Rclone FTP to AVM FritzBox not working

[Patrick]

What is the problem you are having with rclone?

I try to use rclone in Kopia docker container. Backup destination is a harddrive connected to my AVM FritzBox. FritzBox has two ways to provide the share:
- SMB (working with rclone but very slow)
- FTP (way faster, but still not working)

The file is transferred (I can observe it growing), but as soon as it is at 100%, it is cancelled, deleted and retried.

Run the command 'rclone version' and share the full output of the command.

rclone v1.68.2

• os/version: ubuntu 22.04 (64 bit)
• os/kernel: 5.10.55+ (x86_64)
• os/type: linux
• os/arch: amd64
• go/version: go1.23.3
• go/linking: static
• go/tags: none

Which cloud storage system are you using? (eg Google Drive)

FRITZ!Box 7590 AX (FW 8.20)

The command you were trying to run (eg rclone copy /tmp remote:tmp)

rclone lsd fritz:

-> Directory listing is working.

rclone copy file-example fritz:/

-> see below

Please run 'rclone config redacted' and share the full output. If you get command not found, please make sure to update rclone.

[fritz]
type = ftp
host = XXX
user = XXX
port = 21
pass = XXX
concurrency = 1

A log from the command that you were trying to run with the -vv flag

root@Hostname:/app# rclone copy file.example fritz:/ -vv
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : Setting --config "/app/rclone/rclone.conf" from environment variable RCLONE_CONFIG="/app/rclone/rclone.conf"
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : rclone: Version "v1.68.2" starting with parameters ["rclone" "copy" "file.example" "fritz:/" "-vv"]
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "file.example"
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : Using config file from "/app/rclone/rclone.conf"
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : fs cache: adding new entry for parent of "file.example", "/app"
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : Creating backend with remote "fritz:/"
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: Connecting to FTP server
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:21")
2025/12/03 13:47:34 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:35 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:53259")
2025/12/03 13:47:35 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:35 DEBUG : file.example: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2025/12/03 13:47:35 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:40387")
2025/12/03 13:47:35 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:37 ERROR : file.example: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:39379")
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:37 INFO  : file.example.1453a590.partial: Removing failed copy
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:50361")
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:37 ERROR : Attempt 1/3 failed with 1 errors and: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:34075")
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : file.example: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:34647")
2025/12/03 13:47:37 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:39 ERROR : file.example: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:37441")
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:39 INFO  : file.example.1453a590.partial: Removing failed copy
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:59423")
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:39 ERROR : Attempt 2/3 failed with 1 errors and: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:33887")
2025/12/03 13:47:39 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:40 DEBUG : file.example: Need to transfer - File not found at Destination
2025/12/03 13:47:40 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:32929")
2025/12/03 13:47:40 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:41 ERROR : file.example: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:41 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:42625")
2025/12/03 13:47:41 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:41 INFO  : file.example.1453a590.partial: Removing failed copy
2025/12/03 13:47:41 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: dial("tcp","10.10.10.1:35777")
2025/12/03 13:47:41 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: > dial: conn=*fshttp.timeoutConn, err=<nil>
2025/12/03 13:47:42 ERROR : Attempt 3/3 failed with 1 errors and: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/03 13:47:42 INFO  : 
Transferred:   	      150 MiB / 150 MiB, 100%, 23.499 MiB/s, ETA 0s
Errors:                 1 (retrying may help)
Elapsed time:         7.9s

2025/12/03 13:47:42 DEBUG : 6 go routines active
2025/12/03 13:47:42 DEBUG : ftp://10.10.10.1:21: closing 1 unused connections
2025/12/03 13:47:42 NOTICE: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid

This topic was already discussed here, but it didn’t help me
These “SetModTime” messages should only be warnings, but the process should work anyway, but I can not confirm. File is not in place

FTP - FRITZ!Box: SetModTime is not supported

STOP and READ USE THIS TEMPLATE NO EXCEPTIONS - By not using this, you waste your time, our time and really hate puppies. Please remove these two lines and that will confirm you have read them. What is the problem you are having with rclone? rclone reports "SetModTime is not supported" as ERROR in the console (and logfiles which are sent per mail) together with the FTP implementation of a FRITZ!Box. The synchronisation works as expected and timestamps look correct. So this is more of a cosme…

[kapitainsky]

@Patrick

rclone v1.68.2

Update to the latest rclone and try again..

[Patrick]

Same Problem with rclone 1.72.0

Very strange:

• FritzBox 7590 AX DSL version (FW 8.20) → not working
• FritzBox 6591 Cable version (FW 8.03) → working

[kapitainsky]

@Patrick

FritzBox 6591 Cable version (FW 8.03) → working

So you can use this one?

I have no clue about FritzBox but if one works and other not then it might be worth to report to them.

[asdffdsa (jojothehumanmonkey)]

@Patrick

Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid

might test --no-update-modtime --no-update-dir-modtime

---

@Patrick

type = ftp

fwiw, ftp is a poor choice for backups and rclone support for ftp has always had too many issues.
i would use smb to enable file transfer verification using checksums.
i have a howto about that - https://forum.rclone.org/t/how-to-access-smb-samba-with-rclone/42754

@Patrick

fritz

fwiw, plugging in an external usb to an internet facing router might not be a secure option.
can purchase a raspberry pi zero and plug usb harddrive into that.

[nwk]

Seeing the same error since a few days ago. Using rclone v1.72.0, Fritz!Box 7590AX using Fritz!OS 8.20. --no-update-modtime --no-update-dir-modtime didn’t help unfortunately

2025/12/12 11:42:22 ERROR : REDACTED: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/12 11:54:22 ERROR : REDACTED: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/12 11:56:54 ERROR : REDACTED: Failed to copy: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
2025/12/12 11:56:55 ERROR : ftp://REDACTED: not deleting files as there were IO errors
2025/12/12 11:56:55 ERROR : ftp://REDACTED: not deleting directories as there were IO errors
2025/12/12 11:56:55 ERROR : Attempt 1/3 failed with 3 errors and: SetModTime: 500 time invalid
Transferred:        2.599 GiB / 2.599 GiB, 100%, 2.516 MiB/s, ETA 0s
Checks:              2242 / 2242, 100%, Listed 5006

[nwk]

As a workaround, you can use the no_check_upload = true option in rclone.conf or use the --ftp-no-check-upload flag.

Interestingly, Fritz!OS 8.21 lists this in their changelog (https://download.avm.de/fritzbox/fritzbox-6690-cable/deutschland/fritz.os/info_de.txt)

- **Verbesserung** Verbesserte Interoperabilität zu FTP-Anwendungen (z. B. Filezilla) durch Unterstützung des MFMT-Kommandos

… which translates to:

Improvement Enhanced interoperability with FTP applications (e.g., Filezilla) through support for the MFMT command.

However, the 7590AX is still using Fritz!OS 8.20. I really don’t understand why this has suddenly stopped working.

[Patrick]

I have access to four different models,… two cable boxes, two DSL boxes… the problem seems only to affect DSL boxes.

Did anybody already test the “Fritz Labor” version fof 7590AX? 8.24-127390