FTP access to personal web pages site hangs

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

New Packard Bell PC (iExtreme Gold MC 1904). (XP Media Centre with SP2)
Unmodified.

No router. No network. Just a totally standard standalone PC.

Came fitted with Norton Security 2004.

Norton Parental Control is disabled (not needed in a two pensioner house!).

Added USB ADSL Broadband modem (Alcatel Speedtouch 330) and software
supplied by ISP - 500k access.

Internet surfing fine. E-Mail fine.

Trying to update my pages on my ISP's personal webspace (which I used OK on
a previous Win 98 PC) - impossible, cannot connect two-way with ftp site.

Using any method of access I can think of (WS_FTP [Home and LE], IE, Command
Line), absolutely nothing.

Even from the Command Line "ftp" - no reaction, no login page, no error
messages - nothing - used Ctrl-C to drop it.

ISP checked the account and confirmed the account access details, and it was
working fine.

Trying from another totally separate PC belonging to someone else and on
another ISP - works immediately.

It seems to connect from my PC and then cannot accept any response from the
ftp site as if some security feature is blocking it - but is it?

Have tried switching off (very briefly) all the security things I can see
around Norton and the Windows XP Firewall but still no-go.

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Been battling with this for a month
- reached the end of my rather limited technical knowledge
- almost lost the will to live
- what on earth can be going on?