getting mac's to work off an FTP server reliably

[Booshanky]

Here's the thing, I'm not a mac guy. I can get around them ok, but I don't know much about them.

I just put together a server for this company the other day and most of the computers there are windows PC's, but the art department are all on macs, and they frequently work from home.

They had this Iomega Storcenter NAS drive there that they were working off of. It seemed to me that it was set up as an FTP server that they could access over the internet. Basically they'd go to "go" on the mac, select something like "connect to server" and put in

ftp://usernameassword@ip.goes.here.000:21

For the server they wanted to connect to. So when I put together this server I just installed filezilla server on it figuring I'd just give them the same usernames and password and everything would be cool.

Not the case. Evidently the way they connect on their macs, it's not like accessing files with a typical FTP client where you have to download a file, work on it, then upload it again. on their mac's it acts more like a network share where they can just double click on a file and it'll open up in the right application, they can edit it and then save it right to the server.

With filezilla server that just isn't happening. When I access it with filezilla client on my windows pc everything works fine, but when they try and access it the way they do on their macs it frequently disconnects them, drops the connection temporarily, and most of the time won't let them drag and drop files from their computer to the server. Basically making it useless for what they want to do.

So what I'm wondering is if there's a setting on their macs they need to change to get this to work right. Or if there's something in the server software that might help. I can't seem to figure it out. Is there mac friendly ftp server software?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[QuixoticOne]

Try to do those operations with a small, say 10kBy file
and accomplish them within about a 60 second period.
If it all (or moreso) works with small files when done quickly,
consider looking at the server time-out settings.
Many FTP servers close the control links and disconnect you
if you're idle for a few minutes, and possibly that is a problem
if their clients aren't smart about reconnecting / reauthenticating when needed.

If the "saving the file" fails, consider the problem being related to file write or over-write permissions on the server.

Configure the server for passive mode only, see if that helps.

Spy on the FTP traffic packets with wireshark and see if that is informative.
Turn on a high level of debug logging in the FTP server too.

It isn't like it is that hard to try a few different server programs either, so give one or two other major free ones a try and see if the results differ unexpectedly and then try to see if there's a configuration difference or if it is a matter of certain protocol support issues.

Sounds to me like maybe it is mostly a time-out issue.

 

[Booshanky]

Originally posted by: QuixoticOne
Try to do those operations with a small, say 10kBy file
and accomplish them within about a 60 second period.
If it all (or moreso) works with small files when done quickly,
consider looking at the server time-out settings.
Many FTP servers close the control links and disconnect you
if you're idle for a few minutes, and possibly that is a problem
if their clients aren't smart about reconnecting / reauthenticating when needed.

If the "saving the file" fails, consider the problem being related to file write or over-write permissions on the server.

Configure the server for passive mode only, see if that helps.

Spy on the FTP traffic packets with wireshark and see if that is informative.
Turn on a high level of debug logging in the FTP server too.

It isn't like it is that hard to try a few different server programs either, so give one or two other major free ones a try and see if the results differ unexpectedly and then try to see if there's a configuration difference or if it is a matter of certain protocol support issues.

Sounds to me like maybe it is mostly a time-out issue.

I thought it was a timeout issue as well and I set the timeouts as high as they could go but that didn't fix anything. I also thought it might be a permissions thing so I set them to have full access but that didn't work either.

I know it's something to do with the way the Mac is talking to ftp server because when I connect to the server using filezilla client on my windows PC it works flawlessly. Not an issue in the world. It's only when they try to connect with their macs that this problem comes up.

I suggested that they use some actual FTP software but they really like the way it's working now where they can just double click on a file, work on it, and then save it. Rather than the way you do it with most FTP clients where you download the file to your computer, work on it, save it, and then upload it back to the server.

 

[spidey07]

Is there any network address translation involved anywhere? Other than that also make sure the server accepts passive mode.

 

[Booshanky]

Originally posted by: spidey07
Is there any network address translation involved anywhere? Other than that also make sure the server accepts passive mode.

Here's the way it's set up using the NAS

The NAS functions as an FTP server as well as having windows and mac shares for the local network. Port 21 is forwarded on the router to the IP of the NAS.

So to access the server, they just type in ftp://username : password@publicip:21. The same as you would for any FTP server.

So what I did is just move all the files off that NAS to a huge RAID array on this server running SBS 2003 R2. I then installed filezilla server on it, went into the router and changed the port 21 forwarding from the IP of the NAS to the IP of the server.

It works fine for me using an actual ftp client, but it doesn't work for them the same way as it worked when it was pointed to the NAS.

Now, about passive mode, what exactly is that?

 

[spidey07]

OK - you've got NAT (network address translation) going on and that is breaking FTP. Google FTP and NAT and there should be instructions on how to forward the correct ports and setup the server and clients to work. FTP uses other ports than just 21 and getting it to work with NAT takes specific steps on the router, the client and the server.

passive mode is a way to deal with NAT but you also have to setup the router, server and client to work with it.

How are you opening the files on the MACs? A browser window?

Here's a good link to get you started. There may also be some documentation on your FTP server as well.
http://www.ncftp.com/ncftpd/do...ftp_and_firewalls.html

Also, one last tip. Be prepared to have your FTP server hacked, it's gonna happen unless you really know how to secure it.

 

[Booshanky]

Originally posted by: spidey07
OK - you've got NAT (network address translation) going on and that is breaking FTP. Google FTP and NAT and there should be instructions on how to forward the correct ports and setup the server and clients to work. FTP uses other ports than just 21 and getting it to work with NAT takes specific steps on the router, the client and the server.

passive mode is a way to deal with NAT but you also have to setup the router, server and client to work with it.

How are you opening the files on the MACs? A browser window?

They're opening up by clicking "go" in the bar at the top of the screen, then selecting "connect to server".

From there they just type in ftp://username : password@publicip:21. That opens up basically a window that looks like they're working on a local network share.

Here's a good link to get you started. There may also be some documentation on your FTP server as well.
http://www.ncftp.com/ncftpd/do...ftp_and_firewalls.html

I'll check that out. Thanks.