sending problem from mydomain (and some solutions)

[bm]

my isp suddenly decided 3 years ago they would only let me send using
their smpt (which has a number of stupid rules such as a limiting the
number of e-mails you can send to at once, but taht's another story).

this year they decided, au contraire that they would suspend smtp
service (for all but the one address they provide). On the other hand,
they allow sending from other smtps again. the trouble is how to set
entourage to do it.

for .mac
it works using smtp-authentication. in the accounts tab, i set
smpt.mac.com as the smpt server and set 'server requires
authentication'- typed in my .mac account and password again

for mydomain.org
it works in entourage X
so far I used my local isp, and after that smtp.mac.com with
authentication as above. (mydomain.org provider does not provide smpt
because they claim that most isps perfer people to use their smtp.)

BUT: after updating to entourage 2004 the smtp.mac.com returned an
error message.

failed workaround 1: smpt.gmail.com
entered smpt.gmail.com as the smpt from which to send from
(e-mail address removed) (with authentication, using my gmail password
and account.) it sends it allright. the trouble is, the message that
arrives looks like it was sent from my gmail account. ;-(

I gather there are services that provide smtps, but they cost a lot
more than a little .org can pay. suggestions for cheap workarounds are
appreciated.

 

[mmmmark]

..mac just must be configured wrong, as it is working fine with smtp.mac.com
as my sending server for .Mac Are you trying to send ALL your mail via one
smtp server? I'm not sure it will let you do that as that would be
considered "spam relaying" according to most ISPs and they disallow all
relaying to avoid the spammers.

I have my .mac setup with:

incoming: mail.mac.com
outgoing: smtp.mac.com

I have "server requires authentication" checked
I also have 3DES Algorithm under encryption

 

[bm]

sorry mmmmark

let me clarify:

- my .mac account works for sending and receiving. (yes, i have the
settings like you say, minus the algorithm).
- the problem is sending from an account of my domainname
([email protected]) .
using the .mac smpt does not work, nor my isp's smpt. probably, as you
say, both my isp and .mac want to stop spam relaying via their smpts.
however, my domainname host does not provide smpt claiming most isps
prefer that you use the one they (the isp) provide (as my isp did for
several years, in fact they would only let you use their smtp).

anybody knows help without spending a mountain of money?

G

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

Mac.com won't let you send ,ail unless it uses a mac.com address. Most ISPs
will let you use other domains, but you have to authenticate. Usually this
means set up entourage to log into the server - in the account settings,
click on the 'advanced sending options', then select the 3rd check box "SMTP
server requires authentication", and the second radio button "Log on using",
then enter your ISPs account name and password in the boxes.

However, if these don't work, there is a third way - use your own mac as the
SMTP server!

From Versiontracker, download a little utility called "postfix enabler":
<http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21479>

Then, with little more than a single click (the fancy customisation can come
later) you can turn on the built in mail server in Mac OS X.

Then, in the 'sending mail server' box in the account settings, simply put
'localhost' (without the quotes) or '127.0.0.1'

Mail will now be ahppily sent out without using your ISPs mail server.

There are shortcomings to this approach though - some (a small minority) of
ISPs refuse to accept mail sent to them from certain 'dynamic IP address'
pools. Most notable of these is AOL. So, if you have a lot of correspondents
on AOL, you need to find another authenticated mail server to use.
Otherwise, I have been using postfix for several years now, with only a very
occasional bounce back.

 

[Eric Tiffany]

Try authsmtp.com - it's only $25/yr and you can send using multiple "From"
addresses (up to 10, I think). Pretty reliable way to send as anyone from
anywhere.

ET

 

[Diane Ross]

However, if these don't work, there is a third way - use your own mac as the
SMTP server!

From Versiontracker, download a little utility called "postfix enabler":
<http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/21479>

I suggest checking out "Using Postfix as an alternative to Exchange SMTP
servers to send mail" by Corentin Cras-Méneur, Mac MVP.

 

[bm]

Mac.com won't let you send ,ail unless it uses a mac.com address. Most ISPs
will let you use other domains, but you have to authenticate. Usually this
means set up entourage to log into the server - in the account settings,
click on the 'advanced sending options', then select the 3rd check box "SMTP
server requires authentication", and the second radio button "Log on using",
then enter your ISPs account name and password in the boxes.

Well, this is precisely what does not work.
I've been all over variations of these options for 2 weeks. no go.

