details on mail settings

[Waste]

Ok, I currently have an SMTP nad POP3 enabled mail server, but the problem is that alot of the bigger mail hosts turn away mail from my server due to the fact I am on a home connection.

My question is, can I use just the sendmail function to handle all the e-mails?

[Oldiesmann]

I don't really know what the advantages of SMTP vs. sendmail are ([Unknown] can probably explain that), but sendmail should work just fine for sending emails. Might be a bit slower, though. As for the mail hosts turning away mail from your server, what is the exact message you get in the bounced email?

[Waste]

Remote SMTP Server Returned: 554 EMail from mailserver at 68.*.*.* is refused. See http://spamblock.outblaze.com/68.*.*.*

421 Error: timeout exceeded

Substitute the *'s with my IP and that is the exact message I get back.

[Oldiesmann]

Ok. There are actually two errors here...

The first one - Outblaze is some sort of a webmail hosting provider with a lot of anti-spam policies. Click on that URL (with your IP address) or go to http://spamblock.outblaze.com and enter your IP address for more info...

The second one - "421 Error: timeout exceeded" - this means that the time it takes your server to send all those messages is longer than the maximum allowed time set by whoever owns the server. Try sending it to fewer addresses at a time for now. This issue has been addressed in the next version (SMF will send it to only a certain number of addresses at a time instead of trying to send it to all of them at once).

Hope that helps.

[Waste]

Well, see, that particular bounceback was only from thier PM notifier.
It was only trying to send to one address.

[Oldiesmann]

Hmmm... Weird. It shouldn't be timing out for just one email...

[Waste]

I'll just try the sendmail function for now, if it doesn't work, I will post back here.

Is there any shure fire way to test it?

[Oldiesmann]

Yep. Turn on PM notifications then send yourself a PM and see if you get an email saying you've gotten a new PM from yourself...

[[Unknown]]

Email is done, over the internet, by SMTP servers.  The only way you're going to get your email to go through is by using an SMTP server that has a static IP and that you have a username and password for.  Even then, sending email from a dynamic IP is always going to be a problem.

-[Unknown]

[Waste]

I have a static IP.

[[Unknown]]

Hmm, interesting.  I assumed from the error you did not.

In that case, just use a different SMTP server, one that's not blocking you.  I would also suggest contacting that mail server administrator and asking why you are blocked.

You may also wish to make sure you're not in sorbs, etc.

-[Unknown]

[Waste]

I think that may be the case.
I will check sorbs to see if I am in it.
Is there a way to have my specific IP removed from it?

[Oldiesmann]

If your IP address appears on any spam list, there should be instructions on how you can get it off there. In most cases, having your host or ISP send them a message verifying that you are not a spammer should do the trick.

[Waste]

I found the removal process on sorbs' site.
I thank you guys for all your help.