FTP Problem - Any ideas?

Hi

I signed up for a hosting account. Using Dreamweaver MX, I setup my site to FTP. I tested all my login details and I can connect to the server. When I click 'test' next to the login information I get the message 'Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 has connected to your Web server successfully'

There is a 'Use Passive FTP' option but I have not got this box ticked.

When I first try to upload files to the server I get a message:

'Dreamweaver cannot determine the remote server time. The Select newer and Synchronise commands will not be available'.

I click okay - I try to upload the files and I finally get an error message:

'An FTP error occured - cannot put xxx.jpeg - Dreamwever incountered an internal data - please try the operation again'.

I am not able to upload any files to the server despite being able to connect to the server. I have other sites hosted elsewhere and have not had this problem - the host says he has seen this before but can't remember the fix

Any ideas on what is causing this problem?

Thanks

Try enabling Passive FTP mode. Perhaps it's an issue with your firewall (which passive FTP mode effectively bypasses).

Just for information's sake: In a normal FTP connection, the client sends a PORT command with its IP address and a port on which the server can use to initiate a transfer.

Client: "Hey, server, give me this file. You can connect to me at this port to transfer the file."

The server then attempts to connect to the client on that port to transfer a file, etc. This usually does not work with firewalls, since they block most-if not all-incoming connection attempts, and only allow outbound connections.

This is precisely what passive FTP mode tries to cope with, however. With passive FTP mode, the client sends a PASV command and, and so the client initiates the data transfer, which allows it to go past the firewall and successfully transfer the file.

Client: "Hey, server, go into passive mode"
Server: "Ok. I'm in passive mode. What now?"
Client: "Ok. Transfer this file to me."
Server: "Ok. Connect to me on this port and I'll give you that file."
Client: "Will do."

That's my understanding of it, anyway. You can find more information about passive FTP here, here, and here. A search on your favorite search engine (Google's really great) should also turn up more information if you're interested.

Cheers.