[apdrummer]

I decided I wanted to try to setup an FTP server in my home LAN, but I'm a bit confused. I have hughesnet and so my computer goes through several IP's before it actually reaches the web.

computer
Buffalo Draft-N router
Hughesnet Modem
Hughesnet Ops center

There are about 5 computers connected (wired and wirelessly) to the router. I set the router to forward port 21 to my server. Do I need port 20 as well? I have Filezilla server. all I need is access within my network, but if I can access it from the web it would be nice. I have no idea what to do I've tried setting it up for all those IP's and the only one that works is 127.0.0.1... which doesn't help much. I have win xp home.

[Kubel]

If 127.0.0.1 (localhost) works, that means Filezilla is set up correctly. To be accessible, you need to open port 21 (TCP). The admin interface runs on a separate port (I think its 14141 or something like that), but since you generally only run that locally, you don't need to open any ports for that.

I have a similar setup:

DSL Gateway -->
-3 Computers wired
-2 Computers wireless
-Router -->
--2 Computers


I solved the double routing/firewall problem by setting my router to run in bridged mode (this essentially extends the ports on my DSL gateway (which is a wired router, modem, and wireless router in one) and lets it do all the routing, turning the router into a switch. This allows all port forwarding to be setup through the DSL gateway. I'm not sure if you have the capability to do that on your modem or not. But it simplifies things a bit if you can.

In order to get the forwarding capability to function properly, you only should have port 21 opened on one IP, the IP of your server. All others should remain closed. You should then be able to access your FTP server by punching in the name of your server (for instance ftpserver) in your FTP client as the address. Alternatively, you can use your servers IP address (192.168.1.105 or whatever it is). To view in a browser, just add ftp:// to the front.

Also make sure Windows Firewall isn't interfering. If you have everything set up correctly, you should at least be able to access the FTP server from within your LAN. Some ISP's block common ports (like port 21, port 25, port 80) for tighter security and to prevent the spread of worms. But this shouldn't effect your LAN.

[apdrummer]

here come the newb questions:
How do I tell the name of the server? Is it just the IP

for the client, do I enter the internal IP within the LAN? or Do I enter the external IP (the one all the computers in my LAN share) and since I set the router to forward port 21 it'll automatically go to the server? This was where I got confused. Thanks very much for the help.

EDIT: I thought I had tried both internal and external, but I'll try again.

[Kubel]

You can use your LAN or WAN IP, shouldn't matter if the port is forwarded to the server correctly. If you can get to your server within your network by using your LAN IP, but not by using your WAN IP, it means the port probably isn't forwareded correctly or something is blocking it.

If you can't access with either, try pinging your server from another computer in the LAN and see if it has connectivity. You can ping by internal IP or computer name (start > run > cmd > type "ping servername" or "ping serverip"

The name of the server is the computers name (right click my computer > properties > computer name tab > full computer name). As long as the other computers on your network can "see" your server, you should be able to connect to it by computer name as long as you are within your LAN. Outside of your LAN, you will of course have to use your external WAN IP (unless one of the computers in your network is running a DDNS client such as No-IP, then you can use that subdomain).

[apdrummer]

Thanks a ton for all the help, I understand ftp much better now, but I still have 2 more questions...
I still can't get it working. I downloaded look@lan for my client and server, and for some reason they both detected themselves, the router and the computers that are hardwired to the router, but they didn't detect any of the computers connected wirelessly... (both client and server are connected wirelessly) is there any way to have them detect each other, or will I have to move the ftp to the router and hardwire it?

Also, another forum said that I needed IIS to have the server work. I can get IIS off of windows server 2000, but is it necessary? even for a simple lan ftp?

Thanks again

[Kubel]

Nope, you don't need IIS if you are using FileZilla Server and just need a FTP server. FileZilla does a much better job and is much more secure than IIS for Win2K could ever hope to be.

If the wired and wireless systems are on the same router, there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to see each other- that's really strange. How is your network layed out?

Is it:

Modem >
- Router >
-- Computers (wireless and wired)


or is it:

Modem >
-Computers (hard wired)
-Router >
--Computers (wireless)

If it's setup the second way, and the computers aren't on the same device, that would explain the problem- you may need to set your router/modem to operate in bridged mode. Then you will have to go into your modems control panel and open the ports.

[apdrummer]

I have the first setup. They can both detect each other in look@lan only when they both are running look@lan... but even now that they can detect each other the ftp client and server still can't communicate.
Question: In l@l there was a hierarchical network view, it showed that the 2 wireless computers (client & server) as well as the hardwired computer and router were all under localhost. thats 127.0.0.1 right?

[Kubel]

I'm not too familiar with look@lan but, yes, 127.0.0.1 is localhost (it's a loopback IP). Each computer identifies itself as localhost (127.0.0.1). So whatever computer you see as localhost is the computer you are currently on.

If there are computers "under" localhost, that would mean the computer you are on is doing some sort of network sharing.

[apdrummer]

Alright, thanks a lot for the info I look more into it.