SMTP server question

[Casual_Shooter]

Hi all,

We've been having problems with ATT over the last few months. If we send out more than 30 or so emails at one time (to different people), within a day or so, I get a message that our account may have been compromised and I need to reset the password.

First couple times it happened, I just went with tone of the message and reset the password. It's happened 5 times in the last two months.

According to the various support people I've spoken with over the phone or chat, there does not seem to be anything we are doing that would trigger this event. But they do say ATT is going through some sort of restructuring where random odd issues have been popping up.

Is it possible to run your own SMTP server? And if so, is it costly, technically challenging etc?

We are small all Mac office (scratch that, we have two PCs) if that matters.... 10 computers total.

[ldivinag]

it's simple. tons of SMTP software to run under mac os.

problem is that your ISP will be or is probably blocking the STMP port traffic.

port 25 is plain old SMTP
port 465 is SSL SMTP...

[stilly]

I would talk to your ISP and tell them what is happening and how it can be avoided. OR just ignore the message. THere are also bulk e-mail programs out there that will e-mail for you and they will do it a little at a time so that that does not happen. Not to mention there is also a service or webpage or two that I THINK might be able to e-mail blast everyone for you just give them the list of e-mails and the material to send and it is done.

[Casual_Shooter]

I would talk to your ISP and tell them what is happening and how it can be avoided. OR just ignore the message. THere are also bulk e-mail programs out there that will e-mail for you and they will do it a little at a time so that that does not happen. Not to mention there is also a service or webpage or two that I THINK might be able to e-mail blast everyone for you just give them the list of e-mails and the material to send and it is done.

Problem is that when I get the message, the ISP has deactivated the password so now I'm unable to check or send messages either through a mail program or the webmail and need to reset the password.

Talked with them the other day and they can't figure out why the message is being triggered.

Typically, the bulk mail programs (constant contact etc) are only for sending the same message to multiple people. I need to send a different email (an invoice) to each person.

In the end, I think this will all be caused by the changes at ATT. We've been with them for years (sbc, then yahoo, then att) and have seen issues come and go with no apparent reason.

Figure it's time to cut the cord from them.

[Casual_Shooter]

it's simple. tons of SMTP software to run under mac os.

problem is that your ISP will be or is probably blocking the STMP port traffic.

port 25 is plain old SMTP
port 465 is SSL SMTP...

Pretty sure we're using port 465. Wonder if I can use a different port?

I also have three separate smtp servers that are still active for sbc/ yahoo/ att. When one fails, it switches to another.

[the86d]

I don't know about AT&T, but VZ blocks (or throws into limbo if you are not paying for static IP service) incoming POP, SMTP, HTTP, and FTP on the default ports.

One of my Gmail accounts uses SSL for pop3, but it is set to auto for outgoing SMTP, so I don't want to change anything this early in the morning and then forget to change it back if something goes wonkie for a test... might be worth a look-into?

[Casual_Shooter]

Just checked our settings:

POP incoming (SSL/ password)
SMTP is using Port 465/ SSL/ Password.

[Mr.Pickles]

As I said before too many people that I know that have had your problem. The actual one it should be about 50 emails before Yahoo marks that count as spam. In reality yahoo is not going to do anything to remove this limit. They could have made the limit less. The only way I see that you could actually get around this type of problem is to actually have your own email service either hosted someone else are you hosting yourself. In the PM I sent you, call tier 2 ask the red does contact the Yahoo group and ask about what is the number that is currently in place.

Sent from the bottom of a pickle barrel.

[the86d]

What I am saying is that they might have a cap on theirs (your provider's, some have like a 10MB limit, 10 recipient cap?), but you might be able to use an alternative e-mail provider (such as Gmail?) over SSL, and your provider couldn't see the encrypted traffic, so it might just go through the other provider of e-mail just fine. I don't know if Gmail e-mail has a size cap, recipient cap, or anything, but it might be worth a try as an alternative,-test...

[Casual_Shooter]

As I said before too many people that I know that have had your problem. The actual one it should be about 50 emails before Yahoo marks that count as spam. In reality yahoo is not going to do anything to remove this limit. They could have made the limit less. The only way I see that you could actually get around this type of problem is to actually have your own email service either hosted someone else are you hosting yourself. In the PM I sent you, call tier 2 ask the red does contact the Yahoo group and ask about what is the number that is currently in place.

Sent from the bottom of a pickle barrel.

Hosting ourselves is the subject of this thread. Figured if it was easy enough to do, I'd cut our ties to ATT and set up our own SMTP server.

Someone from ATT is supposed to call me tomorrow. Their plan is to send out a bunch of emails when they call and then they will see if they can find out what is triggering the issue- according to "Albert", there is no limit. I'll ask about the yahoo group then.

What I am saying is that they might have a cap on theirs (your provider's, some have like a 10MB limit, 10 recipient cap?), but you might be able to use an alternative e-mail provider (such as Gmail?) over SSL, and your provider couldn't see the encrypted traffic, so it might just go through the other provider of e-mail just fine. I don't know if Gmail e-mail has a size cap, recipient cap, or anything, but it might be worth a try as an alternative,-test...

Understood... I have a gmail account so I can try using it's smtp server.

[MaHoTex]

I don't know about AT&T, but VZ blocks (or throws into limbo if you are not paying for static IP service) incoming POP, SMTP, HTTP, and FTP on the default ports.

It is easy enough to remap an to alternate port. Find some open source program on sourceforge, remap the ports and problem solved.

[cid`]

ISP's have stupid solutions to spam control. I have one of my customers onhttp://www.dnsexit.com/Direct.sv?cmd=mailRelay, its pretty cheap

you can set your mail server to relay through this instead of going out through att (they REALLY suck)

[the86d]

It is easy enough to remap an to alternate port. Find some open source program on sourceforge, remap the ports and problem solved.

I have no need anymore, but I know some DDNS resolvers (updaters? ) such as no-ip and others can do a port redirection, but I personally do not run an Exchange server at the house anymore... It's been quite a few years, I personally just use alternate ports on the daily, FW'd to correct port numbers internally, but not for e-mail servers.

[stonith3901]

Hi all,

We've been having problems with ATT over the last few months. If we send out more than 30 or so emails at one time (to different people), within a day or so, I get a message that our account may have been compromised and I need to reset the password.

First couple times it happened, I just went with tone of the message and reset the password. It's happened 5 times in the last two months.

According to the various support people I've spoken with over the phone or chat, there does not seem to be anything we are doing that would trigger this event. But they do say ATT is going through some sort of restructuring where random odd issues have been popping up.

Is it possible to run your own SMTP server? And if so, is it costly, technically challenging etc?

We are small all Mac office (scratch that, we have two PCs) if that matters.... 10 computers total.

Yes, you can run your own SMTP server. Just need to know and understand about MX and SPF records (those are actually DNS and very important in the mailing world). I personally like Postfix as my edge MTA servers. If you have microsoft exchange in your organization it would still be wise to use linux smart hosts. Anyway, SPF records should help you with your SPAM issues if you want to maintain your own SMTP server. Good luck.

[ke6guj]

It is easy enough to remap an to alternate port. Find some open source program on sourceforge, remap the ports and problem solved.

how do you remap SMTP to a non-standard port and notify every other SMTP server in the world that incoming SMTP traffic to your domain should be sent to port 2500 instead of port 25?

I guess you can use an external redirector like no-ip.com but how can a sourcerforge program on your computer do that?