No files nor folders when connecting

After I connect to my ftp server, it does not show me any files nor folders. Since this question as been asked before, I went to the favorites settings and unchecked all the boxes under the Directory Listing Options.

It did not help. I pressed refresh, which caused me to get this error "A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond."

Right-clicking and selecting "Show Raw Listing" gave the same result, except that also popped up a blank notepad document with the name "sfCFF8.txt". I've noticed that it has a different name every time I press "Show Raw Listing."

I have opened the port 21 in in my router settings and it gave the same result even if I disabled my anti-virus and firewall. Any help is greatly appreciated.

In any case, this is the full console log, if it's needed.

[15:14:11] SmartFTP v4.0.1122.0

[15:14:11] Resolving host name "ftp.byethost32.com"

[15:14:11] Connecting to 209.190.85.248 Port: 21

[15:14:20] Connected to ftp.byethost32.com.

[15:14:20] 220-FTP server ready.

[15:14:20] 220 This is a private system - No anonymous login

[15:14:20] USER b32_5990661

[15:14:20] 331 User b32_5990661 OK. Password required

[15:14:20] PASS (hidden)

[15:14:20] 230-Your bandwidth usage is restricted

[15:14:20] 230-User b32_5990661 has group access to:  5990661 

[15:14:20] 230 OK. Current restricted directory is /

[15:14:20] SYST

[15:14:20] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[15:14:20] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[15:14:20] RTT: 132.617 ms

[15:14:20] FEAT

[15:14:21] 211-Extensions supported:

[15:14:21]  EPRT

[15:14:21]  IDLE

[15:14:21]  MDTM

[15:14:21]  SIZE

[15:14:21]  REST STREAM

[15:14:21]  MLST type*;size*;sizd*;modify*;UNIX.mode*;UNIX.uid*;UNIX.gid*;unique*;

[15:14:21]  MLSD

[15:14:21]  TVFS

[15:14:21]  ESTP

[15:14:21]  PASV

[15:14:21]  EPSV

[15:14:21]  SPSV

[15:14:21]  ESTA

[15:14:21]  AUTH TLS

[15:14:21]  PBSZ

[15:14:21]  PROT

[15:14:21] 211 End.

[15:14:21] Detected Server Software: PureFTPd

[15:14:21] PWD

[15:14:21] 257 "/" is your current location

[15:14:51] NOOP

[15:14:58] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:15:28] NOOP

[15:15:28] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:15:57] TYPE A

[15:15:57] 200 TYPE is now ASCII

[15:15:57] PASV

[15:15:57] 227 Entering Passive Mode (209,190,85,248,152,187)

[15:15:57] Opening data connection to 209.190.85.248 Port: 39099

[15:15:57] MLSD

[15:15:58] 150 Accepted data connection

[15:15:58] 226-Options: -a -l 

[15:15:58] 226 4 matches total

[15:16:18] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

[15:16:45] PASV

[15:16:45] 227 Entering Passive Mode (209,190,85,248,190,241)

[15:16:45] Opening data connection to 209.190.85.248 Port: 48881

[15:16:45] MLSD

[15:16:45] 150 Accepted data connection

[15:16:45] 226-Options: -a -l 

[15:16:45] 226 4 matches total

[15:17:06] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

[15:17:36] NOOP

[15:17:37] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:18:07] NOOP

[15:18:07] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:18:38] NOOP

[15:18:47] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:19:17] NOOP

[15:19:17] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:19:47] NOOP

[15:19:57] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:20:28] NOOP

[15:20:38] 200 dc.w $4E71

[15:20:38] PASV

[15:20:38] 227 Entering Passive Mode (209,190,85,248,221,221)

[15:20:38] Opening data connection to 209.190.85.248 Port: 56797

[15:20:38] MLSD

[15:20:39] 150 Accepted data connection

[15:20:39] 226-Options: -a -l 

[15:20:39] 226 4 matches total

[15:20:59] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

Thanks for the quick reply.

I did as you said and thanks to that, I got to see the first things in my root "htdocs" and some "don't upload files here" file.

However, when I wanted to enter "htdocs" I saw nothing inside. When I use "Show Raw Listing" there, now it shows what files I have inside, but... the client itself doesn't show them in the browser.

[16:14:49] SmartFTP v4.0.1124.0

[16:14:49] Resolving host name "ftp.byethost32.com"

[16:14:49] Connecting to 209.190.85.248 Port: 21

[16:14:49] Connected to ftp.byethost32.com.

[16:14:49] 220-FTP server ready.