However, if these don't work, there is a third way - use your own mac as the
SMTP server!

I am considering this (see my response to another posting, below).
thank you so far!

 

[bm]

thank you all for your advice. you guys gave me several options-
Something will surely work.

* using another smpt taht will let you send from other accounts: tried
to set (e-mail address removed) account up with gmail smpt, with my gmail login
& password in the auth box. the mail gets sent allright, except it
looks like it was sent from my gmail account. maybe i can fiddle with
that? someone told me you can change the 'from' and 'reply to' line of
gmail.

authsmpt-
sounds the least painful...
do they have any limits on how many recipients you can send to at once?

godaddy-
I;m quite happy with my domain host (except for this smtp thing)- they
are non-corporate (an APC member) but just for espionage's sake...
how's godaddy's support? and how about webmail in non-english scripts?
i'm not interested in having my japanese e-mail garbled...

postifix

I suggest checking out "Using Postfix as an alternative to Exchange SMTP
servers to send mail" by Corentin Cras-Méneur, Mac MVP.

Thanks diane. you mean this one, right?
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/exchange/postfix.html
wow, sounds a bit more techy than i imagine myself, but i've come this
far, so i may well take the plunge...
one question before I get into this. It says:
"If the port 25 is open on your network (which is often the case)" -
how do I check if port 25 is open?

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

Thanks diane. you mean this one, right?
http://www.entourage.mvps.org/exchange/postfix.html
wow, sounds a bit more techy than i imagine myself, but i've come this
far, so i may well take the plunge...

No need to go into all that 'techy stuff' - Postfix Enabler is now available
for Tiger, so all you need to do is download that and click just one or two
buttons.

 

[Eric Tiffany]

No need to go into all that 'techy stuff' - Postfix Enabler is now available
for Tiger, so all you need to do is download that and click just one or two
buttons.

Right, but many ISP won't accept mail sent from a DHCP address. So if you
are trying to send from random locations (or from home unless you have a
static IP) then you may get hosed. For example, you can't send to AOL from
a DHCP address.

Postfix works in a pinch, but know that there are limitations.

ET

 

[Barry Wainwright [MVP]]

Right, but many ISP won't accept mail sent from a DHCP address. So if you
are trying to send from random locations (or from home unless you have a
static IP) then you may get hosed. For example, you can't send to AOL from
a DHCP address.

"Many" is a little extreme. I get maybe one or two bounces a year, and I
send a _lot_ of mail. I already mentioned AOL as the most notable culprit in
the mail to this thread where I introduced postfix.

 

[Eric Tiffany]

"Many" is a little extreme. I get maybe one or two bounces a year, and I
send a _lot_ of mail. I already mentioned AOL as the most notable culprit in
the mail to this thread where I introduced postfix.

I probably don't send as much mail as you, but my experience has been that
some mailers *silently* discard mail sent from a DHCP host, so that you'll
never know that you mail wasn't delivered (unless you check via some other
means with the recipient).

So you may be losing more mail than you think.

If I had a static IP and a real DNS MX entry, then I'd be using Postfix to
send *and* receive mail, but AuthSMTP.com is cheaper than what I'd have to
pay for a static IP (and I don't have a Mac that stays at home).

Anyway, I've been burned in the past sending via Postfix so I only use it
when I'm on the road and my other methods of sending mail are hosed.

ET

 

[bm]

wow, that's a lot of info! thanks you guys for laying out the pros and
cons...

i need this fix mostly to send my npo newsletter- there are not many
aol people on the mailing list, but people with isps in japan, and I
have no idea what the policies may be here regarding DHCP hosts.

I am looking for a way to send mail from on the road. i've been
plugging along with webmail, which is nice because it works everywhere,
but the spam deletion takes a long time, then when i get home i have to
sort everything into mailboxes after all.... so -
my needs, in sum:

- sending from (e-mail address removed)
- from home (and on the road if possible)
- without stuff going astray
- cheap
- painless

is authsmpt a good idea, another webhost, or postfix? if postfix, will
it work only if a port 25 is open on the isp?
would godaddy garble my japanese e-mail in webmail?
how about the gmail workaround that i mentioned above?

authsmpt is not as bad pricewise as I thought, but i'm having this
moral thing about - my isp screwed me by suddenly turning off their isp
service, and now i have to pay extra money??
there is also lobbying my domainhost to provide me with an smtp (they
may be open to that they said).