no send mail

[meagain]

smtp.comcast.net (68.87.26.155)

is down in central MA.


--
www.BoltonAccess.TV

[meagain]

meagain wrote:
> smtp.comcast.net (68.87.26.155)
>
"Feb 23 08:56:21 ...: ERROR => Connection attempt to 6
8.87.26.155:25 failed: IO::Socket::INET: connect: Unknown error

[meagain]

meagain wrote:
> smtp.comcast.net (68.87.26.155)
>
false alarm!

[VanguardLH]

You didn't explain what YOU did wrong so that your issue was a false
alert. For future reference, try using telnet instead of your e-mail
client to see if you can reach the host and if the server is responsive
on that host.

telnet 68.87.26.155 25

returned an OK status back from the server (2/23/13 @ 17:20 CST).

Then you don't have to be concerned about whether or not the SMTP
protocol is working between your client and their server. You first
want to find out if you can reach their host and then also find out if
their server program on that host is responsive.

[meagain]

Thanks for the advice. The solution turned out to be to use port 587
for insecure email.

But I still don't understand why port 25 worked from one location (business acct)
but not from another (residential acct) in the same town!




--
www.BoltonAccess.TV

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kgiv6i$iek$1...@dont-email.me>,

Comcast has been phasing in port 25 blocks on residential connections
for several months.

--
Barry Margolin
Arlington, MA

[FirstPost]

Here in Memphis they can't seem to make their damned minds up.
I just got through swapping back to port 587 as not long after
receiving the mailing telling me to start using it a while back it
quit working and I was using port 25 again. Only this past weekend
did 25 stop and 587 start working for me once again.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kvdqi85gusrgt137m...@4ax.com>,

FirstPost <AIOE_posters_...@AIOE.org> wrote:

> Here in Memphis they can't seem to make their damned minds up.
> I just got through swapping back to port 587 as not long after
> receiving the mailing telling me to start using it a while back it
> quit working and I was using port 25 again. Only this past weekend
> did 25 stop and 587 start working for me once again.

Comcast never blocks port 587. If you were having a problem with it, it
was most likely due to something at your end. You should fix that, not
switch to port 25.

[Motor T]

I use port 995 with SSL/TLS connection and NORMAL password
authentication. Has worked very well for me for a long time. I live in
Washington state.

--
Ed Mc
Nam Vet '66-'67
Semper Fi

[VanguardLH]

The OP was reporting a problem with *sending* e-mail. Port 995 is the
SSL port for POP, and POP is for receiving e-mail.

[Motor T]

My bad...
As an aside, I have saved and appreciate many of your posts over the
years. Your info on using programs, networking, and spam/security etc.
is always very informative and helpful. Thanks.

[Brian]

On Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:21:10 -0500, Barry Margolin
<bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

>Comcast has been phasing in port 25 blocks on residential connections
>for several months.

All of a sudden yesterday I was not able to send e-mail using Agent
anymore. How would I check which ports are open and how would I change
them if necessary? I use the Norton Security Suite from Comcast and
that is managing the Windows firewall.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <sia0j8lu99jjsnekl...@4ax.com>,

I don't use Agent, but I found mention of this in the FAQ:

Tools | Servers And Accounts | Outbound Email Servers

[VanguardLH]

Brian wrote:

> All of a sudden yesterday I was not able to send e-mail using Agent
> anymore. How would I check which ports are open and how would I change
> them if necessary? I use the Norton Security Suite from Comcast and
> that is managing the Windows firewall.

I tend to keep my e-mail and NNTP clients separate. Prevents that
inevitable accidental sending of e-mail to Usenet ("How about a play
date tonight where you wear just the teddy and a slicker and I come as a
fireman with a stiff hose").

For Forte Agent, it has its own newsgroup at:

alt.usenet.offline-reader.forte-agent

In addition, another group with some experienced with Forte Agent is:

news.software.readers

Folks there are more familiar with how to configure your choice for NNTP
client.

