FTP upload to webhost results in 0KB files

[pmhigginb]

Is there a firewall setting with Verizon that is currently preventing use of even passive mode FTP uploads for DSL customers?

I'm trying to get files up to my host (Bluehost.com) but transfer attempts result in a 0KB file, which indicates an firewall or network issue, as the process cannot get beyond the STOR command point (which creates a 0KB "placeholder" file, then has the client attempt to connect to the listening port on the hosting server end). Obviously, I'm not getting through that port.

All my uploads time out and result in 0KB files.

It is NOT an issue with the host, my Bluehost account, or a quota.  I know this because from work, I can upload files to my host via FTP just fine.

But at home, on two different computers, running different FTP clients (I've tried CoreFTP and Filezilla), they cannot.

Neither computer (WindowsXP) is running the windows firewall.

[dslr595148]

#1 What is the brand and model of your modem?

#2 What is the brand and model of your router?

[pmhigginb]

Modem is a Westell A90, the router is a Linksys WRTG-54.

I've had both these for several years (probably 9 or more)  and never had a problem like this before.  I've always used passive mode for FTP.  I even tried active mode, briefly, (having found my external IP online and using that) but no change.  I set it back to passv. 

Unfortunately, Filezillas log, even in debug mode 3 (verbose), doesn't tell me much of anything useful.

Example:  (I edited out my username, host IP, and host domain for privacy)

(Sorry about the **bleep** smileys  The forum software here has done that automatically by misinterpretation.)

2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220---------- Welcome to Pure-FTPd [privsep] [TLS] ----------
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220-You are user number 8 of 1000 allowed.
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220-Local time is now 12:22. Server port: 21.
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220-This is a private system - No anonymous login
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220-IPv6 connections are also welcome on this server.
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 220 You will be disconnected after 15 minutes of inactivity.
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Command: USER *******                   (I edited the log here for privacy)
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Response: 331 User ********  OK. Password required
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:01 256 0 Command: PASS ********
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 230-User ********  has group access to:  *********         (edited again)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 230 OK. Current restricted directory is /
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Status: Connected
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::FileTransfer()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Status: Starting upload of C:\Documents and Settings\Paul\My Documents\My Pictures\runes.gif
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ChangeDirSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Command: CWD /public_html/runeforum/images
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 250 OK. Current directory is /public_html/runeforum/images
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ChangeDirSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Command: PWD
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 257 "/public_html/runeforum/images" is your current location
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ParseSubcommandResult(0)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: FileTransferSubcommandResult()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: FileTransferSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Command: TYPE I
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 200 TYPE is now 8-bit binary
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferParseResponse()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Command: PASV                  <-----------------------passive mode set
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (69,89,20,41,55,59)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferParseResponse()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferSend()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Command: STOR runes.gif            <------------------------here we go!
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CTransferSocket::OnConnect
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CTransferSocket::TransferEnd(1)
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferEnd()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Response: 150 Accepted data connection
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferParseResponse()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
2011-02-02 14:22:03 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::TransferSend()

- And right here, it just times out --, going from 14:22:03 to 14:22:19

Then it logs me back in again..?

2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Error: Connection timed out
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ResetOperation(2114)
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(2114)
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::ResetOperation(2114)
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(2114)
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Error: File transfer failed
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Status: Resolving address of ftp.**mywebhost**.com  (edited again)
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Status: Connecting to 59.72.20.41:21...
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::OnReceive()
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220---------- Welcome to Pure-FTPd [privsep] [TLS] ----------
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220-You are user number 8 of 1000 allowed.
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220-Local time is now 12:22. Server port: 21.
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220-This is a private system - No anonymous login
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220-IPv6 connections are also welcome on this server.
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Response: 220 You will be disconnected after 15 minutes of inactivity.
2011-02-02 14:22:19 256 0 Trace: CFtpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()

This is extremely maddening.  I can browse, download files, and delete files no problem, but uploading?  Nope. That's the one thing I can't do.

[smith6612]

I've had similar issues in the past that was solved with a Firmware Upgrade to my Linksys WRT54GX, though I'm sure this is not the case with you as you've mentioned it as not working. Before I did this though, Active FTP was the only thing that even worked. Passive would only transfer a couple hundred Bytes of data and then stall out.