[16:14:49] 220 This is a private system - No anonymous login

[16:14:49] USER b32_5990661

[16:14:49] 331 User b32_5990661 OK. Password required

[16:14:49] PASS (hidden)

[16:14:49] 230-Your bandwidth usage is restricted

[16:14:49] 230-User b32_5990661 has group access to:  5990661 

[16:14:49] 230 OK. Current restricted directory is /

[16:14:49] SYST

[16:14:49] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[16:14:49] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[16:14:49] RTT: 128.733 ms

[16:14:49] FEAT

[16:14:49] 211-Extensions supported:

[16:14:49]  EPRT

[16:14:49]  IDLE

[16:14:49]  MDTM

[16:14:49]  SIZE

[16:14:49]  REST STREAM

[16:14:49]  MLST type*;size*;sizd*;modify*;UNIX.mode*;UNIX.uid*;UNIX.gid*;unique*;

[16:14:49]  MLSD

[16:14:49]  TVFS

[16:14:49]  ESTP

[16:14:49]  PASV

[16:14:49]  EPSV

[16:14:49]  SPSV

[16:14:49]  ESTA

[16:14:49]  AUTH TLS

[16:14:49]  PBSZ

[16:14:49]  PROT

[16:14:49] 211 End.

[16:14:49] Detected Server Software: PureFTPd

[16:14:49] PWD

[16:14:50] 257 "/" is your current location

[16:15:21] CWD /htdocs

[16:15:21] 250 OK. Current directory is /htdocs

[16:15:21] PWD

[16:15:22] 257 "/htdocs" is your current location

[16:15:22] NOOP

[16:15:22] 200 dc.w $4E71

[16:15:52] NOOP

[16:16:00] 200 dc.w $4E71

I think passive mode doesn't work because the firewall on the server does block your incoming connection.

If you set SmartFTP to use active mode (PORT) and the data transfer succeeds, SmartFTP should keep on using active mode. Try to close the remote browser, make sure you have set the method to active mode in the favorite properties and then connect again.

I did that. Weirdly enough, I could now get to another folder, but after that, when I tried to go deeper, it forcibly went into passive mode and I got the error again. Ugh, I have no idea what's going on. I remember that years back, I used to be able to use the passive mode just fine, now only active mode seems to work, but as you can see, it really wants to go to passive.

[16:26:08] SmartFTP v4.0.1124.0

[16:26:08] Resolving host name "ftp.byethost32.com"

[16:26:08] Connecting to 209.190.85.248 Port: 21

[16:26:08] Connected to ftp.byethost32.com.

[16:26:08] 220-FTP server ready.

[16:26:08] 220 This is a private system - No anonymous login

[16:26:08] USER b32_5990661

[16:26:08] 331 User b32_5990661 OK. Password required

[16:26:08] PASS (hidden)

[16:26:08] 230-Your bandwidth usage is restricted

[16:26:08] 230-User b32_5990661 has group access to:  5990661 

[16:26:08] 230 OK. Current restricted directory is /

[16:26:08] SYST

[16:26:09] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[16:26:09] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[16:26:09] RTT: 128.730 ms

[16:26:09] FEAT

[16:26:09] 211-Extensions supported:

[16:26:09]  EPRT

[16:26:09]  IDLE

[16:26:09]  MDTM

[16:26:09]  SIZE

[16:26:09]  REST STREAM

[16:26:09]  MLST type*;size*;sizd*;modify*;UNIX.mode*;UNIX.uid*;UNIX.gid*;unique*;

[16:26:09]  MLSD

[16:26:09]  TVFS

[16:26:09]  ESTP

[16:26:09]  PASV

[16:26:09]  EPSV

[16:26:09]  SPSV

[16:26:09]  ESTA

[16:26:09]  AUTH TLS

[16:26:09]  PBSZ

[16:26:09]  PROT

[16:26:09] 211 End.

[16:26:09] Detected Server Software: PureFTPd

[16:26:09] PWD

[16:26:09] 257 "/" is your current location

[16:26:26] CWD /htdocs/fsn

[16:26:32] 250 OK. Current directory is /htdocs/fsn

[16:26:32] PWD

[16:26:32] 257 "/htdocs/fsn" is your current location

[16:26:32] TYPE A

[16:26:33] 200 TYPE is now ASCII

[16:26:33] PORT 192,168,1,33,193,24

[16:26:33] 200 PORT command successful

[16:26:33] MLSD

[16:26:34] 150 Connecting to port 49432

[16:26:34] 1440 bytes transferred. (18,0 KB/s) (78 ms)

[16:26:34] 226-Options: -a -l 

[16:26:34] 226 12 matches total

[16:26:39] PASV

[16:26:43] 227 Entering Passive Mode (209,190,85,248,142,178)

[16:26:43] Opening data connection to 209.190.85.248 Port: 36530

[16:26:43] MLSD

[16:26:44] 150 Accepted data connection

[16:26:44] 226-Options: -a -l 

[16:26:44] 226 12 matches total

[16:27:03] Server closed connection

[16:27:03] An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.

