free, secure file shareing method needed

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: kamper

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: kamper

Originally posted by: bob4432
all these extra ports....don't use them and have your buddies use port mode, there only 1 port to set up

Doesn't work if they're behind a firewall, and who isn't these days?

yes it does....you can just set up port 21 to be forwarded in the router and it work fine in port mode....

Maybe I'm not following what you mean by 'port mode'. As I understand it, either they've got to make an additional connection to your server (your 10 additional ports) or your server has to make an additional connection to their client machine. I always get confused as to which one 'passive mode' on or off means but I haven't heard the term 'port mode' before. Are you suggesting that clients open up a port on their firewall?

FTP Port mode, sometimes called Standard mode or Active mode, first establishes a connection to TCP port 21 on the FTP server. When the client needs to receive data, it sends a PORT command to the server, which opens a new connection to the client on TCP port 20.

FTP PASV mode clients, sometimes called Passive mode, also start by establishing a connection to TCP port 21 on the FTP server. When the client sends a PASV command, the server opens an ephemeral port (short lived port) between 1024 and 5000, and informs the client to use that port as the source port for the data transfer.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: bob4432
FTP Port mode, sometimes called Standard mode or Active mode, first establishes a connection to TCP port 21 on the FTP server. When the client needs to receive data, it sends a PORT command to the server, which opens a new connection to the client on TCP port 20.

Which doesn't work if the client is behind a firewall. Sure, a reasonably technical user can forward ports on their home router but that doesn't help you if you're on a network on which you're not an administrator.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: kamper

Originally posted by: bob4432
FTP Port mode, sometimes called Standard mode or Active mode, first establishes a connection to TCP port 21 on the FTP server. When the client needs to receive data, it sends a PORT command to the server, which opens a new connection to the client on TCP port 20.

Which doesn't work if the client is behind a firewall. Sure, a reasonably technical user can forward ports on their home router but that doesn't help you if you're on a network on which you're not an administrator.

if the client has no ports fowarded they can still connect to my machine. you are making ftp much harder than it is. people connect to me via ftp all the time that don't have any ports fowarded on their setups....

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: bob4432
if the client has no ports fowarded they can still connect to my machine. you are making ftp much harder than it is. people connect to me via ftp all the time that don't have any ports fowarded on their setups....

Sure, just not with 'port mode'. I'm happy for you if ftp fills your needs and I'm not telling you not to use it. I'm just saying that there are many situations in which it's a real pain to use and that from an objective view point it's a very poorly designed protocol. If for no other reason I choose not to use it on principle alone, but I just tend to be idealistic like that

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: kamper

Originally posted by: bob4432
if the client has no ports fowarded they can still connect to my machine. you are making ftp much harder than it is. people connect to me via ftp all the time that don't have any ports fowarded on their setups....

Sure, just not with 'port mode'. I'm happy for you if ftp fills your needs and I'm not telling you not to use it. I'm just saying that there are many situations in which it's a real pain to use and that from an objective view point it's a very poorly designed protocol. If for no other reason I choose not to use it on principle alone, but I just tend to be idealistic like that

to each their own....i guess that since i have used it for so long that maybe i find it easiest since it was either that or http, which wasn't always the most reliable for large transfers