idnet.com mail server....

[Steve]

I suppose the temporary blocking of the offending mail server is the only way to control the spread of this type of spam, also it just shows that relying on one smtp server is going to leave you high and dry occasionally.

[davej99]

I suppose the temporary blocking of the offending mail server is the only way to control the spread of this type of spam, also it just shows that relying on one smtp server is going to leave you high and dry occasionally.

Thats a good point, Steve, which I had not thought of. I do have a gmail account. I just thought it funny that gmail, hotmail etc. do not get blocked. Seems a crude weapon aimed at hitting their competitors.

[Steve]

It does seem as if they pick on the little guys,would Google block Hotmail and vice versa or is webmail less vulnerable than POP in these situations

[camdave]

Email has been fine since yesterday but I do wonder if any emails 'get lost' when these problems arise. Thing is, you would never know if it was not an email you were expecting. The same thing applies to the postal service I suppose if there is a strike or something.

[esh]

If you are sending important work related emails, always enable email receipts (though this requires the other person enabling acknowledgement of it also).

[Simon]

Yes, I've always doubted the value of email receipt requests, given that they can be ignored by the recipient.  I've done it myself!

[Bill]

Yes, I've always doubted the value of email receipt requests, given that they can be ignored by the recipient.

And that it depends on the email client at the other end... it can be made more reliable with a local web server, a graphic in the sig and a monitor on the server log, but even that isn't 100% foolproof and it's a lot of bother

[jupiter]

After some years with unchanged settings, using Thunderbird to check idnet and gmail email accounts and sending everything via smtp.idnet.com, yesterday the server rejected attempts to send @gmail.com emails.  @idnet.com emails are sending normally.

Error message reads:
"mail server responded 5.7.1. Sender address rejected. Please use Google's outgoing mail server"

Using Windows 7 with Thunderbird 3.1.

I can work around by changing the smtp server to Google's for my gmail addresses, but why has the previously straightforward method suddenly stopped working?  Is it related to the problems in this thread?

Or has my Grandmother's curse really come to pass!

[rommers]

I'm getting the same problem as jupiter, but with a yahoo email account.

"    554 5.7.1  Sender address rejected: Please use Yahoos outgoing mail servers"

Is this a new problem or part of this ongoing one?

[pctech]

Looks like an anti spam, IDnet have obviously programmed the servers to return that message in the event of parsing a yahoo.com/.co.uk from address as these are the scammers favourite providers.

[Steve]

I wouldn't disagree and seems a sensible decision but I have not seen any announcement from IDNet re a change of policy regarding the use of the smtp server

[pctech]

Perhaps they've detected some compromised machines on the network and are the process of trying to contact the customers?

[jimc]

Error message reads:
"mail server responded 5.7.1. Sender address rejected. Please use Google's outgoing mail server"

I have just started getting this today with my thunderbird client , switched to google smtp and all ok
is this going to be a permanent thing.

regards
Jim

[Steve]

I don't think we'll find out until next week.

[jupiter]

Had confirmation today by email from support that smtp.idnet will no longer send emails from "gmail type" addresses.
This is because of amounts of spam.
It will mean resetting your email client to use the appropriate gmail or other smtp server for those addresses.
No change needed of course for sending @idnet emails.

[Simon]

Thanks for the information. 

[Steve]

Seems a sensible decision,why get blamed for someone else's spam.

[kinmel]

And that it depends on the email client at the other end... it can be made more reliable with a local web server, a graphic in the sig and a monitor on the server log, but even that isn't 100% foolproof and it's a lot of bother

Thunderbird let's the user decide on whether remote images are  loaded, or not.  I have it set to "ask", it is amazing how many spam emails have remote images

Had confirmation today by email from support that smtp.idnet will no longer send emails from "gmail type" addresses.
This is because of amounts of spam.
It will mean resetting your email client to use the appropriate gmail or other smtp server for those addresses.
No change needed of course for sending @idnet emails.

I am surprised that Idnet have only just introduced this, most ISPs have been doing it for a very long time.

[sn]

I have used a yahoo email address for many years so that my email address does not change if I change ISP.
In fact mine is the contact email address idnet use when they email me.

I have always sent email via my ISP's smtp server (as I pay them to do so) rather than Yahoo's (that I don't have to god bless 'em)

This has worked fine with my previous 2 ISPs and it worked fine here until now.

I have never had an ISP block outgoing email from one of it's customers before.

Is their so called  "smartSMTP" server really that dumb that it can't differentiate a spammer from a legitimate customer?  

So now I no longer have the SMTP service from IDNET I am paying for.

Not a happy bunny

Steve

[Steve]

As far as I am aware the mail service for 'home' customers is free with IDNet and if you read kinmel's last line of the post above they have now adopted a common policy amongst other ISPs. Personally I don't see why the IDNet smtp server should get blacklisted if spam is being perpetrated via web based email addresses.

[sn]

I pay for email services as part of Idnet's package so it is not free.

I hope you are not implying everyone with a yahoo account (or google etc..) is a spammer.

If they wish to stop spam stop the perpetrators don't block anyone using non ISP specific addresses.

I see no logic in this, only a poorly written script resulting in a blunt tool.

[kinmel]

Any company that allows people to use their smtp servers with external domain names is just looking for troubles that will eventually bring their service down.

Any open smtp server will attract spammers and end up blacklisted.

For example Sky and  BT  will allow you to use their smtp server for their own email addresses, but will bounce any other domain name; so do I.

[Lance]

You pay for an internet package. Email addresses are an added bonus and even if you view them as something you pay for, it is the idnet.com addresses you pay for, which go through the smtp server just fine.

[sn]

What has this to do with 'open' servers?

IDnet's was never a open smtp server as it knew if you were connected via them thus a customer. If it knows I am a customer then it has the capability to allow traffic from me as a IDNET customer irrespective of the email address I choose to use.

Email services are not a bonus. They are part of the package (and advertised) as such.

[Steve]

 IDNet smtp server is available outside your IDNet connection as I can use it via my phone, and I refer you to the statement taken directly from IDNet's website.

"@idnet.com email accounts can be filtered or unfiltered and are free acounts accessible via POP3/IMAP/Webmail."