FTP and WPA problem

My Acer Aspire 3003 laptop works fine when connected using the inbuilt
Ethernet port for all applications including FTP uploads using SmartFTP or a
an FTP program built into some application software I have. When I fit a
Netgear WG511T Cardbus card this works fine for browsing and email. However,
if I try to use an FTP program such as Smart instead of the Ethernet card
neither of the FTP programs will work. I am using WPA with a 128bit
preshared key. This is true if I use the standard Windows drivers for the
card or the ones supplied by Netgear. I am running a fully patched Windows
XP Home and the machine has 1GB of memory. AFAICS there must be some
incompatibility be the FTP protocol and WPA but I cannot see why that should
be. I would expect the WPA protocol to be transparent. Any constructive
suggestions would be welcome as my Googling has not turned anything up.

Peter Crosland

"Peter Crosland" <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:

>My Acer Aspire 3003 laptop works fine when connected using the inbuilt
>Ethernet port for all applications including FTP uploads using SmartFTP or a
>an FTP program built into some application software I have. When I fit a
>Netgear WG511T Cardbus card this works fine for browsing and email. However,
>if I try to use an FTP program such as Smart instead of the Ethernet card
>neither of the FTP programs will work. I am using WPA with a 128bit
>preshared key. This is true if I use the standard Windows drivers for the
>card or the ones supplied by Netgear. I am running a fully patched Windows
>XP Home and the machine has 1GB of memory. AFAICS there must be some
>incompatibility be the FTP protocol and WPA but I cannot see why that should
>be. I would expect the WPA protocol to be transparent. Any constructive
>suggestions would be welcome as my Googling has not turned anything up.
>
>Peter Crosland

What maker and model router are you using? Extra credit for the
firmware version.

Weird. Try using the PASV mode for ftp. It should be a setting
(somewhere) in SmartFTP[1]. I don't think it will really do anything
but it's worth a try.

It would also be interesting if you tried ftp with encryption
disabled.

In theory, encryption should not have anything to do with ftp
functionality. However, ftp is unique in that the router has to do
something odd with ftp in order to impliment NAT. In order to
seperate mutliple ftp streams, the router has to sniff the payload in
order to extract the port numbers used. Ordinarily, the port numbers
are in the header, but not for ftp. It's possible that your
unspecified model wireless router is having a problem doing that.
Perhaps a firmware update might help.


[1] Beware of any program with smart, amazing, magic, miracle,
enhanced or other superlatives in the name. They rarely meet one's
expectations.

--
Jeff Liebermann (E-Mail Removed)
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> "Peter Crosland" <(E-Mail Removed)> hath wroth:
>
>> My Acer Aspire 3003 laptop works fine when connected using the
>> inbuilt Ethernet port for all applications including FTP uploads
>> using SmartFTP or a an FTP program built into some application
>> software I have. When I fit a Netgear WG511T Cardbus card this works
>> fine for browsing and email. However, if I try to use an FTP program
>> such as Smart instead of the Ethernet card neither of the FTP
>> programs will work. I am using WPA with a 128bit preshared key.
>> This is true if I use the standard Windows drivers for the card or
>> the ones supplied by Netgear. I am running a fully patched Windows
>> XP Home and the machine has 1GB of memory. AFAICS there must be some
>> incompatibility be the FTP protocol and WPA but I cannot see why
>> that should be. I would expect the WPA protocol to be transparent.
>> Any constructive suggestions would be welcome as my Googling has not
>> turned anything up.
>>
>> Peter Crosland
>
> What maker and model router are you using? Extra credit for the
> firmware version.
>
> Weird. Try using the PASV mode for ftp. It should be a setting
> (somewhere) in SmartFTP[1]. I don't think it will really do anything
> but it's worth a try.
>
> It would also be interesting if you tried ftp with encryption
> disabled.
>
> In theory, encryption should not have anything to do with ftp
> functionality. However, ftp is unique in that the router has to do
> something odd with ftp in order to impliment NAT. In order to
> seperate mutliple ftp streams, the router has to sniff the payload in
> order to extract the port numbers used. Ordinarily, the port numbers
> are in the header, but not for ftp. It's possible that your
> unspecified model wireless router is having a problem doing that.
> Perhaps a firmware update might help.

Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not difference.
I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware that has been around
for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should also have said that the problem
is also there if I use the WEP protocol. I have not tried with an open
network but will do so but this will not be a solution that I can use for
security reasons. One other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron
6400 fitted with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly when
running the same software. To me this would suggest that the incompatibility
is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is not a problem as both
cards connect happily at 108Mbps.

Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland wrote:

> Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not difference.
> I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware that has been around
> for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should also have said that the problem
> is also there if I use the WEP protocol. I have not tried with an open
> network but will do so but this will not be a solution that I can use for
> security reasons. One other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron
> 6400 fitted with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly when
> running the same software. To me this would suggest that the incompatibility
> is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is not a problem as both
> cards connect happily at 108Mbps.
>
> Peter Crosland
>
>
>
Since you mention connecting at 108Mbs I assume the WG511T is running in
"Turbo" mode. There can be problems if you are using a non-Netgear
router with the card in this mode, I would suggest you try reducing the
speed to 54Mbs and see what happens.

http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101268.asp

kev wrote:
> Peter Crosland wrote:
>
>> Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not
>> difference. I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware
>> that has been around for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should
>> also have said that the problem is also there if I use the WEP
>> protocol. I have not tried with an open network but will do so but
>> this will not be a solution that I can use for security reasons. One
>> other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron 6400 fitted
>> with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly when
>> running the same software. To me this would suggest that the
>> incompatibility is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is
>> not a problem as both cards connect happily at 108Mbps. Peter Crosland
>>
>>
>>
> Since you mention connecting at 108Mbs I assume the WG511T is running
> in "Turbo" mode. There can be problems if you are using a non-Netgear
> router with the card in this mode, I would suggest you try reducing
> the speed to 54Mbs and see what happens.
>
> http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101268.asp

Thanks Kev. I am beginning to suspect you are correct. The strange thing is
that it works perfectly at 108 on everything else but FTP. I note that the
current model of the card is the WG511U so perhaps this is a clue.

Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland wrote:
> kev wrote:
>> Peter Crosland wrote:
>>
>>> Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not
>>> difference. I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware
>>> that has been around for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should
>>> also have said that the problem is also there if I use the WEP
>>> protocol. I have not tried with an open network but will do so but
>>> this will not be a solution that I can use for security reasons. One
>>> other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron 6400 fitted
>>> with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly when
>>> running the same software. To me this would suggest that the
>>> incompatibility is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is
>>> not a problem as both cards connect happily at 108Mbps. Peter Crosland
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> Since you mention connecting at 108Mbs I assume the WG511T is running
>> in "Turbo" mode. There can be problems if you are using a non-Netgear
>> router with the card in this mode, I would suggest you try reducing
>> the speed to 54Mbs and see what happens.
>>
>> http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101268.asp
>
> Thanks Kev. I am beginning to suspect you are correct. The strange thing is
> that it works perfectly at 108 on everything else but FTP. I note that the
> current model of the card is the WG511U so perhaps this is a clue.
>
> Peter Crosland
>
>
>
WG511U? this:-
http://www.netgear.com/Products/Adap...rs/WG511U.aspx

Do you use data compression when doing your ftp'ing?
I have been trying to find a site where it gave a description of how the
"Turbo" system worked, I saw it a couple of years ago and now cannot
find it. I seem to remember that it used some form of compression to
achieve the data transfer speed and I wonder if you are effectively
trying to carry out a double compression of the data and this is causing
the problem, I have no doubt someone knows how it works and will
probably correct this.

