Troubleshooting FTP Connections

The most common problems are connection related.  An incorrect address can result in a number of errors, including 11001 which indicates that the address could not be resolved.  An incorrect user id and/or password can result in various connection or operational errors.  An improperly configured firewall or proxy server can result in time-out errors and connections being lost. 

These errors are most easily investigated by opening the FTP Server Status window.  You can launch this window from the view menu or from the address book context menu.  When the trace setting is clear, the window displays messages being returned from the FTP server.  When the trace setting is checked, the window displays a wealth of information that is useful to the APT support staff. 

A second tool is the Microsoft command line FTP program.  Open a command window or a DOS box and type:

          FTP <server address>

This should connect you to the FTP server.  Provide your user id and password and verify that you can log in to the server.  Enter a DIR command to see whether file and directory information is being returned.  If you cannot get the Microsoft FTP client to work, you will not be able to make Beyond FTP work.  Once the FTP client is working, adjust the Beyond FTP settings appropriately.

If the connection works but directories and files are not displayed, it may be related to the manner in which the FTP server processes and displays file information.  First, edit your address entry, choose Advanced and check Use Relative Paths.  This prevents Beyond FTP from using complete paths and forces individual directory commands for each directory change. 

If you are still not getting proper displays, it may be related to the FTP server type.  The Advanced FTP Server Options dialog allows you to select and manage FTP server types.  Basically, this is a mechanism for defining the format of the file displays associated with the FTP server.  Several different types are shipped with Beyond FTP.  IBM MVS and AS400 machines are unique, as are Madgoat FTP servers on any platform.  You can create a template for your particular environment.  If this is an issue, you may wish to call APT support.  We would be more than happy to assist you.