Hi,

I've just started playing with my first dedicated server. I bought it so that I can host a Public FTP site on it. I started VSFTPD and used system-config-securitylevel to allow FTP. And all works well!

But Internet Explorer wont log in. It gives the message "An error ocurred opening that folder on the FTP server. Make sure you have permission to open that folder. Details: The server name or address could not be resolved".

I tried disabling the server firewall in system-config-securitylevel and then IE can log in fine.

I understand that IE uses Active FTP and hence cannot get through the firewall.

Is there any way of setting up the Linux firewall so that Internet Explorer can connect?

Thankee

During active FTP, the server connects back to your client machine to transfer the data, therefore you have to modify the firewall on your client machine to do so. Are you sure you don't mean passive FTP? I posted something about that recently in the network forum that you might want to take a look at (the search function should find it easily). I haven't used IE for FTP in years, but I was pretty sure it supported passive FTP. Active FTP makes a back connection from port 20 (ftp-data) on the server to some random port on the client machine. As long as that's enabled, you'd be set.

Hi,

phil81uk,
i can't answer your question but its more asking for myself as i have ftp connection problems.

i uses RH 9, How do u allow ftp in :system-config-securitylevel.....what line do u add?
--none?

pls advise

Hi,

I executed system-config-securitylevel and went to custom. In custom there is an option to enable FTP. I thought it only enables Active FTP, but now it turns out that it only enables Passive FTP (I had it the wrong way round).

Philip.

If you haven't managed to get it working right yet, you can try the following,
Make sure that your firewall is configured to allow ftp and that your ethernet card is selected as a trusted device.

Well that was embarrissing... all I had to do was enable my ethernet card as a trusted device in system-config-securitylevel and presto ... it now accepts both Active and Passive FTP. (all that after reading a days worth of articles on IPtables!)

Thank you.