Unable to upload files via SFTP with Cyberduck

Question

I have a problem very similar to the question asked here, but the solution listed there isn't working for me.

Situation: I have two Mac laptops, an old Macbook Air running Yosemite with Cyberduck 4.1.3 and a new Macbook Pro running Yosemite and Cyberduck 4.7.1. I am trying to SFTP into the same server with the same account. On my old laptop, I can connect, browse, download files, and upload files. On my new laptop, I can connect, browse, and download files, but not upload files. I get a "permission denied" error.

Here's what I've checked so far:

• I have confirmed that I am using the same account, password, port, and protocol between the two systems. (I'm not connecting via SFTP for one and FTP for the other, for instance, or connecting with a lesser-privileged user. Since I can log in on both, I know that I am using the correct access credentials.)
• I have checked every CyberDuck setting line by line to confirm that they are both identical. (With the obvious exception of the software version. I know that I could update CyberDuck on my old computer and see if it breaks, but that's not the solution I'm hoping for.)
• I have checked the Network settings line by line, and the only difference is that the old mac happens to be using OpenDNS servers (that couldn't matter, could it?)
• this older question suggests that Problem is caused by macs MTU settings:

Settings>Network>Advanced>Hardware

Put: MTU:1400

but both computers are set to automatic (MTU:1500) and one is working and one is not. (I tried setting the new one to 1400 anyway, and it didn't help.)

If it matters, the server in question is a WPEngine hosting environment.

I feel like there is probably something really obvious that I am overlooking, but I've run out of ideas. Anybody else have a suggestion for something to try?

Solution

Based on the diagnostics you have already performed and the fact alternative FTP clients are functioning without issue the fault appears to lie in your current version of CyberDuck.

The change log for CyberDuck indicates that your version (4.1.3) was originally released in 2011 and that there have been significant changes to how the program handles SFTP connections since then. The most notable changes occur in version 4.5.

Although you have said you don't want to upgrade your version of CyberDuck, I would strongly recommend that you consider it, the current version (as of 2016-02-01) is 4.7.3 for OSX. Alternatively you could try another FTP client such as Filezilla.

Comments

[Burgi]

Do you get similar issues with other FTP software?

[buzzo]

Good question! I installed FileZilla and was able to successfully connect, view files, download, and upload, so this seems to be a CyberDuck-specific issue. The error message is "Connection failed. Operation timed out. The connection attempt was rejected. The server may be down, or your network may not be properly configured." So, on the one hand, I now have functional SFTP on my new laptop. On the other hand, it's still a mystery (to me) as to the problem with CyberDuck. (I mean, it's obviously not a network issue if one app works and another does not, right?)

[Burgi]

I would consider the option of updating CyberDuck. I know that it was an option you did not want to pursue but you have eliminated all the other possibilities.

[Burgi]

Looking at the changelog they have made significant updates to their implementation of SFTP since 4.1.3 which was released in 2011.

[buzzo]

Thanks, Burgi, I have switched to using Transmission, and I am thrilled with it.

[buzzo]

Thanks, I marked this as the accepted answer! (But to clarify, it was the OLD version of CyberDuck that worked. The new version, freshly installed on my new laptop, did not work.) I have switched to Transmit and could not be happier.