This may or may not help!

Do you run firewalls ?
Zonealarm etc..

you must enable the UDP/TCP ports that you assigned to these port

I pulled my hairs out each time I forgot to enable the ports from the security TAB of ZA when I need to change the ports as suggested by Saskias Bearcat good advice and needed to test it [img]smile.gif[/img]

[img:32653b7ae1]http://kean.orcon.net.nz/jupflag1.gif[/img:32653b7ae1]

BearCat, nice instructions. Two questions. How can you hide your server #6 and Firewall set up. I have Zone Alarm Pro. Thanks.

FTP Servers have to "Listen" on some port, otherwise they would not be on the Net. The Default port is 21, but lots of things out there are looking at that. In order to "Hide" one approach is to use some other Port Number. Another thing to do is be a "Moving Target". Use IP numbers that can be changed easily if you want to "Disappear". Dynamic IP's are good for this. Posting the same DNS name that follows changes to dynamic IP numbers means you can be found easily by using the Name Provided. Might not want to do that.

Another issue is how to control "Access". If you allow an unlimited number of "Anonymous" connections, you will soon drown in massive connections. Slow FTP Sites can only handle a small number of users at once (4 say). Another "Control" method is to only allow specific IP's to connect. A good way to create a specific "Account" for each user you want to allow on your site. IP's are like public keys and do not have to be kept "Secret" like Passwords do.

Using "Ports" that are used by Game servers and File Swapping Servers (Kazaa etc.) is not a good idea. ISP's will be checking those as well as port 21 when they are looking for "File Providers" on their networks.

[ November 02, 2001: Last edited by crowdirt ]</p>

Crowdirt,

Why would using a port used by "kazza," or online games be a bad idea?

I was under the impression that the use of these ports would give the ISP an indication that you are either a game junkie, or your file sharing service, ie kazza, gnutella etc is always on because you are downloading songs etc.

@home told me that they dont permit use of thier broadband for server use, but sharing music with a peer to peer service does not constitute "sharing."

Is there something else I should know? :rolleyes:

Yeah the RIAA is leaning on ISP's to slow/stop the flow of Music and stuff. Its the next "Round" of attack after Napster. Most Colleges are blocking all the Peer to Peer ports now in order to contain excessive Bandwidth usage.

People who exactly do you mean by @HOME?

[ November 25, 2001: Last edited by Nik ]</p>

@HOME normally means a "Cable" connection in North America. Unfortunately @Home is Bankrupt these days. Various other Companies have been picking up the pieces.

A few have mentioned that while running Zone Alarm PRO, they can connect, but get a Socket error. I have run into the same problem [enabled incoming TCP port 21, and outbound TCP port 20], but found one way around it. I found that if I add the client's IP address into the Local Zone, I can then get in and download by typing the ftp details into the URL address of IE, for example ftp://betanet:betanet@216.1.11.166:27015 (sample only - not a real address).

While I found this method of using a browser for FTP to work, I still get a Socket error if I use an FTP client like CuteFTP Pro. Of course, getting people to connect with a brower means that you would have to know their IP address and add that address to Zone Alarm's Local Zone settings.

If someone has found a way to resolve the socket error using an FTP client, would love to hear it. Thank you.

thanks crowdirt. In UK there is HOME500 which is Home ADSL, so I thought may be you've mentioned this one, that's why I asked.
Also when I got ADSL I don't remember detail in the contract about FTP severs.
Regards.

Hi Nik, my ADSL ISP does not say anything about what you do with the connection either. The "Don't run a Server" stuff is basically in the "Cable" contracts in North America that I am aware of. Most likely due to the "Shared" nature of a cable connection.