AOL SMTP Woes

magikmax · 27/02/06 - 17:24

Currently with AOL,

Don't know if you know, but the problems people are having with using other POP3 mail is that AOL have blocked port 25 as the outgoing SMTP server, meaning that you have to use 587.

The problem is, I like to use an e-mail address from my own web domain, so I always have the same e-mail address, and usually substitute their dial-up only SMTP server for whatever server my ISP at the time uses.

Now that AOL has changed to port 587, if I try and send an e-mail through their SMTP server, I get an error message asking me to check the e-mail address (because it is mine, not AOL's e-mail address), and the mail won't send.

Does anyone know of an SMTP server that I could use without having to dial into their ISP (for example, my domain name is with freeola, and I have to dial into their dial-up to send e-mail through their own SMTP outgoing server).

I'm sure there are a lot of disgruntled AOLers out there that now can't send e-mail through alternate addresses, I'm not to fussy myself, but my missus isn't happy...

Any help you could give me would be appriciated,

thanks, Magik.

[Deleted User] · 27/02/06 - 17:31

magikmax wrote:

Currently with AOL,

Don't know if you know, but the problems people are having with using other POP3 mail is that AOL have blocked port 25 as the outgoing SMTP server, meaning that you have to use 587.

The problem is, I like to use an e-mail address from my own web domain, so I always have the same e-mail address, and usually substitute their dial-up only SMTP server for whatever server my ISP at the time uses.

Now that AOL has changed to port 587, if I try and send an e-mail through their SMTP server, I get an error message asking me to check the e-mail address (because it is mine, not AOL's e-mail address), and the mail won't send.

Does anyone know of an SMTP server that I could use without having to dial into their ISP (for example, my domain name is with freeola, and I have to dial into their dial-up to send e-mail through their own SMTP outgoing server).

I'm sure there are a lot of disgruntled AOLers out there that now can't send e-mail through alternate addresses, I'm not to fussy myself, but my missus isn't happy...

Any help you could give me would be appriciated,

thanks, Magik.

AOL are very strict on their SMTP rules.

You can still use port 25 to connect to an external mail server but you can only connect once every 15 mins and if you connect once then connect again at 14 mins instead it blocks you for another 15 mins. This is the same with AOL's own SMTP server unless you use their actual software in which case if you send your email to alot of people the consider it spam and block it.

My suggestion just don't bother....

Loobster · 27/02/06 - 17:33

Are you sure that AOL are "blocking" port 25? This would be highly unusual and lead to a lot of complaints from people in exactly your situation.

Are you sure that they haven't just disallowed their SMTP servers from relaying email that is addressed as coming from your own domain? This would be more in line with what other ISPs have done.

To check, you could download your own SMTP server and try it, the one I use when out on the road is FreeSMTP.

http://www.softstack.com/freesmtp.html

Loobster · 27/02/06 - 17:34

vodkarev wrote:

AOL are very strict on their SMTP rules.

You can still use port 25 to connect to an external mail server but you can only connect once every 15 mins and if you connect once then connect again at 14 mins instead it blocks you for another 15 mins. This is the same with AOL's own SMTP server unless you use their actual software in which case if you send your email to alot of people the consider it spam and block it.

My suggestion just don't bother....

We posted at the same time.

Yet another reason to steer clear of AOL. As if there weren't enough already. What a load of crap.

magikmax · 28/02/06 - 13:49

Thanks for your help chaps, tried the every 15 minutes thing on port 25, and it seems to work. The problem I had was I was sending and receiving from the AOL address at the same time, which blocked the port for 15 minutes before the other one had a chance to get going.

Still a bum deal from AOL though, another nail in the coffin for my subscription cancellation when it runs out in September...can't wait to see what surprises they spring on me in the next 6 months...better the devil you know? No, I'm off back to Pipex or Demon when my sub runs out.....

Thanks again, Magik.

[Deleted User] · 28/02/06 - 16:08

Can you change the port your webserver uses? Put it on port 26/27 - it bypasses AOL's hidden proxys, so skips all their rubbish.

andersonshatch · 28/02/06 - 16:14

cgh123 wrote:

Can you change the port your webserver uses? Put it on port 26/27 - it bypasses AOL's hidden proxys, so skips all their rubbish.

What do those ports normally do? & what do you mean by all their rubbish?

Josh

[Deleted User] · 28/02/06 - 16:33

If you really want i could create a script that would send a mail to any email address and you can also say what email address it is from. You go to it in your browser and volia! (if thats what your after)

[Deleted User] · 28/02/06 - 16:36

AOL run "rubbish" hidden proxys (take a look at your email headers) that sceen out certain files, limit how many connections and much more. These apply to all SMTP connections EXCEPT 26 and 27.

[Deleted User] · 28/02/06 - 17:45

If you don't use the AOL software, just use an external hardware router with your username and password and don't want email... you should get a fairly good connection with them, just don't expect too much from their webservice without hitting ctrl F5 every five mins....

Perfect the very basic user... I put my other halfs mother on it and she loves it....

Hey there!

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