> Source: [sk38618](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk38618)

# sk38618 - What is FTP Extended Passive Mode (EPSV)

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk38618 |
| Date Created | 2009-04-14 |
| Last Modified | 2025-11-18 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Security Gateway |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20 |

## Solution

In a **passive mode**, the FTP server opens a random port (\> 1023), sends the FTP client the server's IP address to connect to and the port on which it is listening (a 16 bit value broken into a high and low byte, like explained before) over the control stream and waits for a connection from the FTP client. In this case the FTP client binds the source port of the connection to a random port greater than 1023.

In a **extended passive mode**, the FTP server operates exactly the same as in a passive mode, but instead of sending the FTP client both the server's IP address to connect and the port on which it is listening, it only sends the port number ( not broken into high and low bytes ) and the client is to assume that it connects to the same IP address that was originally connected to.

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