Python FTP Directory Listing Hangs

Question

After much searching on Google and reviewing many stackoverflow questions, I am still at a loss. EVERY method I have attempted to get a directory listing ends with Python sending two commands, TYPE A and PASV, then it just stops talking. Any suggestions?

My Python (2.7.6) code:

from ftplib import FTP

port_num = 21
host_str = "xxxxxx"
ftp = FTP(host_str)
ftp.set_debuglevel(1)
ftp.connect(host_str, port_num)
ftp.getwelcome()
ftp.login("xxxxxx", "xxxxxx")
print "==Getting DIR..."
lines = ftp.retrlines("NLST")
print "==Got DIR..."
print "Returned files list:\n", lines

The output:

*resp* '220 Microsoft FTP Service'
*welcome* '220 Microsoft FTP Service'
*cmd* 'USER c680-750'
*resp* '331 Password required for c680-750'
*cmd* 'PASS *******'
*resp* '230 User c680-750 logged in'
==Getting DIR...
*cmd* 'TYPE A'
*resp* '200 Command okay.'
*cmd* 'PASV'
*resp* '227 Entering Passive Mode (204,77,162,69,218,190)' Traceback (most recent call last): ...
    raise err error: [Errno 10060] A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond

What FileZilla says when it successfully connects:

Status: Resolving address of xxxx
Status: Connecting to xxx.xx.xxx.xx:21...
Status: Connection established, waiting for welcome message...
Response:   220 Microsoft FTP Service
Command:    USER xxxx
Response:   331 Password required for xxxx
Command:    PASS *******
Response:   230 User xxxx logged in
Command:    SYST
Response:   215 UNIX Type: L8
Command:    FEAT
Response:   211-Extensions supported:
Response:    MDTM
Response:    SIZE
Response:   211 END
Status: Server does not support non-ASCII characters.
Status: Connected
Status: Retrieving directory listing...
Command:    PWD
Response:   257 "xxxx" is the current directory
Command:    TYPE I
Response:   200 Command okay.
Command:    PORT 167,186,116,227,234,64
Response:   200 PORT command successful.
Command:    LIST
Response:   150 File status okay; about to open data connection.
Response:   226 Transfer complete, closing data connection.
Status: Directory listing successful

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 06 '15 at 16:29

FileZilla is using active mode (PORT), where the data connections are established from server to client. Your python code instead uses PASV mode, where the data connections are established from client to server. To use passive mode with python

ftp.set_pasv(False)

While usually passive mode is preferred because it works if the client is behind some NAT router (i.e. typical setup at home) it can fail if the server itself is behind some firewall or NAT device. In this case you need to use active mode.

Python FTP Directory Listing Hangs

1 Answers1