How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco

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How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco

This thread has been locked for further replies. You can start a new thread to share your ideas or ask questions.
How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-21 15:11:00
Model: Deco E4  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.5.4 Build 20211101 Rel. 75384

Hi, recently I purchased a Deco E4 (no idea about the hardware version tho).
At home the setup is using a broadband router on the first floor.
I installed 3 Deco E4 on the first and second floor, the main deco is connected to the Broadband router through LAN cable.
Some devices are still connected to the Broadband router Wifi, and some other device is connected to Deco Wifi.

An android tablet is connected to Deco Wifi, and I usually access it's storage using an FTP Server from PC, it never had any issue when we are connected to the same Wifi (Deco + Deco or Router + Router), but when we are connected to different wifi, the device can't connect to each other.

Is there any way to connect these 2 device through different wifi? I also can't ping to the Tablet when I'm on different wifi. I also have tried using both Router mode and Access point mode without any success.

Is there any way to do this? Thanks in Advance.

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6 Reply
Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-21 15:59:12 - last edited 2023-03-21 16:04:25

  @Dualrifle 

 

Please if using deco in router mode and IPv4, check :DECO's FAQ You cannot hope to jump over NAT without doing port forwarding.  Anyway doing FTP over port forwarding can be tedious : FTP is an old, ancient thing from a long forgotten past and can create surprises if there's no software helper within the firewall doing NAT.

Another solution is to shutdown broadband router's Wifi as it is obsoleted by DECOs.

Another solution is to switch all DECOs to AP mode.

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Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-21 16:37:41 - last edited 2023-03-21 16:38:43

  @Eric_Le_Grompf Hi Eric, unfortunately I have tried port forwarding as well but it didn't work, sorry forgot to mention it earlier.
Maybe to elaborate, I'm using apps Called Solid Explorer on android which enable me to access Android device storage as a network hard drive in windows PC. The connection if I'm on the same wifi is something like "ftp://admin@192.168.xx.xx:xxxx/", after port forwarding, even when I input the Deco IP Address and Port, it's not working.

Also the reason why I still use the Router Wifi is because my PC actually has a better connection (stable with less Packet Loss) with the Router Wifi than with the Deco Wifi, eventhough the Deco Wifi is just on the next table on the same room, while the Router Wifi is on a different floor. The main use for the Deco is to bridge Wifi to all other device.

Edit: Tried AP mode with no success.

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Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-22 10:14:08 - last edited 2023-03-22 11:27:58

  @Dualrifle 

 

Hello,

 

As regard FTP, port forwarding needs to take account of the age of FTP. There's one control port (21) and one data port (one among the high ports). The data port is either "negotiated" in FTP active mode and simple port forwarding is quite impossible (unless the firewall embeds ftp proxy/helpers). the data port can be on a fixed port on the server when it is set in passive mode (no negotiation). Usually when dealing with this, i need to dive in the depth of all evolved software to be able to set both of them properly. It usually enhance my consumption of paracetamol(tm). This is why now i'm using sFTP : it looks like FTP but it is not. FTP.

 

Are you using same SSIDs  on both Wifi ? (just to check as it is one of the main reason of packet drop) wink

 

AP mode should have solved your problem as you'll get a flat network without routing, NAT or any firewall problem and by extension no need of port forwarding.  All your devices shall then be available through the same address range. IP renewal is needed all over your network beyond decos but it will only last 30s max on each device. That's real strange. If it is confirmed, it could be worth a bug report.

 

Another idea : your app is capable of sFTP which is based on SSH. It is secure (password or encryption key needed) and modern enough to need only the port 22 to be forwarded. (don't mix it with FTPS which is FTP with SSL/TLS). WEBDAV could be also a good  solution as this file server uses a web server on port 80 or any other one you could select.

 

 

 

 

 

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Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-22 11:14:39

  @Dualrifle 

Hi, Thank you very much for Eric's advice and it is very helpful!

To simplify the issue, it is suggested to keep Deco E4 in AP mode to avoid additional Port forwarding settings.

 

In this way, the WiFi of E4 and the broadband router should be under the same address range. After restarting the whole Mesh network, if the same issue continued, could you please help me check the following details:

1. I see the server address is ftp://admin@192.168.xx.xx:xxxx, you have set a password for the Android FTP server, right?

--Would it make any difference if you use  Anonymous access in Solid Explorer?

While, if nothing changed, can I have a picture of the error message when you failed to access the FTP server?

 

2. On the computer, are you able to ping the IP address of the Android FTP server when you failed to access the FTP server?

Wait for your reply.

Best regards.

 

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Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-24 02:58:01

  @David-TP

Hey David, I tried the AP mode too, but i still have the same issue.


I have also tried the anonymous mode, but it still gives the same symptoms

On both mode, the tablet can't be pinged when I'm on a different wifi. It doesn't have any issue when I'm on the same one.


This is what shown when I tried to access the FTP.



Looks like I may just have to change wifi whenever I wanted to connect both devices.

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Re:How do you allow an FTP transfer from Different Wifi using Deco
2023-03-24 03:39:25

  @Eric_Le_Grompf 

Hi Eric, thanks for the thorough reply.
I'm using different SSID name. I have tried the AP mode, but it doesn't seems to work.

At the moment, I have experimented with a few things, and I'm suspecting the issues may comes from the broadband router, because I can't Ping the Deco unit too.
Anyway, thank you for the support, I'm afraid I may have inadvertently wasted everyone time here

 

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