Cant FTP at all w dreamweaver utility

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Guest

I've read through other's trouble with FTP and the windows xp service pack 2
firewall and I've tried several suggested solutions so far with no luck.

I just recently got a new hard drive with windows xp home edition and
service pack 2. After reinstalling my dreamweaver software, I can't get the
FTP utility to work on it. (I had window XP before & it worked fine...I can't
figure it out).

It wont work with the firewall on or with the firewall off. It instantly
says "An FTP error occured - can't make connection to host" when I try to
connect. I contacted my web-hosts and they said they could get through fine
and they said "Insure that your system is not blocking port 21 for FTP".

I thought I had it unblocked? I clicked the FTP box in the advanced settings
under services. Am I not doing something right? Any guesses how I can get
this to work? Is there a certain configuration of settings I should be
trying? help please.
 
FTP requires TWO connections, control(21) and data.

The port 21 referred-to is on the Internet-side computer; you don't need to
open port 21 on yours, that would only be needed if YOU were running an FTP
service for other people.

The issue here is almost certainly that the data channel has to make a
port-connection to your computer some way or other, and the firewall is
blocking this.

To open the transaction, your computer connects one of its high-number ports
to the server's port 21. This is rarely aproblem as the firewall will allow
an outbound connnection.

If you use active mode, the server then connects one of its high-numbered
ports to your port 20. If passive, then your computer connects to a
high-number port that the server 'suggests' in its reply to the PASV command.

Passive mode is the simplest solution, usually. Not sure if Dreamweaver
supports this, but it probably does. Since both connections are then
outbound, the Windows Firewall won't touch them. If not then allowing
inbound connections to port 20 may work. This is obviously less secure,
though.


'high number' means a port >1024, BTW.
 
Hi Ian,

ok, I've been reading up on firewalls and the like all day, but I think
there must be something obvious I'm missing.

There is an option in Dreamweaver's FTP utility that says "Use Passive FTP".
There is also an option that says "Use Firewall(in Preferences)". I've
clicked and unclicked both, each individually in all the possible
permutations. In the preferences of Dreamweaver there is a place that allows
you to specify a firewall host and a firewall port. It defaults to nothing
in the host position and 21 in the firewall position. I have tried changing
the port number and then attempting to reconnect. It appears to look for the
host for a few seconds then fails as usual. I'm pretty sure it has something
to do with the configuration of my operating system, or some security thing.
I've tried specifically enabling port 20 and 21 listed in the exceptions as
well as the dreamweaver software. Didn't help with the problem, probably just
makes my system more susceptible.

I just ran into another strange problem trying to download realplayer too.
I'm wondering if they are related. The realplayer error message said
"Download Manager is unable to connect to the server. The server may be
temporarily unavailable, or there may be a problem with your internet
connection. Please confirm that you are on-line, then try again." But my
internet connection is hunky-dory and running at high speed (checked it).
Now that I think of it, when I was trying to verify my windows software, it
kept telling me it couldn't find an internet connection, so I had to call in
to register. It didn't make any sense because my ethernet connection is
constantly up, I could pull up my email, websites, etc.... I just don't get
what going on and why some things coming and going, just wont come or go.
Any other thoughts on it?

Thanks
 
I downloaded the Ipswitch WS_FTP utility to see if that would work any better
and the error it gave me was as follows:

This could be caused by any of the following reasons:
Your network connection is down.
The host address is incorrect.
The server you are attempting to connect with is not available.
Click the Details button to view information from the connection log.

I know the host address is correct, I know the server is available, I've
already checked those things several time. My network connection is fine.
I've tried turning on and off passive ftp. I've tried turning on and off the
firewall. I'm totally stumped. Anyone have any ideas at all?
 
okay, the unknown peice of the puzzle. My dear husband put an additional
firewall software on our computer without telling me. Once I found it I was
able to solve most of the problems I've been having this day. I thought I
was going to go crazy!
 
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