ftp problems

[wickham]

For 15 years I happily used IE's ftp program which allowed me to upload or download large numbers of files, but since my Host tsoHost took over Dataflame I've been unable to use IE (TsoHost say IE11 is probably using weak ciphers (old TLS version) and it isn't able to establish the connection with the server).

I used WinSCP instead which was OK until my external dynamic IP changed and I couldn't ftp (no connection to server). TsoHost white-listed my IP which allowed WinSCP to work, but every time my IP changes I have to ask tsoHost to whitelist the new IP.

I leave my BT HomeHub 4 router on all the time but I do get occasional power cuts where I live which may be why my IP changes. Last night, just after getting TsoHost to whitelist yesterday's IP it changed overnight, so I had to ask again today. I've been told to get a static external IP but BT only provide that for business accounts at a much higher cost.

I've installed Filezilla today which is working well, but may suffer if my IP changes like WinSCP.

My question is, is this a feature of all hosting services for domestic clients? There's no point changing host if I get the same problem with another one.

I can upload a few files via cPanel File Manager when WinSCP doesn't work, but this is inconvenient for large file changes, for instance updating all forum files.

[johnhemming]

When I am doing FTP, which is not often, I use ftp surfer which I find quite nice for dealing with large numbers of files. Where it sits in terms of tls (quite a few people are now switching off TLS versions prior to 1.2) I don't know.

[hiriskpaul]

I use sftp rather than ftp. Ftp has security problems which is probably why tsoHost want your IP whitelisted. Have you tried sftp? (Or scp?)

[wickham]

I use sftp rather than ftp. Ftp has security problems which is probably why tsoHost want your IP whitelisted. Have you tried sftp? (Or scp?)

I use the settings tsoHost sets out in cPanel. I don't think they allow any other settings. I've tried every combination of Sftp, SSL, SCP and TLS settings, server addresses or domain urls, port numbers, etc. They haven't advised me to use any other settings. Whitelisting sorts out the connection block, but is inconvenient for them and me.

[uspaul666]

Can you ask them to whitelist the block of addresses your isp uses?
Your use sounds quite specialised, perhaps you could change to an broadband provider that provides fixed IP free of charge like zen internet, probably cheaper than BT too.

[wickham]

Manual settings as tsoHost show:
FTP Username: abcd1234
FTP server: ftp.xxxyyy.com
FTP & explicit FTPS port: 21

I only have a private website, nothing special. There must be thousands of tsoHost accounts with people like me. I'm sure they wouldn't whitelist a whole block of IPs, mine sometimes start with 109, sometimes with 86.

[tjh290633]

I use FileZilla with TSOhost and have had to get them to whitelist me a couple of times. It seemed to be associated with them moving the website files to a different server. The second time it was sorted in a couple of minutes.

I run two websites. On both occasions I could connect for one and not the other, so I don't think it is a change in my ISP that was the cause. I think that it is something that they have done.

TJH

[mc2fool]

I only have a private website, nothing special. There must be thousands of tsoHost accounts with people like me. I'm sure they wouldn't whitelist a whole block of IPs, mine sometimes start with 109, sometimes with 86.

I don't get it, on several counts....

Firstly, I use Tsohost and I've never had to ask them to white list my router IP for FTP, or any other, purposes.

Secondly, it's pretty normal for ISPs to give you a different IP every time your router resyncs (mine does), so, as you say, it's got to be a common complaint.

Lastly, on a quick dig around my WHM & cPanel, and on an admittedly only cursory google search, I can't find any way of restricting FTP access by IP in cPanel or WHM. I found plenty of feature requests for it but no capability, so I'm not sure how they're doing it -- I was hoping that if it was controllable via cPanel you could control it yourself....

In any case, it seems pretty over restrictive ... what if you went travelling and wanted to update things from your laptop and didn't know what IP you'd be coming from day to day, indeed, maybe even hour to hour? Can you tell them that's what you're doing and ask them to lift all IP restrictions?

[wickham]

I use FileZilla with TSOhost ... I run two websites. On both occasions I could connect for one and not the other, so I don't think it is a change in my ISP that was the cause. I think that it is something that they have done.
TJH

Firstly, I use Tsohost and I've never had to ask them to white list my router IP for FTP, or any other, purposes.

It never happened with Dataflame which they absorbed a few years ago, so it must be a sort of restriction imposed by TsoHost.

[mc2fool]

Firstly, I use Tsohost and I've never had to ask them to white list my router IP for FTP, or any other, purposes.

It never happened with Dataflame which they absorbed a few years ago, so it must be a sort of restriction imposed by TsoHost.

On you, but not on me.