Before you go there, however, see if disabling Norton solves the
problem. Did you configure it to scan your e-mail traffic? If so, and
from using Norton a l-o-n-g time ago (but I still mention of this in
more recent posts), their transparent proxy that intercepts that traffic
can become unresponsive. Disabling Norton didn't help because all
e-mail traffic still got routed through their proxy but just didn't get
interrogated. If their proxy went dead, so did your e-mail. The quick
and easy fix is to reboot to load a fresh instance of the transparent
proxy.

When I used Norton AV, I figured out a command list in a batch file that
would halt their services in the right order, killed their proxy, and
then restarted their service (again in the right order since it wouldn't
start up correctly otherwise). When the dead e-mail symptom showed up,
I could run the batch file and get working again. I gave up on Norton
(their consumer-grade stuff, not their Symantec enterprise-level stuff)
a long time ago so I don't have that script anymore. So, for now, just
reboot to restart Windows and load a fresh instance of their transparent
proxy to see if suddenly e-mail starts working again.

If that didn't work, ask the folks in the above mentioned newsgroups for
help with Forte Agent.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kgpf0c$icb$1...@news.albasani.net>, VanguardLH <V...@nguard.LH>
wrote:

> Brian wrote:
>
> > All of a sudden yesterday I was not able to send e-mail using Agent
> > anymore. How would I check which ports are open and how would I change
> > them if necessary? I use the Norton Security Suite from Comcast and
> > that is managing the Windows firewall.
>
> I tend to keep my e-mail and NNTP clients separate.

I don't think Forte Agent is an e-mail client, just a newsreader. But
most newsreaders have SMTP configuration so they can respond to posts
that have "Followup-To: poster" in the header.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Barry Margolin <bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>VanguardLH <V...@nguard.LH> wrote:
>>Brian wrote:

>>>All of a sudden yesterday I was not able to send e-mail using Agent
>>>anymore. How would I check which ports are open and how would I change
>>>them if necessary? I use the Norton Security Suite from Comcast and
>>>that is managing the Windows firewall.

>>I tend to keep my e-mail and NNTP clients separate.

>I don't think Forte Agent is an e-mail client, just a newsreader. But
>most newsreaders have SMTP configuration so they can respond to posts
>that have "Followup-To: poster" in the header.

Forte Agent is also a Mail client. I can't think of any newsreaders that
aren't Mail clients as well. Maybe rn or nn? Even trn, which I use, has
certain limited functions as a Mail client. However, if I archive a
News article, I have the option of using /bin/mail format, so I can use
the same flat file as an archive of News articles and Mail messages, and
then read with any Mail client.

I agree with VanguardLH, that separate Mail and News clients are desirable.

[Martin Hart]

In article <kgai9b$scc$1...@dont-email.me>, rick0....@gmail.com says...

>
> smtp.comcast.net (68.87.26.155)
>
> is down in central MA.

I'm in Houston and received a notice a few days ago that I should switch
to port 465 from port 25. I did so and was able to send ONE email the
entire day. I switched back to port 25 and all the unsent email went
out and has continued to function perfectly. I sent X-finity (what a
jerk off name!) a note saying I'll be staying on port 25 until they make
port 465 work. This is ridiculous.

CB

[Barry Margolin]

In article <MPG.2b9b52ce9...@news.giganews.com>,

If you're having a problem with port 465 or 587, it's a problem at your
end, not Comcast. It works fine for everyone else.

[Brian]

On Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:48:17 -0500, Barry Margolin
<bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:


>If you're having a problem with port 465 or 587, it's a problem at your
>end, not Comcast. It works fine for everyone else.

How would I change ports to see if that makes a difference?

[Barry Margolin]

In article <a9laj8hdgouf6vbct...@4ax.com>,

Go into your mail client's server settings. Change the outgoing server
port to 587 and enable password authentication.

