inetd does not work with any ftpd

If I ftp to my host, I can log in but I am never able to issue
the "dir" command successfully. In one configuration I can't
even login.

The standalone wu-ftpd works fine.
It does not have anything to do with /usr/sbin/tcpd (I omitted it
and got the same error).

- Ubuntu 7.10
- inetutils-inetd
- inetutils-ftpd and alternatively wu-ftpd
- ftpd is launched by the inetd
- uname -a
  Linux phoenix 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 21:45:15 GMT 2007 x86_64 GNU/Linux

1) inetutils-ftpd

1a) /etc/inetd.conf:
ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/ftpd <-x>
(with debugging option <-x> appended - can't remember the correct character)

1b) typescript
hans@phoenix:~$ ftp localhost
Connected to localhost.
220 phoenix FTP server (GNU inetutils 1.5) ready.
Name (localhost:hans): hans
421 Service not available, remote server has closed connection
Login failed.
No control connection for command: Transport endpoint is not connected
ftp> quit

1c) /var/log/syslog
Dec 18 10:32:27 phoenix ftpd[16818]: connect from ::ffff:127.0.0.1 (::ffff:127.0.0.1)
Dec 18 10:32:32 phoenix ftpd[16818]: <--- 220
Dec 18 10:32:32 phoenix kernel: [55185.727122] ftpd[16818] general protection rip:2ba4257e6b50 rsp:7fff861d14f8 error:0

1d) /etc/inetd.conf:
ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/ftpd
without debugging option!

1e) typescript
hans@phoenix:~$ ftp localhost
Connected to localhost.
220 phoenix FTP server (GNU inetutils 1.5) ready.
Name (localhost:hans): hans
331 Password required for hans.
Password:
230- Linux phoenix 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 21:45:15 GMT 2007 x86_64
230-
230- The programs included with the Ubuntu system are free software;
230- the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the
230- individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.
230-
230- Ubuntu comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by
230- applicable law.
230 User hans logged in.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> dir
500 Illegal PORT Command
ftp: bind: Address already in use
ftp> quit
221 Goodbye.

1f) /var/log/syslog
Nothing - of course. ftpd was started without debugging

2) wu-ftp

2a) inetd.conf
ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/wu-ftpd -ld

2b) typescript
hans@phoenix:~$ ftp localhost
Connected to localhost.
220 phoenix FTP server (Version wu-2.6.2(1) Tue Jul 31 23:26:09 GMT 2007) ready.
Name (localhost:hans): hans
331 Password required for hans.
Password:
230 User hans logged in.
Remote system type is UNIX.
Using binary mode to transfer files.
ftp> pwd
257 "/home/hans" is current directory.
ftp> dir
500 Illegal PORT Command
ftp: bind: Address already in use
ftp> quit
221-You have transferred 0 bytes in 0 files.
221-Total traffic for this session was 322 bytes in 0 transfers.
221-Thank you for using the FTP service on phoenix.
221 Goodbye.

2c) /var/log/syslog
Dec 18 10:47:31 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: connect from ::ffff:127.0.0.1 (::ffff:127.0.0.1)
Dec 18 10:47:49 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 220 phoenix FTP server (Version wu-2.6.2(1) Tue Jul 31 23:26:09 GMT 2007) ready.
 18 10:47:56 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: USER hans^M
Dec 18 10:47:56 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 331 Password required for hans.
Dec 18 10:47:59 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: PASS password^M
Dec 18 10:47:59 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 230 User hans logged in.
Dec 18 10:47:59 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: FTP LOGIN FROM localhost [0.0.0.0], hans
Dec 18 10:47:59 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: SYST^M
Dec 18 10:47:59 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 215 UNIX Type: L8
Dec 18 10:48:02 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: PWD^M
Dec 18 10:48:02 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 257 "/home/hans" is current directory.
Dec 18 10:48:04 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: PORT 127,0,0,1,231,243^M
Dec 18 10:48:04 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: refused PORT 127.0.0.1,59379 from localhost [0.0.0.0]
Dec 18 10:48:04 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 500 Illegal PORT Command
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: command: QUIT^M
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 221-You have transferred 0 bytes in 0 files.
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 221-Total traffic for this session was 322 bytes in 0 transfers.
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 221-Thank you for using the FTP service on phoenix.
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: <--- 221 Goodbye.
Dec 18 10:48:08 phoenix wu-ftpd[17245]: FTP session closed