Groups > comp.os.linux.networking > #1707

Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly?

Date	2012-10-11 22:17 +0200
From	David Brown <david.brown@removethis.hesbynett.no>
Newsgroups	comp.os.linux.networking, comp.mail.sendmail
Subject	Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly?
References	<k5711e$6n3$1@dont-email.me> <b7jjk9-0gn.ln1@llondel.org>
Message-ID	<BfCdnWefM4TYtOrNnZ2dnUVZ8vGdnZ2d@lyse.net> (permalink)

Cross-posted to 2 groups.

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On 11/10/12 21:28, David Hough wrote:
> no.top.post@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> I'm subscribed to mail-lists from 10 years ago.
>>
>> Now my wireless connection via my new ISP can't
>> access smtp of the original ISP.  So the mail-lists
>> can still mail me via pop, but I can't reply.
>>
>> Is it realistic for me to try to email the mail-lists directly,
>> from my installed `sendmail`?
>>
> That depends on whether you've got a static or dynamic IP address from your
> new ISP. Many places won't accept email directly from an address in a
> dynamic block, so in that case you won't be able to send it. If you've got a
> static IP address then there's no reason why not. I don't bother with my
> ISPs mail server and haven't for years, relying on sendmail or postfix on
> the local machine to do the job.
>
> Dave
>

Any self-respecting ISP will block all outgoing SMTP traffic that is not 
going directly to its own email relays, unless you have a special 
arrangement with them or have an account (such as a "professional" 
account) that allows such access.  The simple facts of life are that the 
huge majority of computers that want to send mail directly to 
recipients' mail servers are Windows machines infected by viruses or 
spambots.  And blocking SMTP traffic from individual machines (except 
when directed through the ISP's mail relay, which presumably has 
anti-spam and anti-virus checks) is the single most efficient and simple 
way to stop such spam being spread.

It's a pity that lots of (most?) ISPs do not block SMTP traffic like this.

It is also a shame that people like yourself and the OP who have a mail 
transport agent set up like this get caught in the cross-fire.

The simple answer is that you set your mail transport agent to pass on 
all outgoing mail to your ISP's mail relay as a "smart host", as exim 
calls it.  You lose a small amount of control - you no longer have the 
power over retry attempts or delays, for example, and don't get a 
delivery failure notice until the ISP's relay gives up on the message. 
But other than that you save yourself a lot of effort, save your own 
server a bit of effort, and avoid problems such as receivers blocking 
your mails just because your neighbour has a virus.

Thread

Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-11 17:52 +0000
  Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Hough <noone$$@llondel.org> - 2012-10-11 20:28 +0100
    Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Brown <david.brown@removethis.hesbynett.no> - 2012-10-11 22:17 +0200
      Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-11 23:53 +0100
        Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? terryc <newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> - 2012-10-12 13:12 +1100
          Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-12 09:54 +0000
            Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? terryc <newsninespam-spam@woa.com.au> - 2012-10-13 00:42 +1100
          Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Hough <noone$$@llondel.org> - 2012-10-12 15:47 +0100
        Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-10-12 10:59 +0200
        Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? J G Miller <miller@yoyo.ORG> - 2012-10-15 15:30 +0000
          Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-15 20:40 +0000
          Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-15 23:32 +0100
            Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? J G Miller <miller@yoyo.ORG> - 2012-10-16 01:36 +0000
      Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? "Robert Blair" <nobody@nowhere.not> - 2012-10-12 01:13 -0500
        Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> - 2012-10-12 11:02 +0200
        Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-13 04:49 +0000
          Re: Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? "Robert Blair" <nobody@nowhere.not> - 2012-10-13 01:51 -0500
            Re (3): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-14 08:10 +0000
        Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-13 08:48 +0000
        Re (3): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-14 18:59 +0000
      Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Joe Zeff <the.guy.with.the.sideburns@lasfs.info> - 2012-10-12 07:22 +0000
      Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? David Hough <noone$$@llondel.org> - 2012-10-12 15:58 +0100
    Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-12 09:54 +0000
  Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-11 21:21 +0100
    Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-12 09:54 +0000
      Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-12 22:40 +0100
        Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-14 08:10 +0000
          Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Bob Hauck <postmaster@avalanche.org> - 2012-10-14 08:38 -0400
            Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-14 18:36 +0000
          Re: Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-14 14:25 +0100
            Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-14 18:37 +0000
              Re: Re (2): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? Chris Davies <chris-usenet@roaima.co.uk> - 2012-10-14 23:44 +0100
                Re (3+): Dud: ISP so send mail directly? no.top.post@gmail.com - 2012-10-15 11:46 +0000

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