Fetch Softworks

"Server error: Can't open data connection" (11 posts)

• Started 22 years ago by scottmaui
• Latest reply 22 years ago from cshehadi

• scottmaui Member

  I am getting the error that says "Server error: Can't open data connection" often on subdirectories in sites I'm attempting to FTP to, so I can still upload files to that directory but I can't view the contents. Sometimes if I refresh the list several times it will appear. Checking or unchecking the "Use passive mode transfers (PASV)" box in the Firewall section of Preferences has no effect on the problem, contrary to what your FAQ says:

  http://fetchsoftworks.com/Support/faq.html#errors5

  Posted 22 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I would be interested in viewing a transcript (or two, one with and one without PASV). Do you know if you are behind a firewall or proxy server?

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 22 years ago #

• scottmaui Member

  I am sending you a transcript by email. I am not behind a firewall or proxy server, just using DSL on a home office network.

  Posted 22 years ago #

• cshehadi Member

  Hi:

  I'm getting the same problem using Fetch 4.0b7 on Mac OS X. I've always used earlier versions of Fetch without trouble. But since I upgraded to OS X and the new version of Fetch it doesn't work. I logs in and then hangs while it's getting a directory listing. I'm assuming it's a firewall issue, but I don't know how to fix it. I've got Passive FTP checked. Any help would be appreciated.

  Posted 22 years ago #

• cshehadi Member

  in case it helps: ftp from the "terminal" application in OS X works fine, and I am also able to use Internet Explorer to ftp to the site. But Fetch, and BBEdit's "Save As FTP" function don't work.

  Posted 22 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  I'd be curious to see what's in the Fetch Transcript window when it hangs. Also, do you know what kind of server it is?

  Jim Matthews
  Fetch Softworks

  Posted 22 years ago #

• cshehadi Member

  Here's the transcript. I hope the server information is in there. (I think it is). I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I have to use ssh when telnetting in. But I've never had to do anything special in the past with ftp... just since I instally OS X

  here's the transcript:

  NOT_CONNECTED -> NOT_CONNECTED 0
  www.writingclasses.com NOT_CONNECTED -> CONNECTING 0
  Connecting to www.writingclasses.com port 21 (4/10/01 7:54:55 PM)
  220--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <text edited out>
  220--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  220-
  220 uranus FTP server (Version wu-2.6.1(2) Fri Nov 3 14:57:29 EST 2000) ready.
  ADAT
  530 Please login with USER and PASS.
  USER www18016
  331 Password required for www18016.
  PASS
  230 User www18016 logged in. Access restrictions apply.
  www.writingclasses.com CONNECTING -> SENDING_PBSZ 0
  www.writingclasses.com SENDING_PBSZ -> SENDING_PROT 0
  www.writingclasses.com SENDING_PROT -> GETTING_INFO 0
  SYST
  215 UNIX Type: L8
  PWD
  257 "/" is current directory.
  MACB ENABLE
  500 'MACB ENABLE': command not understood.
  www.writingclasses.com GETTING_INFO -> CHANGING_DIR 0 ~/htdocs
  CWD ~/htdocs
  250 CWD command successful.
  www.writingclasses.com CHANGING_DIR -> GETTING_WD 0 ~/htdocs
  PWD
  257 "/htdocs" is current directory.
  www.writingclasses.com GETTING_WD -> GETTING_LIST 0 ~/htdocs
  PASV
  227 Entering Passive Mode (216,213,18,16,137,62)
  LIST
  425 Can't open data connection.
  ftp_list: -30000 (state == GETTING_LIST)
  www.writingclasses.com GETTING_LIST -> IDLE 0 ~/htdocs

  Posted 22 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  That sounds like a firewall problem; I'd recommend talking to the network administrator about whether there's a proxy server that supports FTP (and not just FTP-through-HTTP, which is probably what Internet Explorer is doing).

  Posted 22 years ago #

• cshehadi Member

  Unfortunately I am the network adminstrator. Our company only has 8 employees and I'm the "self-taught computer guy". Is there a range of ports I need to open up on the firewall? I know how to do that, I just don't know what the numbers are. What's different about Mac OS X that requires me to do this? Where can I get more information on this? If my question is really more appropriate for a Mac OS X forum, then I apologize. Thanks for your help.

  Posted 22 years ago #

• Jim Matthews Administrator

  You might try opening up outbound TCP connections. Or, if your firewall includes an FTP proxy server or SOCKS gateway, you can talk to the vendor about how to configure FTP clients to use that. I don't understand why ftp from the command line works, while Fetch and BBEdit don't; I'd expect them all to have the same issues.

  Posted 22 years ago #

• cshehadi Member

  Hi:

  Thanks a lot for your help.

  -Charlie

  Posted 22 years ago #