# Solved: ftp from behind airport extreme



## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

I have set up a small network with three computers and a printer. I have two pcs running XP SP2 and a mac mini. 
The mac mini is not an intel mac but one of the older ones and is running os 10.5. All of them can "see" each other , share files and use the printer. 
I want to set up an ftp server on one of the pcs and have tried to do some port forwarding but am a pc person , not a mac person and this airport extreme N base station has me totally confused about this subject. I have tried several suggestions but not of them refer specifically to port forwarding for ftp. I am using cerberus ftp program and have used it in the past with great success before I got the airport extreme base. Can someone please lend a hand with this? 
Thank you very much in advance.


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

You cannot forward the same port for FTP to more than 1 computer. You would need to add another entry in the router for a seperate computer, and use the computer's IP addressort number for hosting another FTP.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

I only want to ftp out of one computer, one of my XP computers that is networked with the airport extreme base. I am just not sure how to do the port forwarding properly with the airport extreme base. Okay let's say I have PC1, PC2 and mac mini on this airport extreme base all networked . I only want to setup PC1 as the ftp server.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

If you're making outbound connections from behind the router, you don't need any ports forwarded. I do FTP from several computers here all the time.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Hmm okay I can do anything out. The problem is noone can use my ftp server. Noone can see in. I am sorry but I thought that meant I would have to port forward. I have several user accounts set up on my server with name and password but they don't even get to that point. They get several different kinds of errors when they try. It worked before I got the airport extreme base when I had a simple switch instead and/or if I connect directly to the internet but not with this airport extreme router.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

OK, for incoming connections, you indeed have to port forward. Try this tutorial: http://www.portforward.com/english/routers/port_forwarding/Apple/AirPortExtreme/FTP.htm


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

Searching for "airport extreme port forward" I seem to be finding only help for using a MAC to configure the router. I'm not sure the Airport Extreme has a normal web type interface as an alternative to a proprietary setup program.

This is one link that seems to be pretty general, and this one mentions FTP near the end of the page.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I guess you need a Mac to use this gadget. 

I seem to recall someone mentioning some kind of CLI to access this box.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Maybe this will help from the AirPort Extreme User Manual:



> *To set up AirPort Extreme using a Windows PC, you must have the following:*
> 
> 
> A Windows PC with 300 MHz or higher processor speed
> ...


I'm guessing that utility is to handle the GUI like a Mac.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

This Designing Airport Networks Guide has specific port forwarding instructions, see page 54 to start.


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

I once encountered a user here that couldn't even get to the configuration page from a MAC. If that happens, a factory default reset would be needed.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

I tried the first page Johnwill sent to me and I DO have a mac. I am doing the airport base configuring on the mac because I don't think it is possible from a pc. Unfortunately I believe my airport base is newer than that tutorial. I don't have the utility airport admin utility only airport utility and it looks quite different and there is port forwarding in there but again it looks quite different and behaves differently than the one in the first tutorial I was sent. I do have the latest version of airport utility and am about to try the other pages you have suggested. I will let everyone know how it goes... have my fingers crossed.. toes too ..


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

Can you post a screenshot of the forwarding page?


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=5158995 
If you would please look at the 15th message down on this page it would explain what I first used to attempt to do this. The tutorial there seems to be closer to what I have on my mac mini with the airport utitilty. 
Instead of using port 80 I used port 21 for ftp and of course added my own internal isp of the computer I want to use as the ftp server. I also did the part that is supposed to add a static ip address. 
It didn't work then. It doesn't work now though ...... hmmm progress?? my email wont' work now on my mac.. ROFL .. OOPS... I think incoming works but not outgoing. I am just wondering if anything in the tutorial on this page makes any sense to anybody.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I think I counted it as the 16th message, but am sure we're talking about the same one. 

You used that method to assign or reserve a static IP address for your PC with the FTP server, right? What is it? And then you forwarded port 21 to that IP address, right?

Now check that the PC in question actually has that IP address--

*Start, Run, CMD, OK* to open a command prompt:
(For Vista type *CMD* in the Search box after *Start*)

Type the following command:

*IPCONFIG /ALL*

[Note that there is no space between the slash and ALL.]

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter*.
Paste the results in a message here.

