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Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

JasonMassey
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Posts: 109
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Registered: ‎21-08-2014

Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

I'm on a PlusNet fiber package with a static IP.  
I have a Windows 2008 R2 web-server that's hosting a website, there is also FTP hosting configured.   The website is working fine, however there is an issue with FTP access.
The issue is apparently due to FTP active mode, this being I can remote login to my FTP server however I can't do an directory listing, or upload files.
The FTP server and access received a txt file daily and has been working for over a year, however it suddenly stopped working on 30/01/2015.
Has any PlusNet work being carried out shortly after 30/01/2015, that could possibly effect the above?  
Thanks
Jason
11 REPLIES 11
jelv
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Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Have you checked your firewall setting? https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=firewall
jelv (a.k.a Spoon Whittler)
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JasonMassey
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Registered: ‎21-08-2014

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Jelv,  I have checked these and my Plusnet firewall is set to off.  It's always been off since day 1.
bobpullen
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Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Doesn't shed much light on your own situation Jason but thought I'd mention that I'm unable to replicate the problem on my own fibre connection.
I don't believe Windows  ftp.exe supports passive mode and I can get it to return a directory listing when FTP'ing to my machine at home (running Filezilla):
C:\Windows\System32>ftp [REDACTED]
Connected to [REDACTED].
220-[REDACTED]
220 Identify yourself...
User ([REDACTED]:(none)): bobpullen
331 Password required for bobpullen
Password:
230 Logged on
ftp> ls
200 Port command successful
150 Opening data channel for directory list.
.android
.davmail.properties
.gimp-2.8
.MakeMKV
.pan2
.swt
.thumbnails
833123
850069
AppData
...

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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ejs
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Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Err, with active mode ftp, doesn't that require an open incoming port on the client end? So active mode ftp depends on the firewall and NAT ALG at the client end.
bobpullen
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Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

I guess the easiest way to rule that out would be for Jason to try connecting from another machine/location?

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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JasonMassey
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Registered: ‎21-08-2014

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Apologies for late reply and thanks for everyone's help, I've continued to try and fix however still have the issue.    Just to clarify where my testing is up to.
Firstly i'm using the standard windows command line FTP client.   I'm also using a Draytek 2860n router.
If I connect locally over my LAN, so a local computer to local FTP server, this works fine.   However if I connect via external IP address I have the issue.
I have tried connecting externally from both another Windows Server (server owned by company I work for), and a Laptop via O2 mobile connection.
As I can connect over LAN, I assume it's either a firewall, ISP or NAT related.
I have disabled both the firewall on the Draytek 2860n, and the Windows Server 2008 R2 firewall, the issue still exists.  
I have checked NAT settings on the Draytek and everything looks correct.
Whats confusing is this was working for almost a year, with a file being uploaded daily, then suddenly it stopped.   I don't recall making any changes, but initially I wondered if a Micosoft Windows update could of caused this.
Bob Pullen, really appreciate your help testing on your own server.    Could you try testing FTP locally over your LAN?  As mentioned if I FTP locally over LAN there's no issue, it's only external connections to my FTP server the problem exists.
Many thanks again.
bobpullen
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Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Quote from: JasonMassey
Bob Pullen, really appreciate your help testing on your own server.    Could you try testing FTP locally over your LAN?  As mentioned if I FTP locally over LAN there's no issue, it's only external connections to my FTP server the problem exists.

It's fine whether over the LAN or externally using NAT to forward the port.
Does the router have any verbose logging you can check to try and work out what's going on?
You're not connecting using SSL are you? Assuming your using default ports, what happens if you try forwarding 22 to the local machine as well as 21?

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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JasonMassey
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Registered: ‎21-08-2014

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Quote from: Bob
Quote from: JasonMassey
Bob Pullen, really appreciate your help testing on your own server.    Could you try testing FTP locally over your LAN?  As mentioned if I FTP locally over LAN there's no issue, it's only external connections to my FTP server the problem exists.

It's fine whether over the LAN or externally using NAT to forward the port.
Does the router have any verbose logging you can check to try and work out what's going on?
You're not connecting using SSL are you? Assuming your using default ports, what happens if you try forwarding 22 to the local machine as well as 21?

Hi Bob,
I'm not using SSL.  I have tried forwarding port 22, however this made no difference.  When this originally worked I was only port forwarding 21 however.
Will look to see what logging the Draytek can perform.
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Have you tried to port forward ports 20 and 21 in TCP mode. I don't run Windows FTP but I do have a 2008 R2 Virtual Server and your comment regarding an upgrade seems plausible. You might want to check that your FTP server is in fact still listening on the IP to which you are forwarding to in your Firewall.


JasonMassey
Grafter
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Registered: ‎21-08-2014

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Hi Mook,
Port 21 was always added before the problem started.  I have added port 20 however it's made no difference.
Just to clarify again the problem i'm having.
1)  If I access my FTP server locally, so a computer on same network, everything works fine.
2)  If I access my FTP server remotely, I can log-in successfully, however I can't get a directory listing or upload files.  The FTP client just hangs.
3) The firewall on both my Draytek and Windows server are both disabled.
4) On my Draytek ports 20 and 21 are open and port forwarding to the IP of windows server.
I have a gut feeling it could be a windows update, however I have googled and no one else is having FTP issues around this time.
I appreciate everyone's help, but i'm really lost to whats causing the issue. 
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Issue with home FTP server, have PlusNet blocked any ports recently.

Maybe, but this smells of Windows stupidity to me. I would recommend that you configure FTP to support Passive mode FTP
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd421710%28v=ws.10%29.aspx
Also when you test remotely I assume you are not on the same network?