Can't connect to FTP while tethering with EE Sim.

[Junction10]

Ok - I know I'm not alone in this.

A couple of nights ago I was trying to send photos from a remote location via FTP - from my Macbook, which was using my iphone's personal hotspot for internet connection. I kept getting FTP error 229 (blocked network port). I couldn't connect at all to my agency's FTP site, but eventually managed to connect to a slow WIFI hotspot and send them via wifi.

I tried when I got home, thinking it may have been a local cell issue, but the same thing happens. 

I tried my son's iphone, on the Three network, and connected my macbook via his personal hotspot, and managed to connect to FTP just fine - so it's not my Macbook.

Then I took his Three sim and put it in my iphone, and managed to connect to FTP through that - so it's not my phone.

I then put my sim in HIS phone, and that also didn't work - while it had worked with his Three sim - so it all points to the SIM or my EE account restricting FTP access.

I've seen a lot of other press photographers in various forums all complaining about this as well..  

I've spent a day and a half with EE tech support trying to resolve it and now they're at the point saying they can't continue to try to resolve it until I erase and reset my phone completely and restoring from a backup.

I'm not doing that. I've already established it's not an issue with the phone, as a Three sim works. Besides which - if there is any corruption, it will be there in the backup and simply restored again - but I'll still have the inconvenience of having to reset all my banking apps and authentication etc..  

I'm going to nip into an EE shop and try a new SIM today, but if that doesn't work it looks like I'll be leaving EE and going back to Three..  😞

[Junction10]

James - 

Steven at Level 2 tech support has been dealing with it and relaying info to and from the engineers..  but I think I've found the issue...

It looks like between November 28 last year, and Feb 18 - EE switched my personal hotspot to IPv6 instead of IPv4...  The FTP uploader in the software I was using requires IPv4.
It does have a separate module for IPv6 support, and I can confirm THAT works, but it's important to bear in mind that not all software supports IPv6 yet - so it's something to be aware of, if other people report the same issue.. 

J

[James_B]

Thanks for the update @Junction10 

I'm happy you were able to identify the issue. 🙂

James

[NotEEasy]

I have been having a similar issue over a similar period, although not through tethering, just trying to FTP using FTP software on my phone via the EE network. The same FTP settings work OK by wi-fi, they work OK with SIMs for other networks, but not using EE. It  is interesting to read the reason is down to EE after much time spent trying to investigate the issue. However, the fact that EE has upgraded apparently without providing backward compatibility for the only suitable software currently available to me, doesn’t help me solve the issue.

[sinister]

From what I've learned from other photographers who need to wire pictures over ftp but now can't using ee, it's all down to ee changing some IPv6-IPv4 protocols that create an error when trying to connect. Some more tech minded have managed a work around but it seems most are just going to another network as its easier, more on this thread,

[cmpwat]

Hey Junction10,

Is the issue you were experiencing with FTP via PhotoMechanic or another FTP application?

Having the same issue with the 5G mobile router, and was going to try the v6 option for upload this evening.

[Junction10]

Hi - yes, the V6 uploader should work.. prepare before your job though as you will need to set up the FTP connection details again in the v6 uploader - you can’t copy the password across.. so make sure you don’t get caught out when trying to upload in a hurry.

J

[cmpwat]

Thats brill, thanks for the info.

I was beginning to pull my hair out.... what makes it works is FileZilla works with no issues!

[Junction10]

There are a few FTP clients that support IPv6 but surprisingly some that have no plans to..
when I spoke to Binary Nights about Forklift’s FTP not working with it, they said they had no plans to implement IPv6.. which was disappointing.

[Bernard1936]

It is because EE have changed the IPv4 to 6  so it won’t connect to ftp I asked could they change it back and they said no

[Bernard1936]

 No other route, I got sent a new sim but no difference