Helkp with (S)FTP and CumulusMX

[stevendt]

Hi,

I am trying to get web site updates working. My host (1&1) only supports SFTP, but I think that is now supported in CumulusMX (I am using the latest version).

I used CoreFTP to upload the contents of the distribution "webfiles" tree and that went fine, but I can't get SFTP uploads working from Cumulus itself.
I am using the same credentials and have temporarily disabled the firewall on the PC.

When I try FTPNow!, the FTP process starts, but the error log shows that Cumulus can't read the remote directory :

"Error connecting ftp - Timed out trying to read data from the socket stream!

Can anyone help resolve this please?

regards
Dave

[Coomkeen]

Hi Stevendt

Don't know if this is going to help, but I had similar problems.
It was down to not specifying the path properly.
My ftp account had a path direct to the cumulus folder, so didn't need anything in the 'path', just blank.
I had put in the whole path, like site/cumulus/whatever, so the Cumulus ftp was looking for that path, but it was already there.
Hope that makes sense.

[stevendt]

Hi,

thanks for the reply - yes, it makes sense.

I was not 100% sure of what the directory settings needed to be, but eventually got to the same configuration as you I think. The host logs the username straight into the Cumulus target directory, so the Directory needs to be empty on the config page.

That does not seem to have been the problem though, as I am pretty sure that the config is correct, but it is still not working.

It seems that the Cumulus error text in the file MXDiags directory is pretty generic and does not provide any detailed help. I get exactly the same message when I deliberately enter the wrong password for the FTP account. The error tells me that the access has failed, but gives not clues as to why

regards
Dave

[freddie]

It seems that the Cumulus error text in the file MXDiags directory is pretty generic and does not provide any detailed help. I get exactly the same message when I deliberately enter the wrong password for the FTP account. The error tells me that the access has failed, but gives not clues as to why

Do you have debug logging switched on? That gives more detail.

[sfws]

Just to add to what Freddie says, in case you don't know what he means by debug logging

Do you have debug logging switched on? That gives more detail.

Either start MX with -debug switch

Or follow instructions at https://cumuluswiki.org/a/Cumulus_MX#Wh ... _a_problem to see how to turn it on within the admin interface.

[stevendt]

Hi Guys,

thanks for your input, I had FTP logging on, but it does not contain anything helpful.

I didn't have debug logging on, but turned it on. Unfortunately, it does not give any more help on the error than the Diag file

regards
Dave

[water01]

You need to check with your ISP but the only way I got SFTP working with my host provider is to specify the HOST Name as its IP address and use port 3784 and also specify the complete home directory, in my case "/home/********/public_html/weatherbos" (notice the addition of /home/dmjsyste) to a normal FTP path.

If you use FileZilla configured exactly the same way it will show you the correct path.

[stevendt]

Hi water01, thanks for the note.

I can quite happily use SFTP with CoreFTP, using the hostname and port assigned by my ISP :

ISP : 1and1
ftp root directory : "home29xxxxxxx.1and1-data.host"
ftp target directory : assigned when ftp user is added, in my case, I created a directory for Cumulus
ftp assigned port : 990
ftp mode : pasv
ftp protocol: FTPS

Using CoreFTP and logging in with the configuration specified above, I get straight to the Cumulus directory and CoreFTP immediately displays the directory contents (after the actual port has been opened with PASV). I don't think I need to, or indeed should, assign a directory in the Cumulus setup as the ISP login in puts you there with the login.

Cumulus is correctly getting the IP address from DNS and using Port 990 to try and establish a connection, which immediately fails when trying (I think) to read the remote directory.

regards
Dave

[freddie]

I can quite happily use SFTP with CoreFTP, using the hostname and port assigned by my ISP :

ISP : 1and1
ftp root directory : "home29xxxxxxx.1and1-data.host"
ftp target directory : assigned when ftp user is added, in my case, I created a directory for Cumulus
ftp assigned port : 990
ftp mode : pasv
ftp protocol: FTPS

So you should be using FTPS and not STFP. SFTP is not FTPS - they are different protocols.

[stevendt]

Hi,

yes, that was an error in the post title. SFTP for Linux / FTPS for Windows

That is what I am using and have selected Dropdown item 1 on the config page [1 Use SSL/TLS for FTP (FTPS) ] and using FTPS with CoreFTP

regards
Dave

[freddie]

Hi,

yes, that was an error in the post title. SFTP for Linux / FTPS for Windows

That is what I am using and have selected Dropdown item 1 on the config page [1 Use SSL/TLS for FTP (FTPS) ] and using FTPS with CoreFTP

regards
Dave

Have you tried the SFTP option? 1&1/Ionos support both protocols.

[stevendt]

Hi,

thanks for the info, I have tried SFTP, but only briefly. When I looked at the 1and1 info pages on FTP, it seemed to suggest that SFTP was used with the Linux hosting package and FTPS for Windows (I am on Windows hosting). I will try it again, though I don't hold out much hope

regards
Dave

[water01]

Please try the set up I mentioned in my previous post. It was the only way I got SFTP to work.

[stevendt]

Hi,

I tried the setup you described, it won't work for me, but I am not surprised. Port 3784 seems to be an arbitrary port number chosen by your ISP? Whereas port 990 as specified by mine is the standard port used to establish a connection with FTPS.

I can use my configured settings to connect with CoreFTP and log in to the correct directory, read the contents and copy files. I think that confirms that my FTPS setup is correct.

regards
Dave