10.3.9 problems with FTP server - port not open?

Question

I have set up the ftp server in MacOSX Server 10.3.9 and I think the configuration is correct, but I am unable to access it from a client. When I check the open ports on the server from the client (running 10.4.10), ports 20 and 21 are not open, even though the firewall is not running. How do I open these ports, or start the server listening on them? The FTP server is running as far as Server Admin is concerned, although I have to say that I can't see a process in Activity Monitor with ftp in its name.

Answer 1

I think I might have got a bit farther with this problem, but this just gets me nearer to the problem, not to a solution.
When I stop the ftp service I get an error message in the console that says:
server servermgr_ftp: ftp config:Error:Unable to hup xinetd - pid file shows pid='(null)'
I believe that this means that Server Admin has tried to get xinetd to read its config file but since xinetd is not running (and hence no pid is available) it is unable to do this.
If I try and start xinetd from the terminal I get the following error message:
server xinetd[5484]: bind failed (Permission denied (errno = 13)). service = ftp
server xinetd[5484]: 5484 {init_services} no services. Exiting...
I now know that xinetd is the process that (amongst other things) listens on port 20-21 for an attempt to establish an ftp session and then launches ftpd to service that connection. At least I think that is how it works! Or should work...