[16:27:03] Resolving host name "ftp.byethost32.com"

[16:27:03] Connecting to 209.190.85.248 Port: 21

[16:27:03] Connected to ftp.byethost32.com.

[16:27:03] 220-FTP server ready.

[16:27:03] 220 This is a private system - No anonymous login

[16:27:03] USER b32_5990661

[16:27:03] 331 User b32_5990661 OK. Password required

[16:27:03] PASS (hidden)

[16:27:03] 230-Your bandwidth usage is restricted

[16:27:03] 230-User b32_5990661 has group access to:  5990661 

[16:27:03] 230 OK. Current restricted directory is /

[16:27:03] SYST

[16:27:03] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[16:27:03] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[16:27:03] RTT: 123.885 ms

[16:27:03] FEAT

[16:27:03] 211-Extensions supported:

[16:27:03]  EPRT

[16:27:03]  IDLE

[16:27:03]  MDTM

[16:27:03]  SIZE

[16:27:03]  REST STREAM

[16:27:03]  MLST type*;size*;sizd*;modify*;UNIX.mode*;UNIX.uid*;UNIX.gid*;unique*;

[16:27:03]  MLSD

[16:27:03]  TVFS

[16:27:03]  ESTP

[16:27:03]  PASV

[16:27:03]  EPSV

[16:27:03]  SPSV

[16:27:03]  ESTA

[16:27:03]  AUTH TLS

[16:27:03]  PBSZ

[16:27:03]  PROT

[16:27:03] 211 End.

[16:27:03] Detected Server Software: PureFTPd

[16:27:03] PWD

[16:27:04] 257 "/" is your current location

[16:27:04] CWD /htdocs/fsn

[16:27:04] 250 OK. Current directory is /htdocs/fsn

[16:27:04] PWD

[16:27:04] 257 "/htdocs/fsn" is your current location

[16:27:04] TYPE A

[16:27:04] 200 TYPE is now ASCII

[16:27:04] PASV

[16:27:04] 227 Entering Passive Mode (209,190,85,248,184,73)

[16:27:04] Opening data connection to 209.190.85.248 Port: 47177

[16:27:04] MLSD

[16:27:04] 150 Accepted data connection

[16:27:04] 226-Options: -a -l 

[16:27:04] 226 12 matches total

[16:27:25] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

I was unable to reproduce what you are seeing. But I think I have an idea what is wrong in SmartFTP. I will send you a test version in the next 24h.

Do you have the same problem (switching to passive mode from port mode) when connecting to ftp://ftp.smartftp.com ?

Nope, it did not seem to switch to passive mode by itself, but I did get the same error again.

[16:41:09] SmartFTP v4.0.1124.0

[16:41:09] Resolving host name "ftp.smartftp.com"

[16:41:09] Connecting to 75.126.59.170 Port: 21

[16:41:18] Connected to ftp.smartftp.com.

[16:41:18] 220 SmartFTP Server ready...

[16:41:18] USER anonymous

[16:41:18] 331 Password required for anonymous.

[16:41:18] PASS (hidden)

[16:41:18] 230 User anonymous logged in.

[16:41:18] SYST

[16:41:18] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[16:41:18] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[16:41:18] RTT: 169.602 ms

[16:41:18] FEAT

[16:41:19] 211-Extensions supported:

[16:41:19]  AUTH TLS

[16:41:19]  CCC

[16:41:19]  CLNT

[16:41:19]  CPSV

[16:41:19]  EPRT

[16:41:19]  EPSV

[16:41:19]  MDTM

[16:41:19]  MFCT

[16:41:19]  MFMT

[16:41:19]  MLST type*;size*;create;modify*;

[16:41:19]  MODE Z

[16:41:19]  PASV

[16:41:19]  PBSZ

[16:41:19]  PROT

[16:41:19]  REST STREAM

[16:41:19]  SBUF

[16:41:19]  SIZE

[16:41:19]  SSCN

[16:41:19]  TVFS

[16:41:19]  UTF8

[16:41:19]  XCRC "filename" SP EP

[16:41:19]  XMD5 "filename" SP EP

[16:41:19]  XSHA1 "filename" SP EP

[16:41:19] 211 End.