kev wrote:
> Peter Crosland wrote:
>> kev wrote:
>>> Peter Crosland wrote:
>>>
>>>> Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not
>>>> difference. I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware
>>>> that has been around for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should
>>>> also have said that the problem is also there if I use the WEP
>>>> protocol. I have not tried with an open network but will do so but
>>>> this will not be a solution that I can use for security reasons.
>>>> One other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron 6400
>>>> fitted with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly when
>>>> running the same software. To me this would suggest that the
>>>> incompatibility is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is
>>>> not a problem as both cards connect happily at 108Mbps. Peter
>>>> Crosland
>>> Since you mention connecting at 108Mbs I assume the WG511T is
>>> running in "Turbo" mode. There can be problems if you are using a
>>> non-Netgear router with the card in this mode, I would suggest you
>>> try reducing the speed to 54Mbs and see what happens.
>>>
>>> http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101268.asp
>>
>> Thanks Kev. I am beginning to suspect you are correct. The strange
>> thing is that it works perfectly at 108 on everything else but FTP.
>> I note that the current model of the card is the WG511U so perhaps
>> this is a clue. Peter Crosland
>>
>>
>>
> WG511U? this:-
> http://www.netgear.com/Products/Adap...rs/WG511U.aspx
>
> Do you use data compression when doing your ftp'ing?
> I have been trying to find a site where it gave a description of how
> the "Turbo" system worked, I saw it a couple of years ago and now
> cannot find it. I seem to remember that it used some form of
> compression to achieve the data transfer speed and I wonder if you
> are effectively trying to carry out a double compression of the data
> and this is causing the problem, I have no doubt someone knows how it
> works and will probably correct this.

Not knowingly using any compression. In any case surely the transport
mechanism should be completely transparent or is this too simplistic?
..

Peter Crosland

Peter Crosland wrote:
> kev wrote:
>> Peter Crosland wrote:
>>> kev wrote:
>>>> Peter Crosland wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for that Jeff. I have tried passive mode and it makes not
>>>>> difference. I am using a Draytek 2800G with the latest UK firmware
>>>>> that has been around for ages and AFAIK is quite stable. I should
>>>>> also have said that the problem is also there if I use the WEP
>>>>> protocol. I have not tried with an open network but will do so but
>>>>> this will not be a solution that I can use for security reasons.
>>>>> One other clue is that I have now tried my Dell Inspiron 6400
>>>>> fitted with a Gigabyte internal wireless card and works perfectly
>>>>> when running the same software. To me this would suggest that the
>>>>> incompatibility is with the WG511T in some way. Signal sterngth is
>>>>> not a problem as both cards connect happily at 108Mbps. Peter
>>>>> Crosland
>>>> Since you mention connecting at 108Mbs I assume the WG511T is
>>>> running in "Turbo" mode. There can be problems if you are using a
>>>> non-Netgear router with the card in this mode, I would suggest you
>>>> try reducing the speed to 54Mbs and see what happens.
>>>>
>>>> http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101268.asp
>>>
>>> Thanks Kev. I am beginning to suspect you are correct. The strange
>>> thing is that it works perfectly at 108 on everything else but FTP.
>>> I note that the current model of the card is the WG511U so perhaps
>>> this is a clue. Peter Crosland
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> WG511U? this:-
>> http://www.netgear.com/Products/Adap...rs/WG511U.aspx
>>
>> Do you use data compression when doing your ftp'ing?
>> I have been trying to find a site where it gave a description of how
>> the "Turbo" system worked, I saw it a couple of years ago and now
>> cannot find it. I seem to remember that it used some form of
>> compression to achieve the data transfer speed and I wonder if you
>> are effectively trying to carry out a double compression of the data
>> and this is causing the problem, I have no doubt someone knows how it
>> works and will probably correct this.
>
> Not knowingly using any compression. In any case surely the transport
> mechanism should be completely transparent or is this too simplistic?

I have just installed all the software on another laptop using an internal
108 card. It all works perfectly! So It seems fairly conclusive that the
WG511T card is the culprit.

Peter Crosland