FTP, Port Forwarding, and Multiple Macs?

[GimmeSlack12]

I have 2 Macs at home that work fine with port forwarding at home, just not at the same time.

My router has Port 32 forwarded to Port 22 to my MiniG4's fixed IP and it doesn't work (for FTP access). Though when I change to Port 22 to 22 it works fine. The problem is that my iBook has Port 22 assigned to it, so I can't FTP to both computers at the same time (or when I need one).

Using SSH I forward port 31 to 21 on my mini and that works fine. And forward 21 to 21 for my iBook and that works fine.

Why can't I port forward port 32 to 22? I really hope that makes sense to you guys.

EDIT: Both machines all current OS X (10.4.10).

 

[kolax]

Lemme try and understand this - you have 2 computers you want to allow FTP access, and your router only lets you open port 22 for only one IP, not two. Meaning you can only have access from the computer that has that fixed ip?

I'm not too sharp with port forwarding but what FTP client are you using? I'm using Transmit and haven't opened any FTP ports on my Mac or Airport Extreme.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Pretty close. Both machines have fixed local IP's (192.168.1.x). When I access those machines from outside I dial in to the world IP and a certain port. When that port is accessed (32 for mini, 22 for ibook) the router forwards to that particularly machine.

The problem is that when I FTP to port 32 for my Mini it doesn't work. Just won't connect. Though FTPing to port 22 works fine for the iBook. Port 22 works fine for the Mini too (I've changed it to see).

The FTP program I'm using is FTP commander on my work PC. Though I don't think this is the problem.

 

[kolax]

Ah, so you are sharing the machines world wide - enabling you to get access to them and get files? Or have I missed the plot again?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Ah, so you are sharing the machines world wide - enabling you to get access to them and get files? Or have I missed the plot again?

You got it. Thats the whole point, works really well too. VNC and SSH to each machine works fine through this method of port forwarding. But FTP is a little bitch about it.

 

[kolax]

I always thought FTP had to use port 21, as that was it's reserved port?

Here's some useful information - scroll down to Connection Methods.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Yeah I confused SSH and FTP. I mean port 21 when referring to FTP in this post.

 

[kolax]

Opps, I forgot the link!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ftp

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Well it seems the problem was a simple one to fix. It was the FTP Commander program that I was using to access my Macs with. I switched FTP programs and now I can connect to port 31 no problem.

Solved!