[16:41:19] CLNT SmartFTP 4.0.1124.0

[16:41:19] 200 Noted.

[16:41:19] OPTS UTF8 ON

[16:41:19] 200 UTF8 OPTS ON

[16:41:19] OPTS MLST type;size;create;modify;

[16:41:19] 200 MLST OPTS type;size;create;modify;

[16:41:19] Detected Server Software: Gene6 FTP Server

[16:41:19] PWD

[16:41:19] 257 "/" is current directory.

[16:41:24] CWD /Client/4.0.1123.0

[16:41:24] 250 CWD command successful. "/Client/4.0.1123.0" is current directory.

[16:41:24] PWD

[16:41:24] 257 "/Client/4.0.1123.0" is current directory.

[16:41:24] TYPE A

[16:41:24] 200 Type set to A.

[16:41:24] MODE Z

[16:41:24] 200 Mode Z ok.

[16:41:24] PORT 192,168,1,33,193,131

[16:41:24] 200 Port command successful.

[16:41:24] MLSD

[16:41:25] 150 Opening data connection for directory list.

[16:41:25] 133 bytes transferred. (64,9 KB/s) (2 ms)

[16:41:25] 226-Compression : 42.08% (133 Bytes/316 Bytes).

[16:41:25] 226 Transfer ok.

[16:41:27] CWD /Client/4.0.1123.0/x64

[16:41:28] 250 CWD command successful. "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64" is current directory.

[16:41:28] PWD

[16:41:28] 257 "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64" is current directory.

[16:41:28] PORT 192,168,1,33,193,132

[16:41:29] 200 Port command successful.

[16:41:29] MLSD

[16:41:49] Server closed connection

[16:41:49] An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.

For this problem:
Do you have a software firewall / antivirus product installed that does not come from Microsoft? If yes, try to temporary disable them (temporary) and try again.

I normally do, but right now, I have disabled my normal anti-virus (ESET NOD32), my firewall and my router's firewall. Still the same problems.

Now I also got the same problem (switching to passive by itself) when connecting to the smartftp server.

[16:49:35] SmartFTP v4.0.1124.0

[16:49:35] Resolving host name "ftp.smartftp.com"

[16:49:35] Connecting to 75.126.59.170 Port: 21

[16:49:35] Connected to ftp.smartftp.com.

[16:49:38] 220 SmartFTP Server ready...

[16:49:38] USER anonymous

[16:49:38] 331 Password required for anonymous.

[16:49:38] PASS (hidden)

[16:49:39] 230 User anonymous logged in.

[16:49:39] SYST

[16:49:39] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[16:49:39] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[16:49:39] RTT: 148.053 ms

[16:49:39] FEAT

[16:49:39] 211-Extensions supported:

[16:49:39]  AUTH TLS

[16:49:39]  CCC

[16:49:39]  CLNT

[16:49:39]  CPSV

[16:49:39]  EPRT

[16:49:39]  EPSV

[16:49:39]  MDTM

[16:49:39]  MFCT

[16:49:39]  MFMT

[16:49:39]  MLST type*;size*;create;modify*;

[16:49:39]  MODE Z

[16:49:39]  PASV

[16:49:39]  PBSZ

[16:49:39]  PROT

[16:49:39]  REST STREAM

[16:49:39]  SBUF

[16:49:39]  SIZE

[16:49:39]  SSCN

[16:49:39]  TVFS

[16:49:39]  UTF8

[16:49:39]  XCRC "filename" SP EP

[16:49:39]  XMD5 "filename" SP EP

[16:49:39]  XSHA1 "filename" SP EP

[16:49:39] 211 End.

[16:49:39] CLNT SmartFTP 4.0.1124.0

[16:49:39] 200 Noted.

[16:49:39] OPTS UTF8 ON

[16:49:39] 200 UTF8 OPTS ON

[16:49:39] OPTS MLST type;size;create;modify;

[16:49:39] 200 MLST OPTS type;size;create;modify;

[16:49:39] Detected Server Software: Gene6 FTP Server

[16:49:39] PWD

[16:49:39] 257 "/" is current directory.

[16:49:45] CWD /Client/4.0.1123.0/x64

[16:49:45] 250 CWD command successful. "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64" is current directory.

[16:49:45] PWD

[16:49:45] 257 "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64" is current directory.

[16:49:45] TYPE A

[16:49:45] 200 Type set to A.

[16:49:45] MODE Z

[16:49:46] 200 Mode Z ok.

[16:49:46] PORT 192,168,1,33,194,17

[16:49:46] 200 Port command successful.

