MFS_FTP Keeps Dying

[webwide]

I've been attempting to copy some tmf files back to my TiVo drive using MFS_FTP and it just isn't happening. I've changed network adapter settings from auto to full duplex, I've locked my Filezilla into Binary and single-connection mode and it still can't finish copying a single file without my whole ethernet connection dying. Speeds are around 500kbps until it dies, then no telnet, no ftp, no web and no ping. I have to reboot the TiVo box (HDVR2).

Yes, I have the Series 2 msf_ftp binaries.

Am I missing something obvious?

[SR712]

Tells us about your network, and your NIC.

[webwide]

Tells us about your network, and your NIC.

SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Linksys BEFSR11 Router
Netgear EN108 hub
Linksys USB200M eth-usb adapter

I've been telnetting fine, viewing my TiVo via TivoWeb just fine, FTP-ing ok, etc. I've even copied quite a few TMF files back and forth before w/ mfs_ftp. The whole thing with losing all connectivity is new.

[SR712]

Do you have more than one TiVo on the net, and are you using DHCP or Static IP? What version Tivo software? Have you updated mfs_ftp lately?

[webwide]

Do you have more than one TiVo on the net, and are you using DHCP or Static IP? What version Tivo software? Have you updated mfs_ftp lately?

Only one TiVo
I set the IP to 192.168.1.110
Tivo is at 3.1.1b-02-2-151
I had to re-install mfs_ftp after the contents of my /var/hack got blown away this morning, but the problem with losing connectivity started sometime yesterday.

[SR712]

Just to be sure, make sure the 4 binary files for the Series 2 Mfs_Ftp are correct. All of them are >600K each. Then I would power everything down on the net, and bring each piece up, starting with the cable modem, then router, hubs, PC, tivo, etc. I would also, if you can, put the two machines used for mfs_ftp (tivo and PC) on the switch/router. You'll get a better connection between them than with a hub. Hub will be half duplex.

[webwide]

Just to be sure, make sure the 4 binary files for the Series 2 Mfs_Ftp are correct. All of them are >600K each. Then I would power everything down on the net, and bring each piece up, starting with the cable modem, then router, hubs, PC, tivo, etc. I would also, if you can, put the two machines used for mfs_ftp (tivo and PC) on the switch/router. You'll get a better connection than with a hub. Hub will be half duplex.

yes, they are all >600k - I will try the power-down later but it is possible that my connectivity goes down only temporarily (5-10 min)......I will have to test that further later

[gtrogue]

This may be a bit OT but related. How do you shutdown msf_ftp without rebooting the whole Tivo? Whenever I use Fetch on my Macs I can only connect once. After that msf_ftp always refuses the connection. This makes it impossible to run the shutdown.txt to kill the application normally. It appears that Fetch isn't properly closing the first connection so it is tying up msf_ftp. I'd like to be able to kill the app and relaunch it without rebooting. Is that possible?

[sanderton]

This may be a bit OT but related. How do you shutdown msf_ftp without rebooting the whole Tivo? Whenever I use Fetch on my Macs I can only connect once. After that msf_ftp always refuses the connection. This makes it impossible to run the shutdown.txt to kill the application normally. It appears that Fetch isn't properly closing the first connection so it is tying up msf_ftp. I'd like to be able to kill the app and relaunch it without rebooting. Is that possible?

You can try telneting in and running the abort_toggle.sh script. Depending on how badly its locked up that might not work.

Your best bet is to either find the setting in Fetch to make it run single-threaded, or use a different FTP client.

[gtrogue]

Thanks sanderton. Is the abort_toggle.sh script specific to mfs_ftp or do I need to pass it parameters to specifically kill msf_ftp? Sorry if this is a dumb question but linux isn't my first language. ;)

You're right about Fetch. I can't seem to find a setup option to make it run single-threaded. Because of that I've mostly been using SmartFTP on my PC. No problems with it.

[sanderton]

It's part of mfs_ftp, should be in the mfs_ftp directory. See the readme.

[bfhmacosx]

Whenever I use Fetch on my Macs I can only connect once. After that msf_ftp always refuses the connection.

Had the same problem with mfs_ftp 1.2.9. Fetch 4.0.3 works for me when firewall prefs = use passiv mode xfers (PASV) is unchecked.

[rfc]

What version of MFS_FTP are you running? If it's q, go back to p. I had a similar problem not too long ago and this was suggested, and it has been rock solid since. I am looking for the thread now and will post if I find it.