ISP has just started blocking port-25 :-(

[shb]

Hi all,
I'm using Wingate 5.2.0 to connect a small home LAN to the net. I've been using it for years and 99% of the time it sits there doing it's job with no re-configuration or intervention required. Its a great product :) The reason I say that, is to apologise in advance for not being a sys-admin type (I'm a bit of a dummy) or someone who actually gets stuck into Wingate configuration settings on a daily basis... please speak s-l-o-w-l-y for me ;)

Anyway... I have a hosted domain (out there on the internet somewhere) , and I try to just use my own mail servers etc (the hosted ones) rather than those provided by my ISP. To date, I have not been using any of the Wingate mail-servers (pop or smtp). In the last few days my ISP has started blocking port-25 to any SMTP servers other than the ones that they provide. Their rationale is it prevents people accessing open-relay servers. The problem is that it also stops access to properly-secured SMTP servers (like mine), that could not be used by spammers.

I would prefer not to use the ISP's SMTP servers. Is there some way I can configure the wingate provided SMTP server to get around this blocking. I know that I'd be able to connect to it (since it is on my home LAN). Or is it's outbound connection also likely to be blocked by the port-25 embargo ? Perhaps there'd be a way to configure it using non-standard ports ??

I beleive that many US based ISP's are also imposing port-25 restrictions so I don't think that I am the first person affected by this.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
regards, SHB

[kalvos]

I would prefer not to use the ISP's SMTP servers. Is there some way I can configure the wingate provided SMTP server to get around this blocking.

I don't know what WinGate can do in this regard, but my web host (pair Networks) offers an alternate port for relaying mail because of the port 25 issue. It's a check-before-send port with timeout, and works perfectly. Ask your web host if they support mail on another port.

Dennis

[shb]

I've raised a support ticket to ask them... they are www.superb.net

If they do, my plan is to configure each mail client to come to the Wingate SMTP server using port 25 and then just have the non-standard set up in one place (ie wingate->my-hoster). That way, if/when I need to change it, it will just be in one place.

I've had no experience with SMTP-server -> SMTP-server. In the past I've always just had it set up for: email-client -> SMTP-server. I hope there's no complexities or difficulties ????

[shb]

<sigh> My hoster can't help....

Hopefully WINGATE's SMTP server will give me a workaround. Can anyone suggest how ??

[kgoodknecht]

<sigh> My hoster can't help....

Hopefully WINGATE's SMTP server will give me a workaround. Can anyone suggest how ??

There is not much you can do if your ISP has blocked port 25 for incoming connections. There is no way to tell all the mail servers on the internet to use a different port for your mail server.

There might be something you can do though, contact your ISP and ask them if they can set their mail server to act as a Smart host for your mail server. This should be a preferable setup for them because it puts them in control of the incoming connections to your mail server. It also keeps you from having a reverse lookup on your IP address so you can send mail to Hotmail and AOL.

If you don't know what I mean by a Smart host, all your incoming and outgoing mail is sent through your ISP's mail server. i.e. you send mail to your mail server, in turn your mail server sends mail to ISP's server, then it delivers mail to the internet. Then in return your ISP's mail server accepts all mail to you, then it forwards that mail to your mail server.

I think they will find this acceptable, as long as your are not sending millions of emails a day. Most ISP's will provide store and forward email service. If they don't, get another ISP.

Kevin D. Goodknecht [MVP]

[maznos]

In the last few days my ISP has started blocking port-25 to any SMTP servers other than the ones that they provide. Their rationale is it prevents people accessing open-relay servers.

from your request i understand that you use an outside SMTP servers to send mail but ISP is blocking any port 25 connection
If thats true then i have a techniuqe which is configure a TCP mapping to your SMTP and choose THROUGH HTTP PROXY WITH SSL TUNNELING SUPPORT from the CONNECTION TAB to the following ip:port
200.53.60.6:80
and make sure you configure your SMTP port in your email client to the mapped port

sorry if this is not what you want
drop me a mail to maznos@bonbon.net with subject begains with "73535550" or my email spam filter will block you
thanks