignore_pasv_address=0

# If this is enabled, then the remote FTP server will open up a port for 
the
# data connection. If you are behind a firewall, you will need to enable 
this.
# Generally, it is a good idea to keep this enabled unless you are 
connecting
# to an older FTP server that doesn't support this. If this is disabled, 
then
# gFTP will open up a port on the client side and the remote server will
# attempt to connect to it.
passive_transfer=1

# The remote FTP server will attempt to resolve symlinks in the 
directory
# listings. Generally, this is a good idea to leave enabled. The only 
time you
# will want to disable this is if the remote FTP server doesn't support 
the -L
# option to LIST
resolve_symlinks=1
"

As we are behind a firewall, as I said in a previous posting, I have 
left the passive file transfer switched on.

Importantly, the default gftp settings had worked, previously.

I have sent an email query to the ISP hosting my web sites, asking 
whether any changes have recently been made to the FTP server there, 
which would disallow passive file transfer.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
  Chapter 28 of Book 1 of
  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
  written by Douglas Adams,
  published by Pan Books, 1992

....................................................