Spam email filter

Najarak · Sep 13, 2007, 22:00:14

Sorry if this has been asked and answered before, I have had a look around but cannot see any questions about this aspect of spam.

If the IDNet.com email filter wrongly identifies a message as spam is it sufficient to add the sender to one's address book using webmail so that future messages from the same source will not be caught by the spam filter ?

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 00:25:41

Based on what I've seen, I'd say no, Steve. It might be worth taking it up with support though, or I can if you prefer.

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 00:29:34

To add to this, is there any way to turn off the spam filter completely? I prefer to filter my own mail, and have just found something in the Junk folder by using Webmail, that I didn't know was there. I always use POP3, so I really don't want to have to keep logging in to Webmail to check the Junk folder for stuff I might want.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 00:31:22

None that I know of, Simon, it's something I would like. I also prefer to deal with my spam locally. Time for a poll maybe?

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 00:42:37

Umm... this is actually a real issue for me. I don't need and don't want the webmail interface, but it seems I am going to be forced to use it if I want to use my IDNet mail accounts. There is also no import facility for address books, and I don't intend to manually add over 200 addresses. Oh dear, just as I thought it was going so well.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 00:51:14

TBH, I've never had a real spam problem, my junk folder has stayed pleasantly empty - I get quite a bit with my 1&1 hosted domain email by comparison.

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 00:56:47

The point it, it's being taken out of the users hands, without giving the user a choice. I have always used Mail Washer to filter my junk mail, and I want to continue to do so. I don't want to over-react, but I can't use my IDNet email accounts under these conditions, so this leaves me in a difficult situation.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 00:58:25

Have a word with support, Simon, see if they can turn off the filter for you.

Simon_idnet · Sep 14, 2007, 09:49:41

The spam filter operates at the SMTP level and so is global across the whole idnet.com domain - i.e. it can't be disabled for an individual mailbox.

What I do is to have two "Accounts" setup in Outlook Express: one is setup in POP3 mode to empty my Inbox folder on the server and the other is setup in IMAP mode but is only subscribed to the Junk folder and only downloads the Headers of the mails that are in there. This way you can continue to receive your usual, filtered POP3 mail in the normal way and at the same time you can peek into the Junk folder (from within OE) to scan the stuff that's in there without having to log into the Webmail interface.

Cheers
Simon

Gary · Sep 14, 2007, 09:53:12

Quote from: Si6776 on Sep 14, 2007, 00:42:37
Umm... this is actually a real issue for me. I don't need and don't want the webmail interface, but it seems I am going to be forced to use it if I want to use my IDNet mail accounts. There is also no import facility for address books, and I don't intend to manually add over 200 addresses. Oh dear, just as I thought it was going so well.

I agree we need a way of marking something "not spam" also a way to import your own address book would be very useful.

Gary · Sep 14, 2007, 09:55:16

Quote from: simon on Sep 14, 2007, 09:49:41
The spam filter operates at the SMTP level and so is global across the whole idnet.com domain - i.e. it can't be disabled for an individual mailbox.

What I do is to have two "Accounts" setup in Outlook Express: one is setup in POP3 mode to empty my Inbox folder on the server and the other is setup in IMAP mode but is only subscribed to the Junk folder and only downloads the Headers of the mails that are in there. This way you can continue to receive your usual, filtered POP3 mail in the normal way and at the same time you can peek into the Junk folder (from within OE) to scan the stuff that's in there without having to log into the Webmail interface.

Cheers
Simon

Cheers for that Simon but a way to import your address book from outlook/OE etc and whitelist it would be useful.

Edit: Markup sorted

Najarak · Sep 14, 2007, 11:49:48

Quote from: Rik on Sep 14, 2007, 00:25:41
Based on what I've seen, I'd say no, Steve. It might be worth taking it up with support though, or I can if you prefer.

Rik, I have just spoken to Andrew who told me that they will be introducing the ability to adjust the strength of the spam filiter oneself in the next few weeks. The problem that I have ATM is that the filter picks up messages as spam from ebay and amazon which are not spam.

Should be sorted soon then 8)

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 11:52:16

Hi Steve

Thanks for that. I had heard, but it was under wraps when I was told. I guess we can talk about it now.

