absolutenewbie question

[dylandog6]

Hello,
Please excuse my total inexperience on the subject,
and please help me if you can..

I'm using a netgear ng814 modem router and a static IP address.

I wanted to setup an FTP server to be able to work with my home computer from school (I'm a teacher)

so I installed SERV-U, and also Aceftp. I followed the Serv-U wizard instructions, then Port-forwarded my router for Port 21.

here's the funny stuff:
When I try to download something FROM MYSELF TO MYSELF = I open aceftp and try to download a file through Serv-U, the whole damn thing WORKS !
I mean: I get to COPY any file from my PC through SERV-U and into Aceftp ! So I thought: hey this is gonna work from my school ...
but when I tried to connect from my school to my house as an anonymous user, with the same settings I used at home when it was working, I got: "trying to connect", then three attempts, then nothing...

Now, I'd like to know why this happens?

What am I doing wrong?

What's missing from my settings?

Thanx for your help, and please don't laugyh too hard if I'm saying stupid things hehe

Dylan

[herura]

You do not describe the type of internet connection you have, so it might be that your ISP blocks ftp (and http as well) inbound connections that use the common ports. The way around this is to use another, nonstandard port, for ftp access. There is another reason you should use another port and that is security. Allowing anonymous connections is a VERY BAD idea, especially ftp. Your machine could be comprismised any number of ways using ftp. Also ftp does not encrypt files as they are sent so someone with a packet sniffer could copy your files. A better way is secure ftp.

You also do not state the operating system you are using, so I cannot recommend a program for that, Linux would be the cheapest way as there is free software to do this. For Windows, there might be software for this but I am not sure.

Good Luck

[Redwolf]

MAke sure you are loging in through the ROUTERS's IP adress and not the COMPUTER's. If you are trying to log into a 192.168.xxx.xxx adress, that will not work. It should be listed under the status tab (or whatever it is for netgear) what the WAN IP is.

[GroundZero3]

www.whatismyip.com

since you are behind a router, do you have passive mode off in the ftp program?