Can anyone tell me why with two different FTP servers I can log in but am timing out before getting a directory listing?

possibly firewall troubles especially using sftp (try passive mode might help)
essentially in passive mode you become the server and hand out the secure port.
otherwise
the ftp server might be trying to get back to you on other ports and your firewall is saying no way am i accepting some incomming stuff on a new port i don't know about

with secure ftp of any description either ssh based or ssl based the client isn't just handed over to the new connection port like in the days of yore instead after an agreement is reached about what port to use the client and the server have to go through a dance of authentication and agree on randomly chosen encrytion keys and stuff.

this might help
ipchains -A input -p TCP -s 0/0 ftp-data -d $MYIP 1024:5999 -j ACCEPT
ipchains -A input -p TCP -s 0/0 ftp-data -d $MYIP 6255: -j ACCEPT

personally i'd just get a copy of ncftp and use the old protocol unless you feel like you need security

I had set up a user previously and got with him last night. He said he was using the same client I am and isn't having any issues. This is a screwup on my end I suppose and it being with Windoze. I can use SSH and get away with it fine, just didn't know I was the only person having problems with FTP.

Thanks for your help.