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    Passive FTP to server behind NAT fails

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved 2.0-RC Snapshot Feedback and Problems - RETIRED
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    • M
      mastermindpro
      last edited by

      I updated to the Sep. 28th snapshot just now and there is no change in behavior.  One possibly relevant bit of information…when I do a netstat on the client that is connecting to the FTP server from outside the firewall, I show two connections heading to port 21 even in passive mode.  That doesn't seem correct to me, as I would think the second session would be to one of the high ports that the FTP server is configured to (and correctly does) hand out to the connecting client.

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      • M
        mastermindpro
        last edited by

        Bump.

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        • D
          danswartz
          last edited by

          Repeatedly bumping your thread is unlikely to help.

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          • M
            mastermindpro
            last edited by

            Nothing else has worked.  ::)

            Just being the squeaky wheel hoping for some grease.

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            • D
              David24
              last edited by

              May i suggest you try another ftpd to verify it isen't the ftpd?

              Or atleast bring some screenshots for us, of your port configuration. Maybe another point of view might help.

              I've ran 3 different linux ftpds in the last 2 weeks, both passive and active mode worked.  Tho none on windows.
              But i did have to disable FTP helper to get passive working flawless.

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              • M
                mastermindpro
                last edited by

                Hmm…I don't have any other OS than Windows to try at this particular site.  I can certainly post my config, however.

                I've looked around for a bit trying to find where I can disable the FTP helper, but have not found anything in the GUI.  I think it used to be in the interface config in 1.2X, but I don't see it.  Is it defined elsewhere in the GUI, or do I have to modify files?

                ![NAT rules.GIF](/public/imported_attachments/1/NAT rules.GIF)
                ![NAT rules.GIF_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/NAT rules.GIF_thumb)

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                • J
                  jlepthien
                  last edited by

                  There are also other free FTP servers for Windows…

                  | apple fanboy | music lover | network and security specialist | in love with cisco systems |

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                  • M
                    mastermindpro
                    last edited by

                    That use AD for auth as I require?

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                    • J
                      jlepthien
                      last edited by

                      Does it need to have? It is about checking whether FTP in general works…

                      | apple fanboy | music lover | network and security specialist | in love with cisco systems |

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                      • D
                        dragon2611
                        last edited by

                        @David24:

                        But i did have to disable FTP helper to get passive working flawless.

                        Can you tell me how you did that?

                        I can't seem to find the setting in 2.0 perhaps I'm looking in the wrong places  ???

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                        • M
                          mastermindpro
                          last edited by

                          Yeah, I'm simply not seeing the option to disable it anywhere.  I upgraded to the newer FTP 7.5 for IIS, and passive still doesn't work.  It would appear that the FTP helper is "helping" by telling all external clients to connect to port 21 instead of the defined port range that is mapped in via NAT and configured on the server to use.

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                          • D
                            dragon2611
                            last edited by

                            @mastermindpro:

                            Yeah, I'm simply not seeing the option to disable it anywhere.  I upgraded to the newer FTP 7.5 for IIS, and passive still doesn't work.  It would appear that the FTP helper is "helping" by telling all external clients to connect to port 21 instead of the defined port range that is mapped in via NAT and configured on the server to use.

                            I'm having the same issue on 2 different boxes

                            One is the firewall infront of a server (of which one of the server functions is ftp supplied by pure-ftpd running on centos)

                            The other one is my firewall @ home,

                            I have issues with a lot of FTP servers and it seems to be caused by this, reconnect and all is well, it's always occurring when you need to open a Pasv connection to the ftp (Such as Doing a MSLD, LIST, PUT, GET.etc)

                            I seem to recall having issues on pfSense 1.3 but turned the ftp helper off and all was well, can't find that option on 2.0 anywhere though.

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                            • N
                              nocer
                              last edited by

                              hello,

                              same here on the latest. as far as tested with 3 dozens of public/private ftp hosts, every single attempt for the very first PASV conncetion will be blocked by the ftp "HELPER" built into the kernel in 2.0 which can't be disabled unfortunately. so whenever you stuck while getting directory list, disconnect and reconnect again then everything starts working flawlessly 'cos you now have a session out to the server. i must say ftp helper "helps" blocking first PASV attempt while creating outgoing session. also, even PORT(active) doesn't work quite sometimes. same work around, try disconnect/connect, port/pasv several times. very annoying. this happens once in a while since ftp-helper has been built into the kernel.

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                              • F
                                Frankk
                                last edited by

                                @ermal:

                                Update to latest snapshot.

                                I dont have anymore FTP problems with this snapshot.
                                I'm replying because I see a lot of people having problems with FTP.
                                I had the same problems as others  (passive mode only working at the second attempt) with a snapshot of around 20 september.

                                Good work,
                                Thank you Ermal

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                                • M
                                  mastermindpro
                                  last edited by

                                  Huh???  I'm running the Sep. 28th snap, and I've NEVER gotten a passive FTP session to work when the FTP server is behind pfSense's NAT.  Are you talking about having the FTP client behind pfSense?

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                                  • F
                                    Frankk
                                    last edited by

                                    @mastermindpro:

                                    Huh???  I'm running the Sep. 28th snap, and I've NEVER gotten a passive FTP session to work when the FTP server is behind pfSense's NAT.  Are you talking about having the FTP client behind pfSense?

                                    Yes, sorry for misunderstanding.
                                    I was having problems with a client behind & natted by pfsense connecting to a passive ftp on the internet. Not tested with ftp server behind by pfsense.

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                                    • M
                                      mxx
                                      last edited by

                                      Hi,

                                      is the issue not being able to connect to an ftp server (pasv mode) from inside the local lan ->pfsense-> wan resolved now?

                                      Thanks!

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                                      • M
                                        mastermindpro
                                        last edited by

                                        That's never been the problem discussed here.  The problem has always been an FTP server behind a pfSense NAT, with a client on the pfSense WAN trying to connect to the FTP server passively.

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                                        • S
                                          soconfused
                                          last edited by

                                          I also am trying to get a client working behind PfSense. Same problem as the rest of you here, dies on first passive connection. Using Thu Jan 13 build. Has anyone managed to get this to work?

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                                          • R
                                            rpsmith
                                            last edited by

                                            no fix yet that I know of but you can follow any progress here:

                                            http://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/1177

                                            Roy…

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