If necessary use a text file and removable media to copy the results to a computer with internet access.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

To set up a default host: 
1 Open AirPort Utility, select your wireless device, and then choose Manual Setup from 
the Base Station menu, or double-click the device icon to open its configuration in a 
separate window. Enter the password if necessary. 
2 Click the Internet button, and then click NAT. 
3 Select the &#8220;Enable Default Host at&#8221; checkbox. The default IP address is 10.0.1.253. 
4 Enter the same IP address on the host computer. 
Okay this is what the tutorial me to do but I do not know how to make the xp computer have the default ip address of 10.0.1.253 Right now it is 10.0.1.3
I will send the image of the screen of the port mapping page on my next message


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

Check to see if the ports are open. Download and install the PF port checker and check the ports.


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

catlady13 said:


> To set up a default host:
> 1 Open AirPort Utility, select your wireless device, and then choose Manual Setup from
> the Base Station menu, or double-click the device icon to open its configuration in a
> separate window. Enter the password if necessary.
> ...


This guide explains how to creating a static IP.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> Okay this is what the tutorial me to do but I do not know how to make the xp computer have the default ip address of 10.0.1.253 Right now it is 10.0.1.3


Do the ipconfig /all I showed in my previous post, but you needn't post it. You will need info from it.

In Network Connections right click on your connection - Properties - Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - Properties - Use the following IP address:.

Set the IP address to 10.0.1.253
Subnet Mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: whatever was shown in the ipconfig /all
Preferred DNS server: whatever was shown as the first DNS server in the ipconfig /all
Alternate DNS server: whatever, if any, ws shown as the 2nd DNS server in the ipconfig /all


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Linda>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

 Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ROCKY
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : vs.shawcable.net

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : vs.shawcable.net
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connecti
on
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0D-61-2D-1C-D0
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.1.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.1.1
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.1.1
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Monday, May 04, 2009 5:44:00 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Monday, May 04, 2009 9:44:00 PM

C:\Documents and Settings\Linda>
Okay this is going to seem rather disjointed because I am doing this from two different computers. The screen shot is coming from my mac. This is from my pc. I will attempt to change the ip address on the pc now... after I post all of this


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Okay I uploaded the screen shot of the port mapping page as per request


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

That screen shot says that you forwarded to IP 10.0.1.3. If that's what you did, then (at least for now) set that as the static IP on the PC.

You forwarded port 21 to the PC's port 1025. Means that if I tried to access your ftp server I'd type <your public IP address>:21 and your PC would be listening on port 1025. Is that what you want?


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Okay did as requested per last response and uploaded screen shot .. but port forward checker says port still closed. Hmmm .. I must have done something wrong.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

HI Terry .. I just changed it all as per instructions from Jason to hopefully static ip on the pc 10.0.1.253
I had it set ti 10.0.1.3 because at that time that was the ip address assigned to the pc I want to use as my ftp server. I was not sure if the mac was a "gateway" computer and if I had to set the static ip to its address and then forward to my pc. I think I had that confused as the tutorial I went by I think was using the mac as the server and not the pc. My mac mini doesn't have a big enough hard drive to use as an ftp server and I am not nearly as well versed on mac as on pc.


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

This is going to have to be my last post tonight, but we'll be back tomorrow.

Not sure exactly where you are at this point. The Private IP address shown in the screen shot of post # 21 and the IP address shown in the screen shot of post # 23 have to be the same.

In the screen shot of post # 21 the Public Port(s) is(are) what a user on the internet would refer to when trying to access you. The Private Port(s) is(are) the port your PC is expecting an ftp request on; I think this is normally port 21.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Okay they are now. I went back into my airport utility and changed the port forwarding to 10.0.1.253 and I have the private port as 21. I had no idea what to use for pulic ports so I picked a number.. My ftp server seems to have a range of numbers but the airport utility wouldn't seem to accept a range of numbers. Thanks a lot for you help thus far, all of you. I have a feeling this could take a while...


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

That screen shot you showed in post # 21 has, for example, "Private TCP Port(s)." I infer from that the capability of specifying a list of ports (e.g., 21,25,2345) or a range (e.g., 21-27). Did you try something like that?

