How to Resolve FTP Failed to retrieve directory listing

Question

Hello EnterpriseDT,

 

We have recently not been unable to connect to our server using ftp port 21 with out doing the following below. Nothing has changed on our server. All ports are right for firewall settings.

 Is there any way in settings to fix this issue?

Thanks,

 

 FileZilla is using FTP over TLS encryption and we recently can not connect to the completeftp server without doing the following settings below.

 

If you are getting ?Failed to retrieve directory listing? error, as such:

Status: Resolving address of ftp.mywebsitename.org
Status: Connecting to
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Status: Initializing TLS...
Status: Verifying certificate...
Status: TLS connection established.
Status: Server does not support non-ASCII characters.
Status: Connected
Status: Retrieving directory listing...
Command: PWD
Response: 257 "/" is your current location
Command: TYPE I
Response: 200 TYPE is now 8-bit binary
Command: PASV
Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (11,234,234,234,167,111)
Command: MLSD
Error: Connection timed out
Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing

You have to make minor configuration modifications in your FileZilla settings.

Follow These Steps to Resolve FTP ?Failed to retrieve directory listing?Step 1: Change Encryption MethodStep 2: Change Transfer Mode

Step 1Change Encryption Method

Change encryption method for the connections to your server. To do so, go to Site Manager in FileZilla (File > Site Manager) and change encryption type to ?Only use plain FTP? under General tab.

 

Step 2Change Transfer Mode

You need to change ?Transfer mode? in your FileZilla configuration. To change it, go to Site Manager (File > Site Manager), click on ?Transfer Settings? tab and change Transfer mode to ?Active?

 

Comments

If this is happening when you are using TLS, this is typically a firewall problem - the firewall is not permitting creation of the data connections which are used for directory listings or file transfers. A passive port range needs to be set on the server and configured in the firewall.

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Thanks for the reply. I have put in the following ports 50000 - 50009 and still no luck. Any recommendations?

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Put them in where?  They need to be configured in the server and in every firewall in between server and client, which may include a firewall on the server machine as well as an external firewall.

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Thanks for all the information. The issue was resolved by the option in settings for the Passive (PASV) External ip address. The server ip address changed and new one had to be issued under this setting. Once entered and applied it worked like a charm.

Thanks again!