Why can't I access my home ftp server from my external IP

ed79 · 9 Aug 2014 at 19:29

I've got both an IP CCTV camera and FTP server running at home. I can access them both in my web browsers internally (eg 192.168.0.1:21) but if I try via my (fixed) external IP I get "unable to connect" messages.

I initially thought it was a port forwarding or firewall issue but I've opened the respective ports in my home router (21 forwarded to my home servers IP, and 81 to the CCTV camera) and these ports are showing as open from www.canyouseeme.org...

I thought maybe the problem was trying to access the ftp in a browser, but I've just installed fiilezilla and get the following error...

Status: Connection attempt failed with "ECONNREFUSED - Connection refused by server".
Error: Could not connect to server

However as both the camera and FTP seem blocked I think there's something else wrong other than just the ftp server rejecting the connection.

I also tried completely shutting down the Windows Firewall but that didn't make any difference.

Any ideas? Thanks!

asim18 · 10 Aug 2014 at 22:06

Your FTP server can be reached as the connection is refused by the server. The problem is not with Windows Firewall so you don't need to completely disable it just configure the port.

Maybe the server itself is set to accept local connections only.

KIA · 11 Aug 2014 at 11:41

Are you trying to access it using the external IP from the internal routers?

Not all routers support NAT loopback.

ed79 · 11 Aug 2014 at 17:48

Thanks both....

asim18 said:
Your FTP server can be reached as the connection is refused by the server. The problem is not with Windows Firewall so you don't need to completely disable it just configure the port.

Maybe the server itself is set to accept local connections only.

I wondered that, but I get the same thing with the cctv camera which makes me think I can't access anything via my external IP even with ports open. However....

KIA said:
Are you trying to access it using the external IP from the internal routers?

Not all routers support NAT loopback.

yep this makes sense as I am trying to use the external IP but from within my home network. E.g.

192.168.1.200:81 accesses the CCTV login page but
ext.ip.xxx.yyy:81 fails.

I'll have a google of NAT loopback (as I hadn't heard of it before)...

Nymins · 11 Aug 2014 at 17:54

Is there any reason why you are wanting to connect using your external address internally?

Have you tried connecting from a remote location?

I usually test remote connections by using my phones 3G/4G signal and browsing to whatever webinterface.

ed79 · 11 Aug 2014 at 18:05

I just tried internally to start with after I'd successfully opened the ports to see if it was working. I did briefly try to open the ftp site in a web browser from work and this again didn't work but I may just have made a typo or something so I'll try again later this week.

Just posted here as I wanted to check that (apart from opening the ports) there weren't any other steps needed that I had missed.

bledd · 11 Aug 2014 at 19:13

Quick way of testing remote things is user your mobile phone with the wifi turned off.

hominid · 11 Aug 2014 at 19:50

Did you set up an account and shares on your ftp server? and did you forward the ports on your modem, the canyouseeme suggests you did for port 21, but did you do the same for port 81?

Check to see if you have passive mode selected, if it is turn it off.

Also it would be worth to, just quickly, to turn of the firewall on the machine this is on as to check it's not that that is interfering with the FTP/CCTV. If you then can see the FTP then you need to check the open ports on the computers firewall

ed79 · 12 Aug 2014 at 18:15

Thanks for all the replies.

In conclusion, I tried from work today and can access the FTP. The camera still doesn't work, but as I can get both of them from a 3G phone I think it's just something where I work stopping me.

Nymins · 12 Aug 2014 at 19:48

ed79 said:
Thanks for all the replies.

In conclusion, I tried from work today and can access the FTP. The camera still doesn't work, but as I can get both of them from a 3G phone I think it's just something where I work stopping me.

Sounds like what KIA was saying, your router doesn't support NAT loopback, so its getting confused when you try to use your external IP to access something whilst already in your internal network.