Can't Send Email... all domains

[jvanv8]

Ever since the begining of March I have not been able to send email via email clients (Mac Mail in my case). PHP scripts, webmail, etc can all send mail fine. Incoming mail is ok.

The Plesk license was recently updated but I dont think?? it is the problem or cause.

I do not notice any flags in the maillog and it never seems to even acknowledge my mailing attempt.

The failure message in Mac Mail is: "Could not send message using server....."

I have authentication on. In my email client, I use username and password and I have tried with SSL authentication on and off with no success.

I experience this at my home as well as other networks (public wifi spots etc)

Telnet mail.mydomain.com yeilds "Connection Refused"
Telnet mail.mydomain.com 25 yeilds "Operation Timed Out/Unable to connect"
QMail is running.
SpamAssasin is not.
Mac Mail is set to port 25.
SPF and MAPS are off/not used.
SMTP is checked in the authentication box in Plesk Mail settings.
Blacklist is empty.
WhiteList is 127.0.0.0 / 8
IPTables is off.


This problem persists for all domains on the server.

 

[faris]

It is just a wild guess, but could your ISP have a policy of preventing its customers from sending email on port 25 on anything other than its own smtp servers?

It wasn't clear from your post if your customers had the same problem or not. Obviously if they all are, and are on various different ISPs then this theory of mine isn't valid.

 

[jvanv8]

The server is dedicated to just a few sites - their are no customers just me and a few others.

I don't think my ISP has anything to do with it since I also tried sending email from Amsterdam and Vienna airports. Same computer and email client though.

 

[faris]

There are known problems with some Mac email programs. In particular one ofthem (I forget which - Entourage?) can't use authenticated smtp properly.

But you have tried telnetting and you can't even get that far, so it isn't the email client.

I don't think my theory is correct but just in case, try starting an smtp service on port 587 or something. Search the forum for "smtp port 587" for exact instructions. Then see if it makes any difference. If it works then we know SOMETHING is stopping you accessing port 25 from where you are. But not from outside since email is coming in. Most strange.

Faris.

 

[jvanv8]

Beautiful, that did it. Port 587 to the rescue. Thanks so much!

 

[faris]

Yay! I'm very glad.

In that case I think it is safe to say that all the ISPs you've tried are blocking port 25. This is not uncommon these days. Port 587 seems to be the "official" alternative port and is not blocked and in theory never will be.

Faris.