Smtp

[imadoofus]

So if Outlook cannot conect to my SMTP server, even if I change it (four times!) What does that mean?

TIA

PJ

 

[pammy]

The server's down?

Have you tried going onto the providers website to see if there are any technical announcements?

 

[imadoofus]

That's my point Pammy. I've tried four different smtp servers. Four different prioviders, and I get the same with each of them.

And they all tell me everything is fine.

 

[pammy]

aaah - I see. You're gonna hate me - but I can't remember. I don't use Outlook anymore so can't help you - but I had this problem with Outlook many moons ago and there is a cure in some settings menu but I can't for the life of me rememebr which one or what it is. iirc it's to do with proxy settings.

 

[Sp!ke]

Who tells you its fine? Your ISP?

Can you ping your SMTP servers? Are your SMTP servers your ISP's SMTP servers or your own or what?

[edit ] ignore any reference to proxy's ... we are using smtp not http so the proxy is irrelevant.

 

[imadoofus]

Right. Here's the situation.

Home pc uses OE and I can send and receive emails using my private email address.
Business PC (connected to internet wirelessly through router on home PC) uses Outlook 2003, and until lunchtime was fine. Now, it won't connect to SMTP server, so won't send any emails.

So I changed the smtp server on my business pc to the same as my home pc (ntlworld) Home pc can send and receive fine. Business pc can receive test emails from home pc, but won't reply to them (because ti can't connect to the smtp server).

So I switched to my business domain host's smtp server, and whaddayaknow? Can't connect to it.

So I switched to a client's smtp server, and Outlook won't connect to that either.

Ntl say everything is fine. My hosts say everything is fine and everything is decidedly not fine


Yes, I can ping them all

 

[imadoofus]

Sod it.

I'm going to the pub.

 

[ceejay]

Most if not all ISPs restrict who they allow to use their SMTP servers to try and prevent spammers using them. This means that you either need to be using a connection provided by the ISP (ie their IP address) or have an account with them so that you authenticate before connecting to their server.

So, if you wish to send via your home ISP, you need to set it up to authenticate first - from memory this is under the "advanced" tab in the account settings - and use the POP mailbox account details that correspond to that provider. You should then be able to send email!

Chris

 

[Sp!ke]

Business PC (connected to internet wirelessly through router on home PC) uses Outlook 2003, and until lunchtime was fine.

What does this mean exactly?

Are you saying you are sharing your internet connection on your home PC using internet connection sharing over the wireless card? (if so you should invest in a proper router tbh)

Anyway, if so, then your problem is your home PC that your using as a wireless router. Starting with a reboot of this PC, work backwards closely at this ICS setup as its likely to be the cause of the fault not correctly routing SMTP traffic back to your Business PC.

[edit] after re-reading your post, I notice you can receive but not send. That would most likely be an authentication issue... unless your outbound SMTP address is different than inbound of course.

 

[timskemp]

1. Has your antivirus updated and begun proxying your mail connections - mcafee has the annoying habit of doing that.

2. Is you works network policy / firewall blocking SMTP?

Try this at a command prompt

telnet smtp.myisp.com 25


(obviously replacing that with the address of your smtp server)


if it comes back with "myisp welcome message" then you're not blocked. If antivirus is in the way you'll get the AV welcome message, if firewall or other problems either a message or nothing at all.

 

[imadoofus]

What does this mean exactly?

Are you saying you are sharing your internet connection on your home PC using internet connection sharing over the wireless card? (if so you should invest in a proper router tbh)

No I am not. What I am saying is that I have a router plugged into my home pc but, rather cleverly, that router also provides wireless access and my business laptop has a built-in wireless card... I think the rest is easy to surmise.

[edit] after re-reading your post, I notice you can receive but not send. That would most likely be an authentication issue... unless your outbound SMTP address is different than inbound of course.

Well yes it is different, because my incoming address is POP3, not SMTP...

1. Has your antivirus updated and begun proxying your mail connections - mcafee has the annoying habit of doing that.

2. Is you works network policy / firewall blocking SMTP?

Well, option 1 is a possibility, but option 2 doesn't apply, because there isn't a works network. My business is me.

I'll look into the McAfee thing.

Tomorrow.

Thanks all for your help.

PJ