Why does my FTP client timeout?

There are many reasons why a FTP client could timeout (fail to connect). One of the most common reasons is that port 21 is closed or inaccessible from your network. Below, we’ve outlined a couple of scenarios:

Public or Office Network:

Generally these locations will block ports that are not commonly used by users, these ports include FTP. If you find yourself using one of these aforementioned networks and are unable to connect, you may wish to speak with the network administrator to ensure that this is the case.

Home Network:

If you find yourself being blocked from being able to access your web hosting server, you may want to try a couple of items outlined below:

• FTP in passive mode – Please ensure that your FTP client is set to passive mode, as passive mode is needed to be able to upload and download files to and from your web hosting account.

• Firewall – Please ensure that you have disabled your firewall to check that you FTP connection isn’t being blocked by you local firewall. This firewall could be either on your computer or on your Internet router/modem.

However, if none of the above-mentioned issues resolve your FTP connectivity issue, you may want to get in contact with your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and inquire weather they are blocking port 21.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to get in contact with your web hosting account support team, and they will be glad to assist you further.