[16:49:46] MLSD

[16:49:46] 150 Opening data connection for directory list.

[16:49:46] 109 bytes transferred. (106 KB/s) (1 ms)

[16:49:47] 226-Compression : 40.07% (109 Bytes/272 Bytes).

[16:49:47] 226 Transfer ok.

[16:49:48] CWD /Client/4.0.1123.0/x64/MUI

[16:49:49] 250 CWD command successful. "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64/MUI" is current directory.

[16:49:49] PWD

[16:49:49] 257 "/Client/4.0.1123.0/x64/MUI" is current directory.

[16:49:49] PORT 192,168,1,33,194,30

[16:49:50] 200 Port command successful.

[16:49:50] MLSD

[16:49:52] 425 Cannot open data connection.

[16:49:52] PASV

[16:49:53] 227 Entering Passive Mode (75,126,59,170,62,140)

[16:49:53] Opening data connection to 75.126.59.170 Port: 16012

[16:49:53] MLSD

[16:50:13] Server closed connection

[16:50:13] An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.

Yes but this is the correct behavior because the preceding PORT failed:
[16:49:50] 200 Port command successful.
[16:49:50] MLSD
[16:49:52] 425 Cannot open data connection.

I think there is something wrong on your side because passive mode should not fail with our server.

Try to uninstall the software firewall (disabling does not always remove the hooks) on your computer. Then try it with passive mode and ftp.smartftp.com.

This is what I got. Seems like it's the same thing.

[17:12:57] SmartFTP v4.0.1124.0

[17:12:57] Resolving host name "ftp.smartftp.com"

[17:12:57] Connecting to 75.126.59.170 Port: 21

[17:13:00] Connected to ftp.smartftp.com.

[17:13:00] 220 SmartFTP Server ready...

[17:13:00] USER anonymous

[17:13:01] 331 Password required for anonymous.

[17:13:01] PASS (hidden)

[17:13:01] 230 User anonymous logged in.

[17:13:01] SYST

[17:13:01] 215 UNIX Type: L8

[17:13:01] Detected Server Type: UNIX

[17:13:01] RTT: 147.815 ms

[17:13:01] FEAT

[17:13:01] 211-Extensions supported:

[17:13:01]  AUTH TLS

[17:13:01]  CCC

[17:13:01]  CLNT

[17:13:01]  CPSV

[17:13:01]  EPRT

[17:13:01]  EPSV

[17:13:01]  MDTM

[17:13:01]  MFCT

[17:13:01]  MFMT

[17:13:01]  MLST type*;size*;create;modify*;

[17:13:01]  MODE Z

[17:13:01]  PASV

[17:13:01]  PBSZ

[17:13:01]  PROT

[17:13:01]  REST STREAM

[17:13:01]  SBUF

[17:13:01]  SIZE

[17:13:01]  SSCN

[17:13:01]  TVFS

[17:13:01]  UTF8

[17:13:01]  XCRC "filename" SP EP

[17:13:01]  XMD5 "filename" SP EP

[17:13:01]  XSHA1 "filename" SP EP

[17:13:01] 211 End.

[17:13:01] CLNT SmartFTP 4.0.1124.0

[17:13:01] 200 Noted.

[17:13:01] OPTS UTF8 ON

[17:13:01] 200 UTF8 OPTS ON

[17:13:01] OPTS MLST type;size;create;modify;

[17:13:01] 200 MLST OPTS type;size;create;modify;

[17:13:01] Detected Server Software: Gene6 FTP Server

[17:13:01] PWD

[17:13:02] 257 "/" is current directory.

[17:13:02] TYPE A

[17:13:02] 200 Type set to A.

[17:13:02] MODE Z

[17:13:02] 200 Mode Z ok.

[17:13:02] PASV

[17:13:02] 227 Entering Passive Mode (75,126,59,170,62,176)

[17:13:02] Opening data connection to 75.126.59.170 Port: 16048

[17:13:02] MLSD

[17:13:23] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond.

[17:13:32] 425 Cannot open data connection.

[17:13:32] PORT 192,168,1,33,192,161

[17:13:57] Server closed connection

[17:13:57] An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.

Try to disable MLSD:
https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/500- ... f2573.html

I have also looked at the problem where SmartFTP uses PORT, PORT succeeds and then switches to PASV. The only explanation I have found is that PORT failed in another connection from the same favorite (background connection, transfer queue, another remote browser) and therefore SmartFTP switches to passive mode.

But the main problem I'm seeing is with your client/network. Something is definitely wrong that neither active nor passive mode works reliable.