How long ago did the problem start happening? Have you noticed any changes in the performance of the DSL, or perhaps a change in your IP address (onto new IP blocks, for example)? I do recall reading a thread over at DSLReports a few years ago about a similar issue, where FTP all of a sudden stopped working for uploads. I don't recall what the outcome of it was, but if I can dig up the thread I'll be sure to link it up.

[pmhigginb]

I only just noticed this a few days ago.. I'm not quite sure the last time I FTP'd something up, but was probably only a few weeks ago.  I have no idea if I'm using a new block of IPs.. they change quite often, I'd imagine.

I have seen similar issues on other forums, but so far, they either go unresolved, or it's due to some having his windows firewall on or a bad setting in a batch script (which I'm not using).

I found a good online article on this issue at global scape, though it doesn't get too specific:

http://kb.globalscape.com/KnowledgebaseArticle10232.aspx

SYMPTOMS

After an unsuccessful upload attempt, files having a size of 0 KB are listed on the remote server.

DISCUSSION

When an FTP client such as CuteFTP attempts to upload a file using the FTP protocol, there are two commands issued: PASV, which asks the server to set up a listening socket on the server end (call this S), and STOR which tells the server the name of the file to be uploaded.

The client then attempts to make a socket connection to the server on the socket S established in the PASV command.  Most servers, when they get the STOR command, allocate a filename on the folder system into which the contents of the file will be placed as it is uploaded.  This allocation process creates a 0 KB file.  When the data socket is connected from the client to S, data arrives and is placed into this file.

However, if the FTP client is not able to make the socket connection to S, which might be because of firewall configuration, network routing problems, server-side being too busy to listen to port S, or the server giving a wrong port number to the client, and so on -- then the end result will be that the client will ultimately TIME OUT on the STOR command.  This means that the server will continue to have a 0 KB file reserved for incoming data since it has no real way of knowing when the client will do the data connection.

Some servers will maintain this file placeholder for a period of time (possibly until service restart), which locks the file.  Others will time out and release the lock but still keep the file placeholder on the filesystem.

The client software can retry the upload, which CuteFTP does.  Depending upon the server, this might or might not work.

Ultimately, the client is doing what it is designed to do.  It is the server that controls how to deal with files created for UPLOADS in which the Data Socket cannot be established.

[dslr595148]

Ok.

#1 In the Linksys go to Status -> Router

#2 With another web broswser tab or window, go to https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

#3 Below the text that says The text below might uniquely identify you on the Internet is an IP Address

#4 Without posting what that IP Address is: That IP Addres is in your Linksys at that screen that I told you to go to?

#5 If not, what is exact model of that Westell A90?

[pmhigginb]

It really shouldn't matter because I'm using passive mode FTP, not active, but yes, I checked out Steve Gibson's site and compared it to my status settings in my Linksys, and the IP is exactly the same.

I can log in fine, I can browse, and I can download.  The only thing that fails is upload.

BTW, I should state that I'm a network administrator by trade. I work for a Dept. of New Jersey state. My MSCE is old and defunct (NT4.0!) but TCP/IP generally hasn't changed.. (well, except for IPv6, but no one's really using it yet )

[pmhigginb]

This is weird:

I can't login here with my community ID, it says I need to activate it, but I never got the email to do that.  Oh well. No biggie, I'll just log in with my residential account.

Anyway, I forgot to answer the question about which model of A90..  though to be honest,   I'm not sure why that would change anything, I've been using this same modem for years, unless Verizon changed something about the way they interface recently, or some aspect of the PPoE protocol they don't support?

It's an A90-36R515 

Do any Verizon reps post on this board?

[smith6612]

There are a few reps who seem to pop in every now and again to offer a solution if they have one. Other than that, it's mainly peer-to-peer here. The A90 modem you have is probably old enough to the point where Verizon won't even bother pushing things such as firmware upgrades to it. This would be true if it is in fact a bridge modem. Having said that, unless something changed on the network side of things, I really have no solutions at the moment.

Something does come to mind though; does your web host support SFTP (File Transfers via SSH) by any chance?

[pmhigginb]

I wish they did, but nothing in their setup instructions indicate they would support any port any other than the standards (20/21)

They do offer SSH however, if you ask nicely for it... hmm... I suppose I could try using SCP via SSH, but in command line mode, I can't always figure out how to get multiple files or folders copied. Still, it's an interesting possiblity.