EPSV command not supported

I came across this ftp error when i was attempting to store the dump image from several unix based machines onto our windows 2003 terrabyte server via ftp.

Whatever i do, the ftp session seems to hang on ls or dir commands. Any attempt to put or mput files only results in time out errors.

so i googled what other people have to say on the subject:

http://www.winguides.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=secwinnt&Number=136294&page=4&view=expanded&sb=5&part=

True enough, if i lower my defenses on the windows 2003 by turning off the firewall on the windows 2003 server, the ftp problems go away. If i turn them on, i find packets being dropped by the firewall. The solution may not be as easy as it seems, as every other access of the ftp client on the unix based machines will use an incrementing port number like 2874, 2875, 2876 and so on…so i cant really make an ‘allow’ rule for this type of access.

Will try to do more research when i have the time.