HELP-Zone Alarm, Smart FTP issues (here's the steps I've taken so far) Suggestions?

I have noticed other threads about similar issues, but none of the info has worked so far. So I'm hoping that anyone *bangs head on keyboard* can think of something different to help.

I run a website that requires daily updates. At this point, I can no longer upload anything using my Smart FTP program. After having that problem with McAfee Security Suite 2007, I uninstalled it and installed Zone Alarm, Free edition. I am still having the same issue; however. A problem I never had until I installed the firewall. I like Zone Alarm, but so far, have not been able to get useful answers.

Here are the steps I have taken so far:

• Read support boards for both Zone Alarm and Smart FTP
• Allowed Smart FTP permission to access the internet.
• Enabled Passive Mode in Smart FTP
• Changed Program Control to Medium in Zone Alarm
• Set Internet Zone Security to Medium in Zone Alarm
• Added my site URL and IP to the trusted list in Zone Alarm
• Requested help on support boards for both programs. (lotta good that's doing. Zone Alarm knows it's a prob but can't fix it)
• Even installed a different FTP program to try it, and it doesn't work either.

Other things to consider:

• I am on a 3 computer household network. My computer is not the main one.
• However, Smart FTP has worked flawlessly for a year and a half, and worked the day before I installed a firewall.
• Smart FTP WILL CONNECT to my website, and show the directories. It simply will not upload to or download from it.

Needless to say, I'm at my wit's end! I have gone days without being able to update my website. And at this point, I feel like I'm out of options.

Can any of you help?
Thanks so much in advance.

 

As you say you have tried another program we can eliminate SmartFTP as the source of the problem.

You say you are on a 3 pc network, are you behind a router? can you confirm the problem is specific to your computer or your whole network ?

If you are behind a router you should have enough protection to temporarily disable ZoneAlarm and try it then so we can see if this is the problem.

 

Can't find the thread but I believe it's around here somewhere, and the resolve was to use Comodo as a firewall, as someone else had the same problem.............I'll see if I can find it later and comodo is here at MG at http://majorgeeks.com/Comodo_Personal_Firewall_d5033.html

Found it and here is the link last post on page three by Shewolf http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=100172&page=3

 

We use a network hub. I know I sound like an idiot, but I do not know if that's the same as a router or not.

I am the only computer on the network that uses FTP or even has it installed. (Everyone else just uses theirs for basic word processing, bill paying, etc.)

I'm also the only computer that uses a separate firewall other than Windows Firewall (my windows firewall was disabled several months ago by a bug, which is why I began to rely on other firewall systems. . . and how I found this site, btw.) Anyway, after the Windows firewall was disabled, I began by using an older version of McAfee that came with my Dell. But when it ran out and required updating, I bought the new 2007 version. That's when I began not being able to upload with Smart FTP.

Since I never could get McAfee Security Suite to allow it; I uninstalled it and installed Zone Alarm.

To be honest, Matt . . . At this point, I wouldn't care which firewall program I use, as long a I have one and can still FTP. And even though I love Smart FTP, at this point I don't even care which FTP program I use.
I just need a firewall and FTP program that are compatible.

Thanks BC, I will try it. *fingers crossed*
*Happily heads there now, hoping for success!*

 

Re: HELP-Zone Alarm, Smart FTP issues (here's the steps I've taken so far) Suggestio

I hate to disagree with BCGray, he's a swell guy, but switching firewalls isn't such a great idea in this case! Every firewall will block certain ports and allow certain ports by default. If what he is saying is true, then Commodo will allow FTP traffic by default, but will block other ports, potentially causing problems for other applications!

Instead, you should learn how to configure a single firewall so you can get all your programs to play nicely with it!

Matt has given some good suggestions. If all your clients can access the internet simultaneously, you are almost certainly using a router, and it is possible that this has a hardware firewall built in, which could be causing the issue. Checking if other clients had FTP access would eliminate this suspicion, and confirm that it is a problem with the local machine!

 

Re: HELP-Zone Alarm, Smart FTP issues (here's the steps I've taken so far) Suggestio

LOL . . . That's the goal. There has to be something I can do with Zone Alarm that will make this work. Or if not, the McAfee I paid $90 for.

So you think that I should install Smart FTP on one of the other machines and see? I'll try it later today.

