Failure to Connect or Transfer with SP2 Firewall ON.

My problem seems similar to that reported by rmbennet. Smart FTP works perfectly to two independently hosted sites with the SP2 Firewall OFF but will not connect or upload with the firewall ON although SFTP is in the Exceptions list and there is no report of blocking. Symantec Anti-Trojan and NAV are enabled all the time and do not affect the operation with Firewall OFF.

Annotated logs of the good and bad attempts are appended. (Some lines of my file may have been wrapped but I hope it is intelliegible. A copy has been sent to Mat separately by email.)

First is log of a successful file upload with Firewall OFF.
Then failed connection attempt with it ON.
Then good connection with it OFF and failed transfer with it ON again.
Look for the *** lines to separate these logs.

*** Remarks added by user to clarify. Rest is cut and paste from SFTP Log windows
*** XP SP2 firewall OFF. Symantec anti-trojan and AV ON

SmartFTP v1.0.983.33
Resolving host name ftp.btinternet.com...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
Connected to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> Time = 188ms
Socket connected waiting for login sequence.
220-
220- BTopenworld FTP Server
220-
220-BTopenworld maintains this FTP archive as a service to its Internet
220-customers. Please use it with consideration for others.
220-
220-The local time is Fri Jan 7 10:15:38 2005.
220-You are user 49, out of a maximum permitted of 1500.
220-
220-Please read the README files for more information about the contents of
220-each directory. Note that if FTP hangs or dies, try putting a hyphen at
220-the start of your password.
220-
220-DISCLAIMER: British Telecommunications plc is not liable for any use,
220-storage or transmission of any files stored on this archive unless
220-otherwise stated.
220-
220-Please email suggestions and questions to support@btopenworld.com
220-
220-
220-
220 samarium.btinternet.com FTP server (BTI / Version wu-2.4.2 (18) Fri May 12 13:56:48 BST 2000) ready.
USER derek.harvey
331 Password required for derek.harvey.
PASS (hidden)
230 User derek.harvey logged in. Access restrictions apply.
SYST
215 UNIX Type: L8
FEAT
500 'FEAT': command not understood.
REST 100
350 Restarting at 100. Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
REST 0
350 Restarting at 0. Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
PWD
257 "/pub" is current directory.
CWD /pub/_themes/network
250 CWD command successful.
PWD
257 "/pub/_themes/network" is current directory.
TYPE A
200 Type set to A.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (194,73,73,119,236,222)
Opening data connection IP: 194,73,73,119,236,222 PORT: 60638.
LIST -aL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
3412 bytes received successfully. (3.33 KB/s) (00:00:01).
226 Transfer complete.
CWD /pub/
250 CWD command successful.
PWD
257 "/pub" is current directory.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (194,73,73,119,237,14)
Opening data connection IP: 194,73,73,119,237,14 PORT: 60686.
LIST -aL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
4208 bytes received successfully. (4.11 KB/s) (00:00:01).
226 Transfer complete.
NOOP
200 NOOP command successful.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (194,73,73,119,237,151)
Opening data connection IP: 194,73,73,119,237,151 PORT: 60823.
STOR christmas2004.htm
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for christmas2004.htm.
45550 bytes sent successfully. (11.12 KB/s) (00:00:04).
226 Transfer complete.
QUIT
221 Goodbye.
Connection closed.
*** Successful transfer, similar to that achieved before SP2
*** SP2 Firewall turned ON Smart FTP is in the Exceptions list
*** Ports 20 and 21 have also been opened (that made no difference)

SmartFTP v1.0.983.33
Resolving host name ftp.btinternet.com...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
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.
Active Help Link: https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58
Cannot login waiting to retry (30s)...
Continue to login attempt 2...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
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.
Active Help Link: https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58
Cannot login waiting to retry (30s)...
Continue to login attempt 3...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
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.
Active Help Link: https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58
Cannot login waiting to retry (30s)...
Continue to login attempt 4...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
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.
Active Help Link: https://www.smartftp.com/support/kb/58
Cannot login waiting to retry (30s)...
Continue to login attempt 5...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
*** Aborted by user.
*** Firewall turned OFF for connection attempt

SmartFTP v1.0.983.33
Resolving host name ftp.btinternet.com...
Connecting to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> IP: 194.73.73.119 PORT: 21
Connected to (ftp.btinternet.com) -> Time = 188ms
Socket connected waiting for login sequence.
220-
220- BTopenworld FTP Server
220-
220-BTopenworld maintains this FTP archive as a service to its Internet
220-customers. Please use it with consideration for others.
220-
220-The local time is Fri Jan 7 10:24:37 2005.
220-You are user 48, out of a maximum permitted of 1500.
220-
220-Please read the README files for more information about the contents of
220-each directory. Note that if FTP hangs or dies, try putting a hyphen at
220-the start of your password.
220-
220-DISCLAIMER: British Telecommunications plc is not liable for any use,
220-storage or transmission of any files stored on this archive unless
220-otherwise stated.
220-
220-Please email suggestions and questions to support@btopenworld.com
220-
220-
220-
220 samarium.btinternet.com FTP server (BTI / Version wu-2.4.2 (18) Fri May 12 13:56:48 BST 2000) ready.
USER derek.harvey
331 Password required for derek.harvey.
PASS (hidden)
230 User derek.harvey logged in. Access restrictions apply.
SYST
215 UNIX Type: L8
FEAT
500 'FEAT': command not understood.
REST 100
350 Restarting at 100. Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
REST 0
350 Restarting at 0. Send STORE or RETRIEVE to initiate transfer.
PWD
257 "/pub" is current directory.
CWD /pub/_themes/network
250 CWD command successful.
PWD
257 "/pub/_themes/network" is current directory.
TYPE A
200 Type set to A.
PASV
227 Entering Passive Mode (194,73,73,119,239,241)
Opening data connection IP: 194,73,73,119,239,241 PORT: 61425.
LIST -aL
150 Opening ASCII mode data connection for /bin/ls.
3412 bytes received successfully. (3.33 KB/s) (00:00:01).
226 Transfer complete.
NOOP

*** Firewall turned ON before attempting file upload

Command aborted. Server timeout.
Connection closed. Server timeout.
TYPE I
An established connection was aborted by the software in your host machine.
Connection closed.

*** Aborted by user.
*** With firewall ON similar results are obtained to another host
*** which is on a totally (as far as I know) independent host (enta.net)

Hello ...

The XP SP2 firewall only blocks incoming connections. The problem is either with the XP SP2 firewall service (which I personally doubt) or any other software hooking into the LSP layer. The Symantec Anti Trojan would be a good candidate for it. Try to disable it.

Opening connections in the XP SP2 firewall or adding SmartFTP to the exception list doesn't make any difference for connecting to a server and/or PASV data transfers.

There are no confirmed problems with SmartFTP and the XP SP2 firewall. Actually it turned out that Microsoft products have the least problems with SmartFTP.

Thanks Mat for that tip. Turing off Norton Anti-Trojan but leaving the SP2 firewall ON allows smart FTP to work correctly.

So it seems that with BOTH ON it will NOT work but with EITHER OFF it works OK.

Why this should be is obscure to me.

It could be worth posting this in the FAQs, I think.
Cheers.
Derek.