# Why can't I FTP to some sites?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 26, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028 "2007-08-26T23:00:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028/1 "2007-08-26T23:00:53Z")

</div>

am having a problem connecting to some FTP servers. The one that primarly I can’t reach is my hosting provider.

Netfirms is my hosting provider and according to them all is well.

The site I’m trying to ftp to is [yourdollarmakesmydreams.com](http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.com)

I am 90% certain it is something on my home network because

1. Netfirms says there is no problem
2. I am able to SSH to the same server
3. Using a FTP testing site (Gene6) I get

- About to connect() to [yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com](http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com) port 21
- Trying 38.113.169.200… connected
- Connected to [yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com](http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com) (38.113.169.200) port 21  
\< 220 Ftp server ready.

\> USER yourdollarmakesmydreams  
\< 331 User yourdollarmakesmydreams okay, need password.

\> PASS \*\*\*\*\*  
\< 230-You are user #204 of 550 simultaneous users allowed.  
\< 230-  
\< 230 Restricted user logged in.

\> PWD  
\< 257 “/” is cwd.

- Entry path is ‘/’

\> CLNT Testing from [http://www.g6ftpserver.com/ftptest](http://www.g6ftpserver.com/ftptest) from IP 24.0.70.152  
\< 200 Noted.

\> FEAT  
\< 211-Extensions supported:  
\< CLNT  
\< MDTM  
\< MLST type\*;size\*;modify\*;UNIX.mode\*;UNIX.owner;UNIX.uid;UNIX.group;UNIX.gid;unique  
\< PASV  
\< REST STREAM  
\< SIZE  
\< TVFS  
\< Compliance Level: 19981201 (IETF mlst-05)  
\< 211 End.

\> PASV

- Connect data stream passively  
\< 227 Entering Passive Mode (38,113,169,200,249,141)
- Trying 38.113.169.200… connected
- Connecting to 38.113.169.200 (38.113.169.200) port 63885

\> TYPE A  
\< 200 Type okay.

\> LIST  
\< 150 Data connection accepted from 87.98.200.117:4868; transfer starting.  
######################################################################## 100,0%\< 226 Listing completed.  
######################################################################## 100,0%drwxr-x— 2 ftpuser web 512 Jul 26 08:22 cgi-bin  
drwxr-x— 4 ftpuser web 512 Jul 31 23:13 www

- Connection #0 to host [yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com](http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.netfirms.com) left intact  
\> QUIT  
\< 221 Goodbye.
- Closing connection #0

So I know it is possible to FTP in from a system not on my network

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028/2 "2007-08-26T23:37:14Z")

</div>

What happens when you try to connect?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028/3 "2007-08-26T23:44:46Z")

</div>

Juggler it just times out I don’t get any indicator as to why. Uisng Filezilla it just says

Error: Unable to connect!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028/4 "2007-08-27T00:02:24Z")

</div>

I get the same result as you using filezilla client. Also, I can’t tracert or ping the host, it immediately says host unreachable. What happens when you try that? The same thing happens to me when I try [ftp.netfirms.com](http://ftp.netfirms.com).

I’m a bit out of my league with this I think but perhaps the ip changed and the dns servers haven’t updated or only some originating ip-ranges can connect?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MannyL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MannyL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MannyL)\
**Post date:** [August 27, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-ftp-to-some-sites/417028/5 "2007-08-27T00:18:54Z")

</div>

If I try to ping [ftp.netfirms.com](http://ftp.netfirms.com) I get

D:\Documents and Settings\emanuel.LEVY\>ping [ftp.netfirms.com](http://ftp.netfirms.com)

Pinging [ftp.netfirms.com](http://ftp.netfirms.com) [38.113.169.25] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.

Same if I ping [www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com](http://www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com)

D:\Documents and Settings\emanuel.LEVY\>ping [www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com](http://www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com)

Pinging [www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com](http://www.yourdollarmakesmydreams.com) [38.113.185.226] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.  
Request timed out.  
Request timed out.  
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 38.113.185.226:  
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

Yet if I go to [http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.com/](http://yourdollarmakesmydreams.com/) it loads up the default page  
Request timed out.  
Request timed out.  
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 38.113.169.25:  
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),