How can I tell if the hub has it's own firewall built in?

Also, here is a new twist.
I used the FTP right before installing McAfee. It stopped with McAfee and no amount of trying to configure it would help. Not even insuring that Ports 20-21 and port 80 were open. So I uninstalled it and installed Zone Alarm.

After installing zone alarm, it still did not work. However, I did a little maintenance: cleaned out the cache, ran Registry Mechanic, configured it to passive mode, allowing the ftp program access to the internet, and did something I found on this site, where you go into your "dos" area and clean out all the old crap (wish I could remember, because I want to try it again). . . . and rebooted. At that point, my Smart FTP started working. I was a happy little clam. Did a little work, locked up the internet connection and went to bed.

Next day, FTP doesn't work again. I tried installing a new updated version of Smart FTP, hoping that the reinstall would take care of whatever change the firewalls did to the program. Nope.

Installed a new FTP program. (another brand) Nope.

No FTP program has worked since. Either of them. (Like I said earlier, they do connect to the server. They just won't upload or download.)

Now, I have uninstalled Zone Alarm. And tried to use BOTH ftp programs with no firewall running. (Although CounterSpy is on the computer, it was disabled.)

And guess what? FTP still not working . . . giving me the "transfer failed" message.
LOL

Anyway, I know this is long, but I'm trying to give you everything I know.

Because of all this, I have a couple of questions.

1. Could one of the firewalls have changed something in my computer that has stayed changed, even though the firewall has now been uninstalled?

2. If I have another firewall on here, even if it is disabled, could it affect programs running?

3. How do I make sure if I delete all the firewalls and start over . . . that every little remnant of the program is gone and no longer affecting the computer?

Right now, I am running Sophos Anti-Rootkill and I just ran Registry Mechanic. I am hoping that if there is a registry change that the firewalls left behind, I can kill it and start fresh.

At this point, I'm just trying trial and error, guys.

I'm so sorry I'm a difficult subject.
I've just been dealing with this for about 4 days now, researching, trying things, before I wanted to bother anyone with it.

 

Good Points,........ one that all of us have failed to mention is that after Uninstalling just about anything now you should use a "Registry" cleaner to get rid of the stuff that "Uninstall" leaves behind a good one is CCleaner........The first icon is for cleaning cookies and temp files the second Icon "Issues" will clean your registry, you may have to do this more than once, and yes you should always use the backup option........with some programs even CCleaner will not get rid of all the registry items and I use Regseeker as well in that case CCleaner is available here at Major Geeks http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4191.html as for Mada's good advice about Comodo blocking ports, according to shewolf that was not the case with Comodo, but Mada is more knowledgeable on most Computer issues than I, so you might want to try both approach's and let us know. Hope that Helps

 

Re: HELP-Zone Alarm, Smart FTP issues (here's the steps I've taken so far) Suggestio

Thanks, BC. I found CCleaner on this site a couple of days ago, and I had been using it, but . . . only the cookies and temp files. I had not even noticed the "Issues" button. LOL . . . So thanks so much for mentioning that. After reading your thread, I went back and cleaned the "issues". It found 131.
Then I used Registry Mechanic. Rebooted. And my FTP seems to be uploading now. It is only uploading one file at a time. If I try to batch upload, it still fails . . . but at this point, I'm just so happy that I can make updates my site, I'm willing to take the extra time to do it page by page. LOL . . .

Thank you all. I'm not sure exactly which of these items made it start working. But at this point, I'll take it.

Thanks also for the heads up on Comodo. Right now, I'm still using CounterSpy, and have not installed Comodo yet. But that's because I wanted to clean all the remnants of other programs out of my computer before installing a new firewall. And once I did, and it started working, I didn't want to risk playing around with something new. LOL . . . I am glad, however, to know about the program, because I had never heard of it. And will keep it in mind if I need a new firewall in the future.

 

Hey glad WE all could help a little, usually the solution is found in more than one helpful post, and that is what is great about Major Geeks. Happy Surfing phylissmc, and Thanks for the update

 

@phyllismc : I used to use ZoneAlarm ( Free version ) as well, until one day it started to act weird. The title bars and stuff looked more like Windows 98 , rather than Windows XP titlebars.

So , I removed it and now using the firewall that is built-in in my Panda Platinum Internet Security 2006.