PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working

wrx7m

I have the following FTP upload script that stopped working after a server migration and IP change.

$File = "D:\Data\BAUPC.CSV"
$ftp = "ftp://user.name:[email protected]/BAUPC.CSV"

"ftp url: $ftp"

$webclient = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
$uri = New-Object System.Uri($ftp)

"Uploading $File..."

$webclient.UploadFile($uri, $File)

It was run on a schedule to upload a csv file to a web server. I changed the IP address (obviously, not the one above). The username is now in a [email protected] syntax. After updating credentials, I get a 530 error (not logged in).

I am guessing it no longer likes the username and password as part of the URL. Any suggestions on how to modify this script?

And yes, I did verify that the settings work in FileZilla (I did have to change it to Only use plain FTP).

JaredBusch

Did the password change? Do you have special character in it?

JaredBusch

That said, I have never had good luck with the System.Net.WebClient back when I was developing.

I ended up getting the dll from this and doing things.
https://winscp.net/eng/index.php

wrx7m

@JaredBusch Yes, password changed. Only alphanumeric.

dafyre

If the username has an @ symbol in it, wouldn't he have to escape that?

manxam

@dafyre, I would have thought so because the @ is used for here-strings but powershell seems fine with them:

PS C:\Users\manxam> $test = "@"
PS C:\Users\manxam> echo $test
@
PS C:\Users\manxam> $test2 = '@'
PS C:\Users\manxam> echo $test2
@

JaredBusch

@manxam said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

@dafyre, I would have thought so because the @ is used for here-strings but powershell seems fine with them:
PS C:\Users\manxam> $test = "@"
PS C:\Users\manxam> echo $test
@
PS C:\Users\manxam> $test2 = '@'
PS C:\Users\manxam> echo $test2
@

But it is not powershell. it is System.Net.WebClient that is using it.

wrx7m

I am trying a winscp script. Haven't gotten in correct yet.

wrx7m

WinSCP doesn't like [email protected] syntax for the username either. WTF

dafyre

What version of Windows does this run on?

When i try to run it (Windows 10), it crashes on the $uri line.

wrx7m

@dafyre said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

What version of Windows does this run on?

When i try to run it (Windows 10), it crashes on the $uri line.

Server 2012 R2 (is where the FTP client/script is running)

JaredBusch

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

WinSCP doesn't like [email protected] syntax for the username either. WTF

because it is smarter and has credential variables to be supplied.

wrx7m

@JaredBusch So it looks like I will have to use url-encoding. However, I can't get this to work either.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/session_url

Pete.S

@wrx7m Why don't you just use the (built-in) ftp client in windows?

ftp -s:filename_with_ftp_commands

Run whatever commands you need for instance:

open 10.43.0.0
[email protected]
user_password
put D:\Data\BAUPC.CSV /BAUPC.CSV
bye

Do it manually first so you know it works then just put the commands in the file.

PS. Here is a list of the command in the built-in windows ftp client. https://www.nsftools.com/tips/MSFTP.htm

wrx7m

@Pete-S I used to have that setup, but there was something that happened where it got deprecated or something like that. can't remember now. It was a couple of years ago. I will try it again.

wrx7m

@Pete-S it still gives login incorrect

Pete.S

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

@Pete-S it still gives login incorrect

Then you probably made a mistake somewhere.
Login works here with a username in the format [email protected]. Win7 client connecting to linux ftp server.
So it's not the windows ftp client that is the problem.

Pete.S

It could be that the server is requiring a SSL/TLS connection.

Then it would connect over normal FTP but switch to encryption before sending username/password. But then all firewall rules and whatnot have to be set right and the client also has to support TLS for it to work.

Is it a windows server you sending the file to? Then check what ftp server settings it has.

dafyre

I tried using this on a local FTP server that I control using known usernames and passwords....

using user.name / MySecretPassword! works fine.

using [email protected] / MySecretPassword! does not work at all -- with the ftp command line, nor the .Net.Webclient for me.

wrx7m

@Pete-S said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

@Pete-S it still gives login incorrect

Then you probably made a mistake somewhere.
Login works here with a username in the format [email protected]. Win7 client connecting to linux ftp server.
So it's not the windows ftp client that is the problem.

The server is running ProFTPD. It is not running encryption, because I had to disable encryption in Filezilla in order to connect.

wrx7m

This server is managed by our web development consultants, so I told them what I had tried and that I was now out of ideas on how to connect. Suggested maybe they can revert to the old syntax, sans @domain.com for the user name.

dafyre

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

This server is managed by our web development consultants, so I told them what I had tried and that I was now out of ideas on how to connect. Suggested maybe they can revert to the old syntax, sans @domain.com for the user name.

It doesn't just affect ProFTPd... It also affects the FileZilla server as well.

wrx7m

@dafyre said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

This server is managed by our web development consultants, so I told them what I had tried and that I was now out of ideas on how to connect. Suggested maybe they can revert to the old syntax, sans @domain.com for the user name.

It doesn't just affect ProFTPd... It also affects the FileZilla server as well.

Thanks for testing that out for me. I appreciate knowing that I am not crazy.

manxam

I assumed this was somehow related to how auth basic allows you to formulate your login as :
user:[email protected]
Therefore, the @ sign is being misinterpreted when it's being provided in a username.

With that in mind I went searching the interwebs and came across THIS confirming my suspicions.

Can you try replacing your @ sign with the + sign and let us know if it works? i.e.
wrx7m+gmail.com

Pete.S

Where I tried and it works fine was Win7pro built-in ftp client to Pure-FTPd server.

The [email protected] type names are VERY common on cpanel installations. I think it's referred to as long-form username.
So basically it's used by millions.

wrx7m

@Pete-S Yeah, I am not saying it isn't common. I find it very strange too.

wrx7m

@manxam said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

I assumed this was somehow related to how auth basic allows you to formulate your login as :
user:[email protected]
Therefore, the @ sign is being misinterpreted when it's being provided in a username.

With that in mind I went searching the interwebs and came across THIS confirming my suspicions.

Can you try replacing your @ sign with the + sign and let us know if it works? i.e.
wrx7m+gmail.com

Thanks for the suggestion. However, this doesn't work either. I also tried %40 (instead of @), which is what winscp comes up with in its generator.

manxam

@wrx7m : Darn. Sorry

wrx7m

After changing the user syntax back so it does not include @domain.com, it started working again.

Pete.S

@wrx7m said in PowerShell - FTP Upload Script No Longer Working:

After changing the user syntax back so it does not include @domain.com, it started working again.

Good that you got it working.

I wonder, was the ftp server you wanted to connect to IIS on Windows or was it something else?