FTP Not Working

[blounsbury]

Hey folks,

I have an FTP server that I want to use for archiving alert clips. The server definitely works because I can connect to it from FileZilla on my laptop on the same network.

My FTP server only supports FTPS (on purpose, which is FTP over TLS (which is supported by BI), not to be confused with SFTP (not supported)).

I have the server set up correctly in BlueIris (server address, port, username, password, base folder). My FTP server is configured to support passive mode since my BI server is behind a firewall and NAT and won't be addressable for active mode. I've also clicked the "Auth TLS" button, which enables FTP over TLS (its actually the command the FTP client sends to the server). The server uses a valid TLS certificate issued by LetsEncrypt (which is the ISRG X1 Root CA, which is trusted by windows).

I see the following in my FTP logs on the FTP server side:


Mon Jul 24 18:31:32 2023 [pid 2046518] CONNECT: Client "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX"
Mon Jul 24 18:31:32 2023 [pid 2046518] FTP response: Client "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX", "220 (vsFTPd 3.0.5)"
Mon Jul 24 18:31:33 2023 [pid 2046518] FTP command: Client "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX", "AUTH TLS"
Mon Jul 24 18:31:33 2023 [pid 2046518] FTP response: Client "XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX", "234 Proceed with negotiation."

And Blue Iris shows the following when I run a test:
Connecting to <server name>
FTP: 234 Proceed with negotiation. (1)

The FTP server is responding correctly, and then BI looks to be failing. BI does not proceed past the 234 response from the server, and I suspect the (1) is the non-successful status code being returned by the FTP component. I cant find any details in any of the logs on why it might be failing.

 

[TonyR]

I have an FTP server that I want to use for archiving alert clips. The server definitely works because I can connect to it from FileZilla on my laptop on the same network.

But the FTP server is NOT on the same LAN as your BI machine or the laptop, it's at a remote location?

 

[blounsbury]

But the FTP server is NOT on the same LAN as your BI machine or the laptop, it's at a remote location?

Correct. The FTP server is an EC2 instance running in AWS' US-WEST-2 region and using S3 as its backing filesystem. The FTP server is reachable from the local network and from the BI server as well.

 

[TonyR]

Of my two FTP setups (one to AmbientWeather and one to a page on my own domain) neither require "Auth TLS" and both work
OK.

Sorry I cannot help you more.

 

[blounsbury]

Of my two FTP setups (one to AmbientWeather and one to a page on my own domain) neither require "Auth TLS" and both work
OK.

Sorry I cannot help you more.

Yea, I'm trying to get FTPS set up instead of plain unencrypted FTP and that seems to be whats making BI unhappy. Thanks anyhow!

 

[dmcIPCAM]

One of my day jobs is writing C# code for automated FTP (meaning SFTP and FTPS) delivery of data. We use
a comprehensive .NET library called Rebex:

Rebex .NET libraries samples and examples - Rebex.NET

www.rebex.net

If you download their trial, you will find sample programs (in this case an FTPS sample program) that provide the ability to
connect and interact with FTP servers with a lot more interactive options (passive, ports, etc) and debugging output
than typical FTP clients such as FileZilla or WinSCP.

Sounds like you are stuck with a server instance protocol, but IMHO SFTP is more robust and easier to implement,
debug, etc. - if that was a possibility to change from FTPS to SFTP.

Lastly, I have seen firewalls not pass, or filter IP addresses, or otherwise alter FTPS connections, even though
there seems like a straightforward network path. Nearly impossible to debug without knowing specific
information about the various networks that the connection passes through.

Regards, and good luck.

 

[dmcIPCAM]

Yea, I'm trying to get FTPS set up instead of plain unencrypted FTP and that seems to be whats making BI unhappy. Thanks anyhow!

Please note perhaps relevant update:

5.7.9 - August 8, 2023 - FTP now supports TLS 1.3

5.7.9 - August 8, 2023 The FTP component has been brought up to date. It now supports TLS 1.3 as well as SFTP servers.

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