NEWBY HELP: Setting up our RED HAT managed server for FTP

[ekimr]

Hi,

We have a managed server and we were advised that we should migrate our current system (basically a whole series of FTP directories that our software uses)...

So our hosting company provided us another server (I think the new one is Red Hat 6.x) however when we try and use cute FTP we can see nothing!!! We log in ok but none of our directories are there to view....

Now we have already used (on their recommendation) a program called PUTY to go in as Administrator/root to create the directories... and YES using this tool they are viewable (although if we try and delete the dirctories it tells us the directory has contents - but if we ls the directory it says 0 files!!!)

The hosting company are wanting to charge us consultancy to fix all this for us - we would like to know what is it we can do to sort the problem ourselves - as this company sold us the new server on the basis that it would be a mirror image of our current one so it would be an easy migration!!! Salesmen eh!!!

So what do I need to do/create so that when we log in with a product like CUTEFTP all is present and correct and viewable!!!

Thanks for any help.

Mike

 

[ekimr]

Forgot to add its LINUX

 

[sleipnir214]

I would guess your CuteFTP problem is a firewall issue.

Try this: before you connect to your servers, set the type of connection to use. You should have a selection somewhere on the properties of your connection to set the type of connection to "PORT" or "PASV". "PORT" should work, "PASV" should not.
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TANSTAAFL!

 

[ekimr]

Thanks for the response...I did see a setting that was ticked for firewall and PASV so I unchecked these and the same problem I am afraid.

I log on ok, and I see a root directory i.e / and thats it!

Going in under Administrator with a telnet type product - and all is visible.

I was wondering when I log in - is their some setting that should direct me to my area and I am being directed somewhere else?

 

[sleipnir214]

Again, it's a firewall problem, either at the ISP, or on the server itself.

FTP uses two ports for communication, one for data, the other for commands. When you want to see a directory list, the "LIST" command goes into the server via the command channel, and the data returns via the data channel.

Under the original specification for FTP.

Newer FTP implementations still use the command channel, but can use multiple ports for data channels. The server sends a response to the "LIST" command saying, in effect, "connect to me on port 12345, and I'll give you the data".

But if the firewall isn't doing stateful inspection of the communications, it doesn't know to open a temporary hole in the firewall for that additional port. So your "LIST" command fails because your FTP client cannot connect to the server to receive the information.

Talk to your ISP hosting the machine about your problem. They can provide you with a workaround. Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[fluid11]

Log into the server using PuTTY.

What happens when you "ftp localhost" from the server itself? What FTP server are you using?

On the directories that you can't delete, are there any hidden files/folders inside? Use "ls -a /directory" to view hidden files. If a directory is completely empty, you should be able to delete it using "rmdir /directory".

On your FTP Client (CuteFTP), make sure that you turn caching off so that your always looking at the most up to date information.


ChrisP

 

[tobiasly]

It sounds like a permissions issue to me. Are you at all familiar with how permissions work in Linux/Unix?

As a quick check, log in as root, go to the directory where your files are, then type 'chmod -R a+rX .' (you must include the period; that means "current directory".)

This basically says to give everyone permission to read all files, and browse all directories and subdirectories. Although depending on what kind of files they are, it might not be a good idea to leave them with read permissions for everyone, this will at least tell you if it's a permissions-related problem.

 

[desktophero]

When you initially connect to the FTP server through the CuteFTP client, are you able to specify a remote directory...such as /home/thisUser?

What I am wondering is if the host set you with a chdir command on your login, thus moving you to a directory that you are not expecting.