pure-ftpd error "ECONNREFUSED - Connection refused by server"

I am trying to make pure-ftpd work on a Ubuntu 20.04 server in a multi-server setup. The server was setup according to the 'perfect server' setup. I can not get FTP working with the persistent errormessage "ECONNREFUSED - Connection refused by server" everytime I try to connect using a FTP client. Here's what I have checked sofar:

• A FTP user has been setup in ISP, attached to the correct server and website.
• pure-ftpd is set to listen to port 21 in pure-fptd.conf and port 21 is set in ufw.
  
• Port 21 can be reached from the computer I am trying to connect to the server (done a portscan).
  
• A passive port range has been defined in pure-fptd.conf (35000 35999) and this range is set in ufw.
• The TLS option is set to 1.
  
• Service pure-ftpd is running according to the command # service pure-ftp-mysql status.
• According to command # netstat -tulpn , pure-ftpd is listening on port 21.
• Tried various FTP clients wirth identical error message.

I can't see what I've missed and yet I can not get coonnections over FTP.
What could I be doing wrong ? Any help is much appreciated.
Erik

 

I also tried different portnumbers as well, this does not make a difference.

 

Thank you Thom. There are no such lines in /var/log/syslog .
Erik

 

Thank you Till and I checked that too. The 'server firewall' as it is called by my provider is off.
Erik

 

There are no errors in the output if I run this command. I tried a restart of pure-ftpd and several attempts to connect.

 

Yes, if I restart pure-ftpd and then do a status check (# service pure-ftpd-mysql status) I get a status saying it is running. Also, # netstat -tulpn reports pure-ftpd is listening.

 

Just tried #ftp localhost. Response: "ftp: connect: Connnection refused"
It looks like a pure-ftpd issue then.

 

I made a few changes in the config file: disabled anonymous FTP, added passive portnumbers and (as was suggested in one of the topics where the same error was discussed) added a passive IP).
I'm happy to reconfigure but will that override any of the customizations I may have made for other services? Can I force reconfigure pure-ftpd only instead of all services?

 

I have made some customisations in the vhost of one of the domains on this server. Can I safely reconfigure without having to redo those? And will this overwrite settings of the currently installed services? I.e., will I have to check all services afterwards for proper working?

 

Thanks for the warning and directions to a better solution.

 

that looks to me more like the ftp service isn't running.

try telnetting to port 21.