Anonymous FTP Access Fails When Access Reported Available

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

An attempt by a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client to establish a session with a Windows NT FTP server using anonymous connections fails and the connection is refused even though FTP reports that anonymous connections are allowed. When this occurs, the client may receive the following message:

   331 Anonymous access allowed, send identity (Email name) as
   password.

   530 User anonymous cannot log in.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because:

• The FTP client erroneously reports that anonymous FTP connections are allowed. By default, the Windows NT FTP server does not allow anonymous connections.

  -or-

• The FTP server is configured to allow anonymous connections but the corresponding account for the username identified for anonymous connections is disabled. When you select Allow Anonymous Connections in the FTP Service configuration dialog box, the default username is Guest; this account is disabled by default.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, either configure the Windows NT FTP server to support anonymous connections or use a valid user account to use FTP.

If you the Windows NT FTP server is configured to allow anonymous connections, ensure the corresponding account for the username identified for anonymous is valid.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.1. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.