Topic: 5.6 b7 open smtp server outside lan?

[sander]

Hello!

Using on one system SME 5.6 b7 and got a funny e-mail telling that my e-mail was rejected.. due to my server beeing in smtp blocklists for having an open smtp server.

To my knowledge every version of this software has mail server configured so that on lan smtp is open, but for the internet it is closed? But the particular server has it open???

How can this be?
I havent opend any kind of software that interacts with the e-mail system.

reason why i am using a beta: particular system din't recognize 5.6 final release cd i had written. Wrote two different copies.

can enyone help me to close this open relay down?

thanks for any help

sander

[Nathan Fowler]

What RBL are you listed in?

[Duncan]

At least one of the RBL sites will list you if they can send mail to the root and postmaster accounts. Perhaps this is your problem.

Or, it is possible that your IP addy lies in a range that is blocked.

Regards Duncan

[Arne]

The e-smith 5.6 should normally not make any kind of mail relaing if it set up as a standard configuration.

So it should norally pass a test for such sites that is listing and monitoring "spammers".

(Have tried to provoke some tests from such sites to see if my e-smith will pass, and it actually did. Have never had problem receiving mail from Hotmail, Yahoo or any of theese well known mail sites.)

If your e-smith is on a list of "potensial spammers" ( relaying e-mail) could it have one of theese reasons ?

1. You have just received the domain name, somebody else has used it before ?
2. You use a dynamic ip, or the ip has had an other (unsecure) e-mail server on it before ?
3. You have modified your e-smith to be able to use external pop clients ?

Here is an test to sheck if your maiserver actually are relaing e-mails:

http://msv.dk/ms009.asp


Which smtp blocklists or sender did send you this messege that you were blocked ?
(Don't know if it can help to send them a msg and tell then that you are not releaing.)


The reason why I see this as a very interesting problem to look a litle bit into is that such block lists might not be a big problem today (??!!) but I fear a future development of this situation in such a way that practically all home computers will be on the block list.

This would certainly reduce the spam problem, but the home e-mail server would not be of much practical use any more.

Arne.

[sander]

1. You have just received the domain name, somebody else has used it before ?
This domain name has been mine for a year i think. I had same kind of trouble a while back removing my ip helped, but til now. So i decided to get to the bottom of this problem... and solve it. I don't really know that anyone had used it before

2. You use a dynamic ip, or the ip has had an other (unsecure) e-mail server on it before ?
Nope, styatic ip, but i use a dynamic name eg i can update the name to my current ip address( e.g dyndns.org but estonian one) Before me there werent any servers in that office.. i set up the server and it has been so for a year i guess.. or more.

3. You have modified your e-smith to be able to use external pop clients ?
not that i know of.  Using gfi-s languard it tells me that it isn't open relay.

Here is an test to sheck if your maiserver actually are relaing e-mails:
http://msv.dk/ms009.asp

the test results were that the server did not relay any mails what it tried..

I am been blocked using: blocked using list.dsbl.org;
and also:
Results: Positive=3, Negative=28 (2004-01-01 22:31:36 UTC)
DSBL/dsbl.org: 553 DSBL Insecure host; DSBL Unconfirmed [Remove]
REYNOLDS/bl: 553 REYNOLDS Open Socks Proxy Server Block List [Remove]
SORBS/sorbs.net: 553 SORBS DUL [Remove]

Hope a bit more info for ou, and don't hesitate to ask for more..
I'm not going to remove that ip address from any blocklists.

Thanks for help
Let's hope we get to the bottom of this
And A Happy New Year!

Sander

[Paul]

You are in the same boat that I am in.

Some Major ISP's like AOL and even smaller ones block ALL dynamicly assigned IP addresses even if you have a ligitimate domain and mail server, it's just their policy.

I run a small forum and have to use my ISP's smtp server to send out mail because one of our members is with AOL and I couldn't emails to them.

There is nothing you can do about it.

Try this search engine, it will tell you if you are on any lists and why.  Mine comes back as Dynamic/Residential IP address on a few databases.

http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools/ip4r.ch?ip=

Good Luck

Paul

[Paul]

One other question, are you really running SME 5.6 b7 (Beta?)

[Arne]

This is wery interesting info !

I used the link for checking my own home network ip, and actually I found it in 3 different block list as an dynamic allocated ip.

Hotmail and Yahoo and such things are still working and they accept sending mail to my mail server, but it could be just a mather of time ...

The link was really a interesing tool, and I think it actually explains it all.

Arne.

[Charlie Brady]

Paul wrote:

> I run a small forum and have to use my ISP's smtp server to
> send out mail because one of our members is with AOL and I
> couldn't emails to them.
>
> There is nothing you can do about it.

You can use the "SMTP Smarthost" setting to send outgoing mail via your ISP's smtp server. That's what it's there for

Charlie

[sander]

1. yes running on beta 7
it was the only cd server recognized.. old hardware.

2. my isp used to have big troble with their smtp server.. so i now fully relay on sme

3. One site lists me because i have a dynamic ip.. strange.. as far as i know it's static.. but in the name my ip resolves to has isdn written inside... i wonder if they used it for isdn ages ago and left it unchanged. They  say its a static ip.

4. what i discovered just now, that i dont have an open mail server, ut open public proxy... hmm strange
Messages from this Host
2002/Jul/10  05:57:57 UTC (view message) socks4
2002/Jul/10  05:57:57 UTC (view message) socks5
2002/Jul/10  05:57:59 UTC (view message) socks4
2002/Jul/10  05:58:02 UTC (view message) socks4

And also it couldn't send an e-mail to postmaster@myip

any ideas? suggestions?

sander

[Paul]

sander wrote:

> 3. One site lists me because i have a dynamic ip.. strange..
> as far as i know it's static.. but in the name my ip resolves
> to has isdn written inside... i wonder if they used it for isdn
> ages ago and left it unchanged. They  say its a static ip.
> any ideas? suggestions?
>
> sander

Your static IP is probably within a Dynamic range (or used to be).  Check with the site and tell them you have a static IP and ask them to remove you from their dynamic list.