On Thu, Jan 20, 2005 at 05:52:59AM +0000, Nick Smith wrote > my ISP just started blocking smtp from any domain not theirs, as per a > supervisor @ comcast they are blocking all mail sent from their clients > that are running a mail server and their outgoing email address is not a > comcast.net address, they say this keeps the spam down. ha. as you can > see they haven't shut me down as of yet, but they did shut down one of > my clients a legit non-profit organization, we are having to look into > alternate methods to get their email out asap. my question is, is there > any way around this? i don't think just changing the ports could work. > the way we had it set up before was that the smtp address was just > relaying through smtp.comcast.net, that is what they are blocking, they > can receive mail fine but anything they send is blocked and it doesn't > come back to them either as not recieved. am i just screwed and stuck > with another "feature" of comcast? i swear if there was ANYTHING else as > fast around here for the same price i would switch, they keep getting > worse and worse.
This is probably caused by 50% stupidity (thinking it will solve spam) and 50% greed (requiring customers to "upgrade" to a more expensive "service level"). I've heard of this "spam prevention tactic" before. How much do you want to bet that smtp.comcast.net isn't now a wide-open relay that will relay for *ANYBODY ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET* who uses/forges an @comcast.net email address? Comcast is already widely blocked because of spam from their dynamic IP addresses. If they're opening up their smtp servers for abuse, those will get more widely blocked too. So not being able to send via smtp.comcast.net will be the least of your client's problems. As for getting email out via smtp.comcast.net without using an @comcast.net address, forget it. I would suggest looking for a separate email provider. I.e. another ISP, who supports ssh-tunelling or smtp-auth or some other encrypted/VPN access. Yes, it will cost extra but so will a Comcast "business account" that allows non-Comcast "From:" addresses. I have ADSL here in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, but my personal domain email is hosted at clss.net in Logansport, Indiana, USA beacuse clss.net allows *END-USER CONFIGURED* spam-blocking *AT THE SMTP STAGE*. I get to pick and choose DNSbls and IP address ranges to block. Meanwhile, my outbound email comes via my local ISP here in Toronto. So I'm living proof that inbound and outbound email do not have to be via the same ISP. -- Walter Dnes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> An infinite number of monkeys pounding away on keyboards will eventually produce a report showing that Windows is more secure, and has a lower TCO, than linux. -- [email protected] mailing list
