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Knowledge Base

 Unable to connect to a Plesk server via FTP in the passive mode

 
alibabaalibaba cloudamazon ec2amazon lightsailazure

Symptoms

  • It is not possible to connect to a Plesk server (or if connected, copy files) via FTP in the passive mode. One of the following error messages appears during connection (Error message varies depending on FTP client):

    530 Login incorrect.
    Login failed.


    ftp: connect: Connection refused


    Response: 227 Entering Passive Mode (203,0,113,111,250,241).
    ...
    Error: Connection timed out after 20 seconds of inactivity
    Error: Failed to retrieve directory listing


    ftp: connect: Connection timed out


    425 Can't open data connection.


    An error occurred opening that folder on the FTP server. Make sure you have permission to access that folder. The operation timed out


    Error listing directory '/httpdocs'. Transfer channel can't be opened. Reason: No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it. Could not retrieve directory listing


    Connecting data socket to (203.0.113.2) port 39383
    Socket error (Connection timed out) - reconnecting

  • It is not possible to get a directory listing by FTP using Secured TLS: the connection establishes but directory listing does not work. The following errors appear in /var/log/secure:

    pam_env(proftpd:setcred): Unable to open config file: /etc/security/pam_env.conf: Permission denied
    pam_systemd(proftpd:session): Failed to connect to system bus: Permission denied
    pam_listfile(proftpd:auth): Couldn't open /etc/ftpusers

Cause

The passive port range (by default, 49152-65535) is not properly configured.

Resolution

Configure the passive port range:

 

Plesk for Linux

  • How to configure the passive ports range for ProFTPd on a server behind a firewall

 

Plesk for Windows Server

  • How to configure a passive FTP port range on Windows Server

 

Plesk for cloud solutions

  • Configuring the Passive FTP Mode on an Amazon EC2 Instance

  • Open Access to Plesk Services on an Amazon Lightsail Instance

  • Configuring the Passive FTP Mode on a Microsoft Azure Instance

  • Configuring Passive FTP Mode on a Google Cloud Instance

  • Installing Plesk on Alibaba Cloud (Opening Ports Used by Plesk section)

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