FileZilla could not send reply

Question

I have an automated FTP process that runs at night to a FileZilla server on a windows XP box. The FTP traffic comes from an automated FTP client on a proprietary health care server (Meditech Magic). Sometimes the transfer works fine and sometimes it fails. This is all within our LAN, and the XP firewall is turned off.

Any ideas?

This is the filezilla log:

> Connected, sending welcome message...
> 220 M
> could not send reply, disconnected.

This is the client log:

RESULT: Host response failed: Timed out OPEN

Answer 1

It looks like network problem. Try connecting to other services on same server when this happens (You can share some big dummy file on http server). If the other services fail too then it is most probably network problem.

If hosting other services on same server is not possible. Then use the same ftp client to connect to other ftp servers on Internet to download some test files. Also connect to your ftp server from other locations as clients. If you face problem in one of the two then also it is network problem.

Try running wireshark at both ends to ensure their is no other problem, like bad ARP, etc. that stalls the communication sometimes.

Answer 2

In my experience, FileZilla is not as robust as you would expect. Sure, its open source, but this doesn't necessarily mean that it is as polished as you would like. Little things such as the timeout could be set incorrectly.

Suggest running Software Informer, and searching for "FTP server". It will list the most popular FTP servers in use, right now, by developers and users worldwide.

Recommend: - Cerberus FTP Server with 4.5 stars and 325 users; - Gene6 FTP Server with 5 stars and 150 users; - GuildFTPd FTP Server Deamon with 5 stars and 23 users

Avoid: - XLight as it seems to be unstable; - Titan as its unstable

I really like Gene6 FTP Server. I have it running on my machine serving files right now, it works like a dream.