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    FTP in pfSense 2.0

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

      jethro,

      It sounds as though you are saying this is from a public ip address that you can not upload files to your ftp server? Can you even see the ftp server's files in the remote pc's web browser? Can you telnet port 21 from the remote pc to the ftp server?
      I have not actually tried pfSense 2.0 myself,but trying to telnet is at least a starting point to see if you are getting at least one way communication to the ftp server from a remote pc.
      I had lots of troubles getting one ftp server to work correctly behind pfSense-1.2.3.  Sometimes this server will display ftp contents,sometimes it does not. Never have got it to work reliably? All other ftp servers (4) of them worked perfectly?
      By the way I am using vsftp on Centos 5 for what it's worth.

      Barry

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      • J
        jethro
        last edited by

        Thanks for reply.

        Yes, I am trying to upload files to a server behind the firewall.

        I use filezilla Client. It appears to connect but tanks after about 5 seconds and tells me it cant LIST.

        Nothing has changed except now on 2.0.

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by

          From your comment about forwarding 20, I take it your a bit lacking in how ftp works.

          I would really suggest you take a look at this article
          http://slacksite.com/other/ftp.html

          You will notice than you would never need to forward 20, in active that is the source port that server would make the connection from - so no forward, and in passive its not even used.

          I just tested to a vsftpd 2.2.2 running on ubuntu box, and forward 21 "active" connections worked just fine.. Now passive would just not work at all.

          Which seems to be the case from this thread
          http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,28502.15.html

          Seems the ftp helper is built into 2 kernel, which clearly is doing something since I looked in the log and vsftpd was sending the private IP 192.168.1.6, but my client outside was seeing the public IP 24.x.x.x

          Seems there is no way to disable it in 2?  If you could then you could set your ftp server to use a smaller range of ports, and then forward those – which I tried btw, still no luck.. just could not get passive connection to work.. But active was not a problem at all -- I would suggest you have your clients just use active.

          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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          • R
            rpsmith
            last edited by

            2.0 nanobsd - net5501 - this evening's build:

            passive implicit SSL (FTPS) with port 990 and the passive ports fwd to my ftp server works great.  however, I have not been able to get the standard ftp (port 21 and passive ports fwd to ftp server) to work.   had no problems getting both types working with m0n0wall.

            Roy…

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            • J
              jethro
              last edited by

              Thanks for help folks.

              Yes I know very little about FTP and am hop9ng to keep it that way!

              I have always used passive. Not sure why. I'll try the active set up. Not sure what the difference is but I'll ask my buddy Google.

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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                As to the difference – I pointed you to a great article that goes over the difference!

                An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                • F
                  FisherKing
                  last edited by

                  Running 2.0-BETA5 (i386)
                  built on Tue Jan 11 06:28:44 EST 2011

                  I'm also seeing issues w/ access to an FTP server behind pfSense NAT (opt1).

                  Using PASV FTP, I can connect on port 21 and communicate, but the connection fails when the server sends "227 Entering Passive Mode (192,168,10,9,250,185)" back to the client.  The client tries to connect on the given port, but it doesn't seem to make it.

                  Using Active mode, the connection works, but active mode FTP isn't an option for a lot of clients.

                  For testing purposes, I've allowed ALL traffic on my WAN interface and used 1:1 NAT to the internal server.  There are no firewalls enabled on either the internal server or the FTP client.

                  [EDIT]
                  If I connect using FTP over SSL then the PASV connection works correctly.  From here, it appears that the FTP helper is interfering, but when the connection is encrypted via SSL, the helper can't interfere and the connection works correctly.

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by

                    "(192,168,10,9,250,185)" back to the client."

                    The help can not be involved with that

                    Your telling the client connect to a private IP 192.168.10.9 on port 250*256+185 or port 64185

                    Thats a private IP, you would need to configure your ftp server to send the public IP not a private, this is what the ftp helper does, it will convert that IP for you so client on internet would see your public IP.

                    An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                    If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                    Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                    SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                    • F
                      FisherKing
                      last edited by

                      I should have posted the FTP server's response to the WAN client rather than the server's response to the LAN client.

