Trouble connecting to an FTP site behind Asus-Merlin 380.63

[ricosauve]

Hi:

Am i crazy or doing something wrong in settings? I am trying to connect to a remote FTP site for work. I set it up in Windows file explorer. It works fine from my work LAN/ISP. It works fine from home when i connect directly to the Home ISP router (in bridge mode). But when i connect behind the Asus Router, Windows File Explorer directly responds with a pop up window "the FTP session was terminated". It's like it doesn't even try to connect because the error is immediate. Everything else seems to work fine, including VPNs and all other traffic. I feel like i didn't have these issues in an earlier firmware rev. (although i may not have even noticed). So when i installed this new firmware, i did a reset with the little button on the back of the router (hold for 30 seconds), and re-entered all the router configuration settings from scratch. Still not working. What gives? To be clear, any device on my LAN behind the Asus Router will not connect. Not just my one computer.

 

[Makaveli]

Try using an FTP application instead of the browser.

https://filezilla-project.org/

 

[ricosauve]

Try using an FTP application instead of the browser.

https://filezilla-project.org/

I tried your software and still problems. I have a Mac + Windows LAN and can not connect on OSX nor iOS nor Win10 nor Filezilla.

 

[pete y testing]

the first question i would ask is what is the asus connected to as far as internet goes as you might have dual nat

 

[ColinTaylor]

the first question i would ask is what is the asus connected to as far as internet goes as you might have dual nat

He said that he's connected to his "Home ISP router (in bridge mode)" so maybe not a NAT issue.

@ricosauve As the problem exists on all of your devices is it possible that the remote ftp site only allows access from specific IP addresses. The WAN address of your router will be different to that of your PC when it is directly connected to the ISP router.

Can you connect to this site? ftp://speedtest.tele2.net/

 

[pete y testing]

It works fine from home when i connect directly to the Home ISP router (in bridge mode). But when i connect behind the Asus Router

how are you connecting directly to a bridged modem ? what ip address do you get when you connect to the modem is it a public or private address type

 

[MarkRH]

Just to clarify the direction of things.. are you connecting like:

Device -> Asus Router -> Modem -> ISP -> Internet -> FTP Site
or
Remote Device -> Internet -> ISP -> Modem -> Asus Router -> FTP Server on PC

 

[ricosauve]

with an iOS device i can connect to the FTP server in question no problem over LTE mobile data using an iOS FTP app. The moment i flip the switch on WifI on to my home network, it stops working regardless if i relaunch the app. So I did not think the issue is with the remote FTP server.

I don't think it is dual NAT either, as the modem is in Bridge Mode, and my Asus router is directly connected to the modem. Asus is in Router mode.

ftp://speedtest.tele2.net/ does work from Win10 as anonymous, but through OSX does not work as guest

 

[ricosauve]

Just to clarify the direction of things.. are you connecting like:
=============
YES
Device -> Asus Router -> Modem -> ISP -> Internet -> FTP Site
=============
or
NO
Remote Device -> Internet -> ISP -> Modem -> Asus Router -> FTP Server on PC

=============

I am the client connecting to remote server in the cloud. I am not hosting an FTP Server.

 

[ColinTaylor]

ftp://speedtest.tele2.net/ does work from Win10 as anonymous, but through OSX does not work as guest

So are you getting the same message as before?

But when i connect behind the Asus Router, Windows File Explorer directly responds with a pop up window "the FTP session was terminated"

Try temporarily turning off the Windows firewall and trying again.

 

[ricosauve]

Also when i take my win10 laptop and direct connect to my bridge modem, my network adapter takes the PUBLIC IP address. And the FTP connection works in this scenario. when i go back to putting the asus router between the bridge modem and laptop, the laptop takes a PRIVATE IP address and the FTP connection stops working.

 

[ricosauve]

So are you getting the same message as before?
Try temporarily turning off the Windows firewall and trying again.

I'll do that but that makes no sense to me as ANY DEVICE has the problem: iOS and OSX and WIN10.

Anyways, I disabled the software Norton firewall and I still have problems.

And yes, same error messages

 

[pete y testing]

try putting your comps ip address in the dmz of the asus and see if it works then

 

[ricosauve]

Also, i asked the company if their FTP server has some kind of restrictions with IP addresses, and they said no. That jives well with the fact that my Home ISP will connect to their server when my laptop takes the public address, or Mobile data ISP or the private IP addresses at my company's office LAN (different ISP again)...

 

[ricosauve]

try putting your comps ip address in the dmz of the asus and see if it works then

Good idea.
I just went to the ASUS router WAN>DMZ section and added my laptop private IP address to the DMZ zone and hit apply. No go.. still can't connect! WTF?
The DMZ section talks about adding a rule for port forwarding for FTP access but i think it is referencing to do that when I host the FTP server, which is NOT the case here.

Anyways, since putting my laptop in the DMZ did not work, i am putting it back behind my router...

 

[ricosauve]

I also just tried upgrading to firmware 380.63_2
Still not working

 

[john9527]

Your work provider ISP may have blacklisted the IP address you get when the router is connected. Try cloning your laptop MAC to the router on the router WAN page to get a different IP address.

 

[L&LD]

Do a full reset to factory defaults again. Only secure the router and connect to your ISP (do not do further customizations).

Turn off (actually unplug from AC wall outlets) all network equipment, including your modem and any switches you may be using for at least half an hour.

Turn on modem and wait 5 minutes until it is fully booted (and settled).

Plug in the router, wait 5 minutes.

Format the jffs partition (make sure you have a backup, if you've used it). Reboot, wait 5 minutes

Reboot, wait 5 minutes. Reboot, wait 5 minutes. (Don't skip these steps).

Test your ftp connection now. If it works, do ONE customization you need.

Reboot and test again.

Continue the above until you find the customization that borks your connectivity.

 

[ricosauve]

Your work provider ISP may have blacklisted the IP address you get when the router is connected. Try cloning your laptop MAC to the router on the router WAN page to get a different IP address.

Sorry i'm not sure i understand? But let me elaborate a little on my end about my situation... I work for company A. Company B has an FTP server that i need to connect to. Company A is a small biz, no IT corporate policy etc.. Just a basic small business ISP plan, with the same kind of router that they give to resi customers. We use that router as a complete modem/router/wifi AP/dhcp/dns server etc.. No frills at company A. Very basic. Company B is big and has IT policies etc... but they tell me that there are no issues with the FTP server. I can take my laptop to Company A or mobile data through my iPhone or direct into my bridged home modem and can connect to the FTP server. My issue is only with my Asus Router between.

So, can you explain a little more explicitly what you want me to do with cloning my MAC address etc..?

 

[ricosauve]

Do a full reset to factory defaults again. Only secure the router and connect to your ISP (do not do further customizations).

Turn off (actually unplug from AC wall outlets) all network equipment, including your modem and any switches you may be using for at least half an hour.

Turn on modem and wait 5 minutes until it is fully booted (and settled).

Plug in the router, wait 5 minutes.

Format the jffs partition (make sure you have a backup, if you've used it). Reboot, wait 5 minutes

Reboot, wait 5 minutes. Reboot, wait 5 minutes. (Don't skip these steps).

Test your ftp connection now. If it works, do ONE customization you need.

Reboot and test again.

Continue the above until you find the customization that borks your connectivity.

This sounds pretty hardcore - brute force. If i am going to do this, i would like to know the official and very explicit step-by-step BEST method for doing a full-reset/default/out of box etc...
Normally i would just push the reset button on the back of router for like 30 s and release, and in the webgui click to default the router... in no particular order...