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SFTP Errors

This page covers common connection and transfer errors encountered when using SFTP.

Connection Errors​

"Connection timed out" / "Connection refused"​

The SFTP client cannot reach the server.

Cause: The connecting IP address is not allowlisted on the server's firewall, or the SFTP service is not reachable on the expected port.

Resolution depends on the kind of server in use:

  • Managed server (Managed by eCourtDate): allowlist the IP of the machine that connects. In the Console, open the server, go to the Security tab, and add the IP (for example, 203.0.113.10) under Add Inbound IP Rule. The server's own IP is shown on the server's Overview tab in the Host field. See Managed Server.
  • The agency's own server: allowlist eCourtDate's connecting IP addresses on the firewall or security group. The Console shows these under Whitelist IP Addresses on the server's Overview tab. Then verify the SFTP service is running and listening on the configured port (default: 22).

"Permission denied" / "Authentication failed" / "Server refused our key"​

The server rejected the login credentials.

Cause: Incorrect username, wrong private key, a password or passphrase where the server expects none, or incorrect file permissions on the private key.

Resolution:

  1. Verify the username matches exactly (case-sensitive).
  2. Ensure the password field is blank if using key-based authentication, and that no passphrase is set on the key unless the server requires one.
  3. Confirm the private key file has read-only permissions (chmod 400 on Linux/macOS). See SFTP Troubleshooting for Windows permission commands.
  4. Use the key format the client expects (.pem for OpenSSH, .ppk for PuTTY/WinSCP). See Authentication for conversion steps.

Console Messages​

These messages come from the Test connection button on a server page, the Test Connection button on a profile's Connection tab, and the server's Security tab.

MessageMeaning and fix
"Unable to connect"eCourtDate could not reach the server within 5 seconds. Check the host, the port, and that the server's firewall allows the addresses under Whitelist IP Addresses (the agency's own server) or that the server is running (managed server).
"Invalid SFTP credentials"The profile has no connection details: no server is selected and no manual host is entered. On the profile's Connection tab, select a server and click Save Connection, or enter the manual connection details.
"Host required"The server has no host yet. Enter Host or IP Address on the Settings tab of the agency's own server. A new managed server shows this until AWS assigns its address.
"Invalid IP address. Enter a public IPv4 address, such as 203.0.113.10 or 203.0.113.10/32."An inbound rule on a managed server's Security tab was not a single public IPv4 address: a private or reserved address, a range such as /24, or a hostname. Enter the public address of the machine that connects.
"The linked server is unavailable: it was deleted, or it has no host yet."Shown on a profile's Connection tab. The server it is linked to was deleted, or is a new managed server still waiting for its address. Select another server and click Save Connection, or wait a minute for a new managed server.
"This server is managed by eCourtDate, so its private key can't be replaced."A managed server's key is fixed. Use Download key to get it.

FTP / FTPS Limitations​

If the server uses FTP or FTPS (as opposed to SFTP), be aware of the following:

  • Passive mode only: eCourtDate supports Passive (PASV) mode for FTP/FTPS connections. Active mode is not supported.
  • UTF-8 filenames required: Filenames must use UTF-8 encoding. Files with non-UTF-8 characters in their names may fail to transfer or may not be recognized by keyword filters.

Getting Help​

To request help, create a support ticket in the Console: sign in, click the Help button in the bottom-right corner, and complete the Create a Ticket form (Region, Agency, Feature, and a Description). The current page is attached automatically, and updates appear under My Tickets in the same panel.

In the description, include the server name and Host, the connecting IP addresses, the full error text, the SFTP client and version, and the relevant debug logs.

Check status.ecourtdate.com for platform incidents.

danger

Never share passwords, SSH private keys, or private key contents in a support ticket or logs.