                      It may be that I have miss-understood the role of the FTP helper.  However, looking at packet captures on Opt1, WAN, and Client, I see that the firewall does translate the private IP address to the correct public IP address.

                      Attempting to connect to the FTP server located on OPT1 has the same result weather I am using a client on the LAN or a client on the WAN.

                      Telling the FTP server itself to return the public IP also makes no difference.

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                      • I
                        iminet
                        last edited by

                        Hi

                        I have a same problem.
                        My ftp server is filezilla:         (firewall,pfsense) wan->lan (SBS2000,Filezilla)
                        Port use 21 and passive mod. In connection progress stop Directory list
                        pfsense NAT port 20 and passiv port( 20000-20010)
                        If use port 30, work fine.
                        Or use SSL on pp0 port works good.

                        –-----------
                        sorry my english :)

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                        • jimpJ
                          jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                          last edited by

                          There are still some known issues with the FTP proxy on 2.0 but it's being actively worked on over the last few days.

                          Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                          Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                          Do not Chat/PM for help!

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                          • E
                            eri--
                            last edited by

                            Try a snapshot later than this post or better of tomorrow it should be fixed.

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                            • R
                              rpsmith
                              last edited by

                              nanobsd - Jan 17 21:39:59 - net5501

                              still no love  :)  same problem with passive ftp. did not test active.  passive FTPS still works.

                              Roy…

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                              • R
                                rpsmith
                                last edited by

                                nanobsd - Tue Jan 18 04:33:29 - net5501:

                                passive FTP seems to be working with this snapshot.

                                Thanks!

                                Roy…

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                                • E
                                  eri--
                                  last edited by

                                  Please be more specific which side of ftp works.
                                  IE passive ftp as client behind nat works
                                  active ftp client rdr to an internal server works

                                  and such to make this easy for everybody.

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                                  • R
                                    rpsmith
                                    last edited by

                                    nanobsd - Tue Jan 18 04:33:29 - net5501:

                                    passive FTP client –-- {NAT - m0n0wall} --- (internet) --- {pfSense - NAT} --- {FTP Server} => Works!

                                    passive FTPS client --- {NAT - m0n0wall} --- (internet) --- {pfSense - NAT} --- {FTP Server} => Works!  (only tested implicit mode)

                                    Did not test active FTP.

                                    only tested with FileZilla Client.

                                    Roy...

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                                    • F
                                      FisherKing
                                      last edited by

                                      running 2.0-BETA5 (i386)
                                      built on Tue Jan 18 03:34:33 EST 2011

                                      I've tested the following setup

                                      FTP Server behind pfSense, natted on Opt1
                                      FTP client external connecting to WAN, PASV
                                      FTP client on LAN connecting to WAN, PASV
                                      FTP client on LAN connecting to Opt1, PASV

                                      Listing of directories doesn't seem to work the first time, but once it fails, all listings / transfers after that work as long as the connection is maintained.  When the connection drops and needs to be re-established, the first PASV listing / transfer fails again and then it is good after that.  Anybody else seeing this?

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                                      • F
                                        FisherKing
                                        last edited by

                                        As a matter of clarification, do we need to set a rule to allow TCP traffic on the PASV port range, or is the FTP proxy supposed to dynamically create those rules at the same time that it's re-writing the ip address?

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                                        • R
                                          rpsmith
                                          last edited by

                                          @PJ2:

                                          Listing of directories doesn't seem to work the first time, but once it fails, all listings / transfers after that work as long as the connection is maintained.  When the connection drops and needs to be re-established, the first PASV listing / transfer fails again and then it is good after that.  Anybody else seeing this?

                                          I did notice some initial problems after I connected that went away so I discounted them. However, I just re-tested and can confirm I'm seeing the same initial failure.

                                          Roy…

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                                          • R
                                            rpsmith
                                            last edited by

                                            just disable my passive port pass rule and was unable to connect via passive FTP so it looks like the rule is still required.

                                            However, when I re-enabled the rule I got an error message back from pfsense and I couldn't get back into the GUI!  Will try rebooting and see if that helps.

                                            Edit: I was able to get back in after rebooting.

                                            Roy…

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