Ftp not working

In the past few months, my FTP clients have all refused to make the final connection to my Web host. The software just seems to hang or stall. This happens with FileZilla, FTPSurfer and other clients. I can connect OK and transfer using the command window and the ftp command. However I cannot use the dir command. It lists the directory and then freezes.
I can connect and transfer on my Windows laptop using the various ftp clients OK.
I have contacted my ISP and despite their best efforts, they have not been able to resolve it.

So this happens on one computer, and one computer only? Not the other computer? Same Internet connection? Is it wireless or Ethernet?

I personally use and recommend WinSCP. Give that a shot once and enable session logging in the options. The Dev or others at WinSCP might be able to help. Index :: Support Forum :: WinSCP

Is Windows firewall and defender on? Perhaps they are messing around. Even an anti-virus software can mess up the TCP/IP stack.

Thanks for your response. I have used WinSCP on both my desktop and my laptop. As before, it works on the laptop but not on the desktop. The desktop is connected to the router via ethernet; the laptop is connected via ethernet or WiFi, and works with both. My Android Tablet is connected via WiFi and FTP clients work on this OK.

My Web Hosting troubleshooter suggested I try deactivating firewall, Windows Defender and Norton, all to no avail.

The configuration of the various FTP Clients is the same on both the Desktop and Laptop, including Port 21 on all.

John

But did you read the WinSCP error log like I mentioned?

It sounds like a TCP/IP stack mess up on the desktop.

Is the FTP port a standard 21 or 22?

Can you ping your FTP server IP from the desktop? Well, that is if your host doesn't block ICMP packets...

I think that I have pinned down the problem, and it is probably nothing to do with windows. When I log in with each of my three clients (on my desktop), it seems get as far as trying to list my remote directory before failing. This suggests that it is actually in contact with the server but failing at that point.

I then try contacting the server using the Cmd window and the ftp command. This worked OK, as did the cd, get and put commands. However the dir command listed the directory but then hung - more or less at the same place as the ftp clients hung.

Thanks to all for advice, but I now think that this is back to my FTP host help desk.

This still leaves the open question: why does it work on my laptop but not my desktop?

John