FTP - Connection refused

[CatPlus]

Hello all:

FTP Server on a Windows 2000 server version 5:002195 SP4 was up and running till today.

All users within the LAN are connected and all other services including FTP is up and running. I connected remotely using Terminal Services

However, the actual FTP session does not initiate and I get the following message:

c:\>ftp <<IP ADDRESS>>
> ftp: connect :connection refused
ftp>

Using WS_FTP Pro v8.02, I get the following message:

Connecting to <<IP ADDRESS>>
Connect failure

I re-started and shutdown and started the server and both actions did not get me FTP access.

Any suggestions?

Thanks/Mickey

 

[jtb]

password? firewall? userid? Did you just install SP4?

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
&quot;A knight without armour in a [cyber] land.&quot;

 

[CatPlus]

Hello JTB:

a-SP4 has been installed several months back.
b-Windows Update has no critical updates that I can install
c-FTP does not even get to user name prompt!
d-If I enter : ftp <<IP ADDRESS>>
FTP responds: > ftp: connect :connection refused
e-Nothing else has changed
f-I can log into server using TERMINAL SERVER
g-I can get to the internet from the server
(even checked out that all critical updates are applied)
h-Users on LAN have no problem
i-All print servers are working good
j-CISCO router has not been touched since day 1 of install

Helppppppppppppppp!!!
Mickey

 

[GlenJohnson]

h-Users on LAN have no problem

What has changed on your machine. If the users have no problem, the problem might be with your machine. Can you connect using a different pc?

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[CatPlus]

Thanks Glen:

Nothing has changed on the server and the server is doing everything else there is

1- No access to the FTP site from the outside
2- FTP is running
3- CISCO router is DHCP enabled
4- Private IP address of server is 10.1.1.10
5- Local users can connect to FTP using 10.1.1.10
6- FTP does not even get to user authentication.
After entering: ftp <<IP ADDRESS>>
System reponds: > ftp: connect :connection refused

Any suggestions?
Thanks/Mickey

 

[GlenJohnson]

1- No access to the FTP site from the outside

Access was available from the outside before?

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[CatPlus]

Thanks again Glen:

1-Yes... FTP site was also up and running
2-It was always accessed from the outside
3-It has worked since couple of years
4-From within the LAN I can connect to FTP: ftp 10.1.1.10
5-From outside, I can use Terminal Service, Telnet, etc.
6- CISCO router has port open and pointing to private IP

Appreciate your assistance

Thanks/Mickey

 

[GlenJohnson]

5-From outside, I can use Terminal Service, Telnet, etc.

These are all things that need authentication.
What happens from the outside when you ping the server or do a trace rt to the server?

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[jtb]

Microsoft states the message is caused by using the wrong port: [URL unfurl="true"]http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3BEN-US%3B229005[/url]

doublecheck both ports 20, 21 enabled on router? toggle PASSIVE mode off? are you sure you're the only one making changes to your router? could there be another device?

Just to make sure I understand your setup, you have:

<FTP Client> ---- <Internet> ---- <Router/Firewall> ---- <FTP Server>

Right.

In this situation, I do not think you want to use PASSIVE mode. This is because in PASSIVE mode, the FTP client makes a NEW connection to an essentially random port generated by the FTP server for things like ls/dir/file xfer, etc. But If your firewall is not setup to watch for these things and setup the correct mappings automatically, then you'll get exactly what you are seeing.

To test, just try your FTP client in non-PASSIVE mode. If this works, then this is definately the problem. In most FTP clients, the command "passive" will toggle PASSIVE mode on/off. Web browsers use PASSIVE mode by default, and I don't know how to turn it off (or even if you want to: a web browser makes a lousy FTP client).

JTB
Have Certs, Will Travel
&quot;A knight without armour in a [cyber] land.&quot;

 

[CatPlus]

Hello to all:

Since all was working and nothing had changed, I had to call Microsoft.... They got me to install Network Analysis Tools and Network Monitor.

Capturing network traffic in a CAP file, the tech was able to verify that there were no FTP frames to display and the router was blocking the traffic

A remote reload command to the CISCO...and the FTP site was up and running

Thanks to all/Mickey

 

[GlenJohnson]

the router was blocking the traffic

Did the tech happen to mention how it happened if nothing had changed? Just curious.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers

 

[CatPlus]

Hello Glen:

Since there were FTP frames missing, the tech concluded it was a router issue that did not pass the traffic and no furthere xplanation was given.

Rebooting the router did the job

Regards
Mickey

 

[GlenJohnson]

Rebooting the router did the job

I love the simple things in life. Glad it worked out. Enjoy.

Glen A. Johnson
If you're from Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin feel free to join the Tek-Tips in Chicago, Illinois Forum.

TTinChicago
Johnson Computers