in message
I am using windows XP SP2 and Outlook 2002. A couple of days ago,
for no
reason Outlook stopped sending e-mails. Receiving workes OK. Checked
settings
with ISP, all OK. Removed AV (Norton) from PC, no change. Deleted
and
re-installed account details, no change. Set up account details on
other PC
-same problem occurs. Wife (using same server) reports no problems
with
e-mail system.
The error message contains the code 0x80042109.
Don't describe error messages. Paste a copy of them in your post.
My guess based on the vague description is that you are attempting to
use an off-domain SMTP server; i.e., the e-mail server is not on the
network to which you connect to get to the Internet.
For info on off-domain port 25 (SMTP) traffic blocked to thwart spam
from spamming or infected customers, read:
http://www.commercestreet.com/Blocking_Port_25.htm
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/mail/pop/pop-38.html
http://www.postcastserver.com/help/Port_25_Blocking.aspx
http://www.aota.net/Troubleshooting/port25.php4
http://www.spamhaus.org/faq/answers.lasso?section=ISP Spam Issues...
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdewk/is_200406/ai_ziff129473
http://www.google.com/search?q=+block++"port+25"++SMTP++spam
One, some, or all of the following could have changed or are being
implemented:
- Your ISP (the network to which you connect) requires you use their
mail servers. They do not permit you crossing their network to use an
off-domain mail server over which they have no control and cannot log
e-mail traffic that uses their network. Usually this means they block
e-mail traffic using port 25 that targets an off-domain network;
however, it is also possible with protocol analyzers to detect traffic
is for e-mail and block that traffic. This is probably why Gmail
opted to force SSL connects because they use ports other than the
standard of 110 for POP3 and 25 for SMTP since everyone using Gmail is
trying to cross their ISP's network to get at an off-domain mail
server.
- The targeted mail server does not allow off-domain connections (or
requires non-standard setup of SSL, different port numbers, and/or SPA
to make off-domain connections). You are crossing your ISP's network
to reach the targeted mail servers, but to those mail servers you are
not on their network when trying to connect to those mail servers
(i.e., you are off-domain to them). You will need to check what
settings AOL requires for off-domain connections which could be
different than for on-domain connections. My ISP (Comcast) is like
that: while on their network, you connect to their mail servers using
110 for POP3 and 25 for SMTP but when coming from off their domain
then you need to use SSL, 995 for POP3, 465 for SMTP, and also use SPA
to connect to their mail servers.
- Some mail providers demand that the sending mail host have a valid
MX record in the nameserver ran by that domain. That is, the
receiving mail server gets a connection from a sending mail host that
wants to send e-mail. During the mail session, the receiving mail
server asks the nameserver of the sending mail server's domain what
are its MX (mail exchange) records. The domain should list in their
nameserver what are the valid mail hosts at that domain. Mail
originating from any other host at that domain is not authorized to
send mail from there, like from users operating their own mail servers
(often which are infected user hosts running trojan mailers). If the
sending mail host's nameserver doesn't list any MX records, or if the
sending mail host is not included in those MX records, then the
receiving mail server rejects the connection because the sending mail
host is not a valid MX host at that domain. AOL does this so maybe
your sending mail provider screwed up their MX records or forgot to
add one. Sometimes e-mail providers have reserve hosts for e-mail
that kick in when there is a problem with the primary mail host. Now
e-mail is coming from there but they forgot to add an MX record for it
in their nameserver (DNS server).
- Some e-mail providers require that you send before you receive.
Many e-mail clients receive first and then send. As a result, the
expectation is that the mail server will reuse the login for the
receive session also for the send session but the send session has to
be within a short time after the login for the receive session (not
from when the receive session ends). If there are lots of mails or
delays, too much time elapses and those login credentials for the
receive session are lost so you cannot send. The cure is to enter
your login credentials for the send session (SMTP) or to change the
order of sessions within your e-mail client (send and then receive).
Maybe I missed it but I don't see an option in OE (so it probably
isn't there in WLM) to change the order of the sessions (i.e., to
receive first and then send, or to send first and then receive).
Instead and when defining e-mail accounts in any e-mail client, I
always configure the SMTP server settings to require authentication
and then specify the same login credentials as for the POP3 server
(rather than say to reuse them). This means I have to twice enter my
login credentials: once for the POP3 configuration and again for the
SMTP configuration.