Usually you keep the public and private port numbers the same unless you have a reason to use different ones.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Okay, I wasn't sure about the private and public port numbers. Should I make them both port 21? I know that in reading about port forwarding etc. for the program I am using ( Cerberus) in its advanced section it gave a range of addresses for passive port forwarding. THis is the page to which I am referring.
http://www.cerberusftp.com/faq/initialsetup.htm#Q2

I am just learning about networking and such. I've had great success ftping before but I had used a switch or the computer was "bare" on the network with no hub or extra router. Thank you so much for your patience and your help. I am in no great rush here and just want to thank you for taking this much time with me. I am trying to learn here as well. Everything I have learned about building and fixing computers thus far has been self taught ( often with help from this forum) and I read it all the time.
PS it wouldn't let me do a range of ports in the airport extreme which is what you see in #21 but it would in my cerberus ftp server program


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

Yes, they both can be port 21.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

HI sorry had some errands to run but have another question. When I set up the static ip address with the mac base station I used the mac address of the mac mini because that was what I was using to configure the base station and I had the idea once again as I stated before that it was some kind of "gateway" to the other computers networked with the base station. I THINK I should have used the mac address of the pc I want to ftp from. Am I correct here on this thinking? If so I do believe the mac address of the pc is the physical address I get when I did the ipconfig /all correct? If that is the case I have to redo the static ip address.
Then I have to make both public and private ports 21? 
Does this sound correct? 
Once again thank you for hanging in with me.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

I think I did it. I redid the static ip address to the mac address of the pc , changed all the ports to 21 and made sure the port forward address is the one of the pc. To check it I logged on with my laptop from a wireless line in my apartment building that is not secured. I wouldn't normally do this as I have my own wireless but I couldn't think of any other way to check. I actually managed to connect and download a file from my ftp server pc to my laptop. YEEE HAAA .. This should mean it works correct?


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I'm confused about the IP address of your PC (the ftp one).

Some router's have the ability to "reserve" a "dynamic" IP for a given computer. You tell the router that you always want it to assign IP (let's say, 10.0.1.253) to the computer that has MAC Address xyz (xyz will be the MAC or physical address of the ethernet or wireless adapter that is connecting to the router). Then on the computer the connections TCP/IP properties are set to dynamic addressing. If the computer is connected to a different network it will get some random IP assigned, but when connected to this particular router it will always get 10.0.1.253 assigned, and that address will never be assigned to another computer.

I thought, but didn't read at all carefully, that was what you were starting to do with the Apple Extreme router/base station/gateway/whatever it's called. If this is what you are doing the MAC address is that of the ftp's PC ethernet adapter: 00-0D-61-2D-1C-D0.

If the router does not have the "reserve an IP" feature, then you assign (as Jason and I both explained) a static IP to the computer. Whatever is assigned, say 10.0.1.253, had better not be in the Dhcp server's address range, 'cause if it is there may be duplicate IPs on the network and that will not work.

*EDIT*: Nuts; I didn't see your last post (on the next page of my display)


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Hmm so how do I know if it is in the DHCP's address range? 
And yup I do believe that is exactly what I did .. gave the mac address of the pc doing the ftp as the static address. I have two pcs on this network, the one that will be the ftp server, the one I game on and my mac mini. I do sometimes use the wireless for my macbook which does OSX and windows using bootcamp and upon the rare occasion my other laptop which is a windows laptop using XP. I do believe the the assigned addresses begin with 10.0.1.2 and end with 10.0.1.200. I am not quite sure how I came up with 10.0.1.253 for the static ip.... but it seems to be out of that range and is that what you meant?


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

There should be a DHCP or LAN page in the Airport Extreme that would show the DHCP range. If the last octet of the range ends in 100-199, then the static IP would need to be like *10.0.1.50, 10.0.1.94, or 10.0.1.253*, any number between 2 and 254 that is not in the range.


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Hmm I think this page may show what you are wanting to know.


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

You have the reservation set outside of the range, just like it should be.:up:


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## catlady13 (Aug 4, 2003)

Thank you all ever so much. ! ! ! ! ! . I was more or less told by the geeks at the apple store this couldn't be done and I am sure they were thinking especially by ME the little old lady. Well YOU proved them wrong. Your help was totally essential. My friend is right now uploading some files from my ftp server on that pc. I shall mark this solved. I am so happy right now I would do cartwheels if I wouldn't think I would hurt myself. 
Thanks again.


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## Jason08 (Oct 13, 2008)

Glad to know things are now working.:up:


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