FTP Share/Server for IP Camera Recording (AC3200)

[Teknition]

Hi Guys,

I'm trying to figure out if this set up is possible: enable the FTP server on my AC3200 with a USB flash drive so that my IP Cameras (Foscam) can send motion detection images to that FTP for internal use.

I read on this forum that there are some bugs with the way the flash drive is formatted, and I tried formatting as ext4, but it doesn't work (I believe it's because the client doesn't have write-access to the drive, options to change permissions for the drive are grayed out / unavailable). My camera confirms that it can connect to the FTP successfully, but nothing gets recorded. If ext4 is Linux based, and I'm assuming my IP camera is Windows based, is there a way to make this work?

On a side note, I am using USB 2.0 slot on my router. When I plugged into USB 3.0, my 2.4Ghz band stopped working (seems odd!?). Any insight is appreciated!

 

[ColinTaylor]

I read on this forum that there are some bugs with the way the flash drive is formatted, and I tried formatting as ext4, but it doesn't work (I believe it's because the client doesn't have write-access to the drive, options to change permissions for the drive are grayed out / unavailable).

They will be greyed out if you have enabled "anonymous login" because user accounts are not used in that configuration.

My camera confirms that it can connect to the FTP successfully, but nothing gets recorded. If ext4 is Linux based, and I'm assuming my IP camera is Windows based, is there a way to make this work?

It doesn't matter if you're using ext4, fat32, ntfs, Linux or Windows; FTP is FTP is FTP. Make sure that your camera is changing to the correct directory after in connects otherwise it won't be able to write. See below:

C:\Users\Colin>ftp rt-ac68u
Connected to rt-ac68u.home.lan.
220 Welcome to ASUS RT-AC68U FTP service.
User (rt-ac68u.home.lan:(none)): anonymous
331 Please specify the password.
Password:
230 Login successful.
ftp> pwd
257 "/"
ftp> dir
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
150 Here comes the directory listing.
drwxrwxrwx    3 0        0            4096 Dec 30  2016 VERBATIM
226 Directory send OK.
ftp: 66 bytes received in 0.00Seconds 66000.00Kbytes/sec.
ftp> put temp.pib
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
550 Permission denied (restricted operation).
ftp> cd /VERBATIM/ASUS
250 Directory successfully changed.
ftp> put temp.pib
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
150 Ok to send data.
226 File receive OK.
ftp: 9040 bytes sent in 0.05Seconds 192.34Kbytes/sec.
ftp> bye
221 Goodbye.

On a side note, I am using USB 2.0 slot on my router. When I plugged into USB 3.0, my 2.4Ghz band stopped working (seems odd!?). Any insight is appreciated!

That might indicate that you have a larger problem than just FTP.

 

[Teknition]

They will be greyed out if you have enabled "anonymous login" because user accounts are not used in that configuration.

It doesn't matter if you're using ext4, fat32, ntfs, Linux or Windows; FTP is FTP is FTP. Make sure that your camera is changing to the correct directory after in connects otherwise it won't be able to write. See below:

C:\Users\Colin>ftp rt-ac68u
Connected to rt-ac68u.home.lan.
220 Welcome to ASUS RT-AC68U FTP service.
User (rt-ac68u.home.lan:(none)): anonymous
331 Please specify the password.
Password:
230 Login successful.
ftp> pwd
257 "/"
ftp> dir
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
150 Here comes the directory listing.
drwxrwxrwx    3 0        0            4096 Dec 30  2016 VERBATIM
226 Directory send OK.
ftp: 66 bytes received in 0.00Seconds 66000.00Kbytes/sec.
ftp> put temp.pib
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
550 Permission denied (restricted operation).
ftp> cd /VERBATIM/ASUS
250 Directory successfully changed.
ftp> put temp.pib
200 PORT command successful. Consider using PASV.
150 Ok to send data.
226 File receive OK.
ftp: 9040 bytes sent in 0.05Seconds 192.34Kbytes/sec.
ftp> bye
221 Goodbye.

That might indicate that you have a larger problem than just FTP.

Thanks for the detailed information/knowledge, I'll keep going at it and see if I can figure it out. In terms of the USB, yes it's very strange. My camera(s) will just need to send images through the FTP, so I will stick with the USB 2.0 slot, but yes super strange that my 2.4Ghz just doesn't work when using the 3.0 slot.

 

[john9527]

but yes super strange that my 2.4Ghz just doesn't work when using the 3.0 slot.

USB 3 can generate noise that can interfere with 2.4GHz signals (that's why there is 'Reduce USB3 interference' setting on the 2.4GHz Professional page to run USB3 as USB2). Usually the problems occur with external drives where there is a 'cheap' USB3 cable used that isn't properly shielded.

What brand of USB stick? Sounds like it may be a poor design....or you need to move it away from the router with a 'good' USB3 extension cable.

 

[Teknition]

USB 3 can generate noise that can interfere with 2.4GHz signals (that's why there is 'Reduce USB3 interference' setting on the 2.4GHz Professional page to run USB3 as USB2). Usually the problems occur with external drives where there is a 'cheap' USB3 cable used that isn't properly shielded.

What brand of USB stick? Sounds like it may be a poor design....or you need to move it away from the router with a 'good' USB3 extension cable.

Hey John, it is an 8GB flash drive: Kingston DataTraveler USB3.0. Nothing fancy, my wife got it from work. As soon as I plugged it in, the 2.4Ghz and my guest network (also 2.4) wouldn't show up on my devices. If I end up wanting to add more storage through the router (like one of my external HDD's), I have a few USB extension cords that I can try. Thanks for the info on that.