FTP Active Mode Configuration

Set the range of local port numbers that a remote server can use

You can restrict the local ports that remote FTP servers can use to initiate data channels. These will need to correspond to ports that the router is configured to allow access from outside the local network.

1. In the main menu, click on Edit > Settings….
2. Select Connection > FTP > Active mode from the menu on the left.
3. Tick the Limit local ports used by FileZilla/FileZilla Pro checkbox.
4. Enter the bottom and top port in the range that you want FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to use.
5. Click on OK.

Configure the external IP address for your local machine

Before a remote server can send a request to open a data channel, it needs to know the external IP address of your computer. This is different to the IP address that it has on your local network, and it tends to change regularly unless your router is configured to assign a static address instead.

The easiest way to configure this is to allow FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to check with the operating system
to find out the current external IP address (default). If that doesn’t work, though, there are two other options:

• Configure FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to use a static IP address: only use this if your router and ISP
  support static IP addresses, and one is assigned to your computer.
• Configure FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to check a third-party website to find your computer’s external
  IP address.

To use a static IP address:

1. In the main menu, click on Edit > Settings….
2. Select Connection > FTP > Active mode from the menu on the left.
3. Select the Use the following IP address: radio button.
4. Enter the IP address.
5. Click on OK.

To configure FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to consult a third-party website to find the local computer’s IP address:

1. In the main menu, click on Edit > Settings….
2. Select Connection > FTP > Active mode from the menu on the left.
3. Select the Get external IP address from the following URL: radio button.
4. Use the default website, or enter the URL of your preferred IP address-checking website.
5. Click on OK.

Use external IP address for local network connections

By default, FileZilla/FileZilla Pro doesn’t use the external IP address for connections to servers on the local network. If you need FileZilla/FileZilla Pro to use the external IP address instead of the internal (local network) address:

1. In the main menu, click on Edit > Settings….
2. Select Connection > FTP > Active mode from the menu on the left.
3. Untick the Do not use external IP address on local connections checkbox.
4. Click on OK.