HFS doesn't work

[Babin]

Hi,

I used HFS like 10 years ago and don't remember any problems, but I'm trying the latest version now and it simply isn't working. It only works when I use my internal IP but that's obviously useless if anyone else is trying to download my file. The old version doesn't work either.

I tried the self-help thing but it just said it isn't available at this time. I don't know if that means it failed or that the feature doesn't work.

I did add a port forward for HFS in my router settings, not sure if I did it right but I haven't had to do this for any other filesharing app. Tried turning my software firewall off too.

Any help would be appreciated.

[rejetto]

Hi, if also the old version that used to work is failing, then the options are only
1. something in the current configuration is wrong
2. something around (not hfs) is wrong

Anyway, if it's working locally, then there is very little that you could set wrong in HFS itself to make it not work externally.
1. menu > accept connections on
2. menu > limits > bans
3. some scripts you installed, but hardly so
i can think of nothing else

If these are good, then i guess the problem is not HFS.


the self-test is probably not working/helping, sorry.
try using https://canyouseeme.org/

[Babin]

Error: I could not see your service on (my IP) on port (80)
Reason: Connection timed out

I'm confused, if port 80 is blocked then how can I use my browser right now to post on this site?

I did set accept connections to "any address", you say its not a problem with HFS but where else would the problem be? How do we troubleshoot this? I can upload files just fine on any other app, such as torrents, so why would HFS allow a variable in my environment to render it unusable? Is there an app similar to HFS I can try?

[Babin]

Ok... now it suddenly works. Weird.

Thanks for all the input.

[rejetto]

you are confusing YOUR port 80 with this website's port 80.
That means you are not reachable but that doesn't break the rest of the internet.
HFS necessarily depends on a lot of things to work correctly, that is, the operating system, router, internet service, etc. Thinking that a software is not subject to the environment is just false, and is false for any software.
Sadly HFS is not the easiest program in the world, as many other servers, and requires some technical knowledge to solve all possible problems, hard to summarize now.
I'm happy to read that it's working now. If you know what it was please share, it may help other people.

[Babin]

But accessing sites requires both inbound and outbound, no? I would assume that if I'm not reachable, then I shouldn't be able to reach the site, or at least the site wouldn't be able to access stuff like my cookies so would be partially unusable?

I found the problem, it was my software firewall. Normally, it should ask me if I want to allow HFS inbound/outbound access but it didn't. Then again, there were some, not many, but some other applications that still failed despite me giving the firewall the go-ahead, so I don't know.

I also didn't realize until now that I was talking to the admin of the site, I'm honored, lol. I rarely have much use for your app now but 10 years ago when I was a kid it was a godsend and worked flawlessly. To be able to share stuff without relying on some third party hoster was great. I don't know if it would've meant more to hear it then but at least you got my feedback now. :p

Take care.

[rejetto]

it's easy to confuse the necessary inbound traffic that you say, with the ability to "accept" a new connection (as a server).
when you access a website the connection is established TO the server, and that's outbound.
After the connection is established traffic can be in both ways. The problem is only at start.

I'm glad you've found the problem. You had declared that you had tried to turn the firewall off, but something must have been gone wrong with that.
I'm even more glad to read your kind words of gratitude.
Be sure to check HFS 3, it's under construction but very good already.
There's no "upload" feature, and some other missing, but I consider it already superior, and few people are using it.
https://github.com/rejetto/hfs

[Babin]

I see, so it's a certain kind of packets that need to be accepted at the start?

I do remember switching the firewall off briefly but this was before I made that port forward rule in my router so that could've been an obstacle. Also, the person who tried and failed to download my file was not a friend but a customer service rep so who knows what kind of strict security setup he had, not to mention the language barrier because I had to ask 3 times for him to confirm or deny that he tried to click the link.

Earlier, I had a friend test my link and he (along with HFS logs) confirmed that he got the download going when I disabled my FW but couldn't when it was on. I can also test my router port forward later to confirm if that too was obstructing anything.

I will make sure to grab your latest build, but when you say there's no upload feature, I hope that doesn't mean I can't share files, as that's the only reason I used HFS to date.

But yeah, I am glad someone is still actively developing his program after all these years, I rarely see that. There is so much abandonware out there, great programs that are not compatible with modern OS, closed source too so no way to maintain them, such tragedy. Can't understand people who have less respect for their own creations than I do.

[TEA-Time]

It's not really that certain types of packets are accepted.  It's that the router/firewall just knows to let the server you just connected to talk back to you on whatever port is necessary, which is part of the "conversation" that gets set up.

HFS is a server, not a file sharing program per se.  So yes, HFS 3 also serves files.  HFS couldn't exist without that capability.    By "upload", I'm sure rejetto means that the ability for the remote person to upload files to your server isn't implemented yet.

Btw, yes, rejetto is quite cool to work with.  He takes every bug report and suggestion to heart.  I'd reported an issue with an older version, and I set up an account for him to see for himself.  He was grateful I did that for him, and I was very honored to have the author of this GREAT program connect to my little ol' server. 

[rejetto]

@babin, "upload" means "to the server", it's user's point of view, so don't worry.
There are many good reasons for a person to abandon a software. People can't be hostage of a project, there's no blame in it. The good in open source is that the software won't be an hostage as well, and anyone could take it over.