On Sun, 4 Feb 2001 21:19:33 +0000,
Howard Schwartz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> As I understand it, ESMTP (that is, enhanced simple mail transfer protocol)
> is relevant to our discussion, because ``unenhanced'' SMTP does not
> include the AUTH command. If you telnet to a mail host and enter:
>
> HELP <ENTER>
>
> you see a list of possible SMTP commands the server will accept. You
> need ESMTP to include the ``enhanced'' command AUTH.
Right. However, just because the mailserver is running ESMTP,
doesn't mean that AUTH is required. As has been pointed out,
it's optional and not widely supported.
> Again as I understand it, AUTH is supposed to work thus: Any one and
> any other mailserver can access a mail server that uses AUTH. If
> do not or cannot authenticate yourself, using the AUTH command, you
> can send mail ONLY to users whos email address is within the ISPs
> ``REALM''. If you want to use the mail server to send mail to destinations
> outside the realm, you must authenticate.
You must be authorized to use any mailserver closed to third-party
relaying, to send mail to destinations outside the "realm". AUTH is
no different than IP-based or POP-before-SMTP in this respect. It's
just a different way of doing it.
> Thus, any software and any person can send Sam Heywood mail, without
> authentication, if Sam is a customer of the ISP that includes,
> shentel.net. But, nobody but a verio customer, who is authenticated
> with AUTH, can send Sam the same email, using the mail server:
> smtp.veriomail.com
>
> try it and you will get prohibited!
Of course. But even without AUTH, I wouldn't expect to be able to
do it, since I'm not a verio customer. From my point of view, AUTH
doesn't stop me from doing anything I could do before, but is a way
of allowing verio customers who are not on their network to use
their mailserver.
It's still not clear to me why verio customers who are connected
to their network will have to use AUTH. Surely big ISP's run more
than one mailserver, and can accommodate both types of users.
By the way, how are you sending your e-mail now? Is SMTP AUTH in
effect and has your DOS software actually stopped working?
Howard E.
--
DOS TCP/IP * <URL:http://www.ncf.ca/~ag221/dosppp.html>