Gary · Sep 14, 2007, 13:57:18

Quote from: Si6776 on Sep 14, 2007, 00:56:47
The point it, it's being taken out of the users hands, without giving the user a choice. I have always used Mail Washer to filter my junk mail, and I want to continue to do so. I don't want to over-react, but I can't use my IDNet email accounts under these conditions, so this leaves me in a difficult situation.

The email situation is not to bad with Simon's workaround Simon

after experiencing the nightmare of other ISP's believe me this small glitch in what is a fantastic service will probably get ironed out, I only use my IDNet accounts for personal mail and have other accounts for business and such like so its not really a problem, I just migrated all my mail before I came here after being in the depths of hell with Orange, their email was awful spam ridden and would not let you remove blocked phrases as it thought you were sending a virus from its webmail interface! Also its DNS servers were awful getting to any site was so hit and miss as well and this is the same with most "bigname" ISP's I can say personally I have seen a lot of problems with email with my friends on other ISP's. IDNet take notice and listen to us and that's so rare in this day an age with massive blind and death corporations just milking us for money. I would hold out to see what happens here. So far I would say IDNet is the best ISP I have encountered and I have tried quite a few from small to large and this one is listening to us, and open to suggestion, not something you will find so readily elsewhere I think.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 14:54:42

I'll second that.

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 16:14:34

Quote from: simon on Sep 14, 2007, 09:49:41
The spam filter operates at the SMTP level and so is global across the whole idnet.com domain - i.e. it can't be disabled for an individual mailbox.

What I do is to have two "Accounts" setup in Outlook Express: one is setup in POP3 mode to empty my Inbox folder on the server and the other is setup in IMAP mode but is only subscribed to the Junk folder and only downloads the Headers of the mails that are in there. This way you can continue to receive your usual, filtered POP3 mail in the normal way and at the same time you can peek into the Junk folder (from within OE) to scan the stuff that's in there without having to log into the Webmail interface.

Cheers
Simon

That does sounds like s solution, thanks Simon.

I know I could probably find it for myself, but what's the IMAP server address?

Ray · Sep 14, 2007, 16:19:36

Quote from: Si6776 on Sep 14, 2007, 16:14:34
That does sounds like s solution, thanks Simon.

I know I could probably find it for myself, but what's the IMAP server address?

Simon, it's the same as the pop server ie pop3.idnet.com, you just have to make sure that when you set up the account in Outlook Express or whatever Email programme you are going to use you set it up as an IMAP account.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 16:21:11

I have a note of it being imap.idnet.com, or mail.idnet.com, Ray. Try the pop3 first, Simon, if not progress to the others.

Ray · Sep 14, 2007, 16:35:43

Quote from: Rik on Sep 14, 2007, 16:21:11
I have a note of it being imap.idnet.com, or mail.idnet.com, Ray. Try the pop3 first, Simon, if not progress to the others.

Does seem to work on pop3 as well Rik, I've just tried it, as I thought I might have got it wrong in my original reply

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 16:37:13

What's the betting the server will answer to "Oi, you"?

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 16:45:27

OK, I'll try those, but the next question is, how do you get it to 'map' to the Junk folder?

Ray · Sep 14, 2007, 16:47:34

Quote from: Rik on Sep 14, 2007, 16:37:13
What's the betting the server will answer to "Oi, you"?

Looks like that is highly likely

all my dogs answer to it as well!

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 16:51:03

Quote from: Si6776 on Sep 14, 2007, 16:45:27
OK, I'll try those, but the next question is, how do you get it to 'map' to the Junk folder?

Outlook?

Create the account, then select the Inbox, click on Tools > IMAP folders > Subscribed > Query. Once you've populated the list, highlight and hit unsubscribe for those you don't want.

Simon · Sep 14, 2007, 16:52:17

Quote from: Rik on Sep 14, 2007, 16:51:03
Outlook?

Create the account, then select the Inbox, click on Tools > IMAP folders > Subscribed > Query. Once you've populated the list, highlight and hit unsubscribe for those you don't want.

No, Thunderbird!

But if it's similar, I'll work it out.

Rik · Sep 14, 2007, 16:58:39

What I couldn't do in Outlook was to unsubscribe the Inbox, even though it showed as unsubbed. Despite being the last account to be checked, it also managed to grab the mail in preference to the POP account (which is the first).