[Mike]

In article <barmar-2F6852....@news.eternal-september.org>,

Why don't you tell us what that problem might be?

I've got three email programs, three computers and nothing can send
email.

Rebooted comcast router
Rebooted my router
Reloaded my email program
Threw out the settings on email programs and reinputted all settings
Set email program to use port 465 and it didn't work
Went back to port 25 and it doesn't work.
I can telnet into cc smtp and it's there, but I can't use it.

So what I get is others use port 25, but now comkrap has to make some
change and cause grief and not notify us that they're making such
change.

So I called them. Was told about 465...and then they're silent...

Great company, customer oriented, helpful, going the extra mile to make
sure you're connected and always looking for your check,oops payment.
--
Mike

[Barry Margolin]

In article <mike-844D83.1...@pppoe-94.136.209.74.ttel.ru>,

Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

> In article <barmar-2F6852....@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Barry Margolin <bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>
> > In article <MPG.2b9b52ce9...@news.giganews.com>,
> > Martin Hart <ch...@sig.com> wrote:
> >
> > > In article <kgai9b$scc$1...@dont-email.me>, rick0....@gmail.com says...
> > > >
> > > > smtp.comcast.net (68.87.26.155)
> > > >
> > > > is down in central MA.
> > >
> > > I'm in Houston and received a notice a few days ago that I should switch
> > > to port 465 from port 25. I did so and was able to send ONE email the
> > > entire day. I switched back to port 25 and all the unsent email went
> > > out and has continued to function perfectly. I sent X-finity (what a
> > > jerk off name!) a note saying I'll be staying on port 25 until they make
> > > port 465 work. This is ridiculous.
> > >
> > > CB
> >
> > If you're having a problem with port 465 or 587, it's a problem at your
> > end, not Comcast. It works fine for everyone else.
>
> Why don't you tell us what that problem might be?

Either a software firewall is blocking your mail program, or you don't
have the mail program configured properly.

>
> I've got three email programs, three computers and nothing can send
> email.
>
> Rebooted comcast router
> Rebooted my router
> Reloaded my email program
> Threw out the settings on email programs and reinputted all settings
> Set email program to use port 465 and it didn't work

Did you enable password authentication? That's required on ports 587 and
465.

> Went back to port 25 and it doesn't work.

So now it doesn't work on either port? Or was that a typo?

> I can telnet into cc smtp and it's there, but I can't use it.

If you can telnet to the port that doesn't work with the mail program,
then Comcast isn't blocking you.

[Steve Baker]

On Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:53:04 -0500, Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

>> If you're having a problem with port 465 or 587, it's a problem at your
>> end, not Comcast. It works fine for everyone else.
>
>Why don't you tell us what that problem might be?

On port 465:
You must enable SSL (referred to as SSL/TLS in Thunderbird/Mozilla).
You must enable authentication (NOT Secure Password Authentication)

If that doesn't sort things out for you, post the error message you
get when you try to send.

--
Steve Baker

[Steve Baker]

On Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:26:25 -0400, Barry Margolin
<bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

>> Went back to port 25 and it doesn't work.
>
>So now it doesn't work on either port? Or was that a typo?
>
>> I can telnet into cc smtp and it's there, but I can't use it.
>
>If you can telnet to the port that doesn't work with the mail program,
>then Comcast isn't blocking you.

Sometimes the server will answer with something like "port 25 not
allowed". I have no idea what the deal is with that, but I've seen it
reported on the email forum several times.

--
Steve Baker

[Mike]

In article <jcuml8tu1itt8h9ds...@4ax.com>,

Done all that and it still wants authentication. Even did a new PW!
--
Mike

[Mike]

In article <barmar-406F93....@news.eternal-september.org>,

Baloney. This was all working fine until last Friday when it stopped
sending. I even turned off the firewall to test things and it still
doesn't work.

>
> >
> > I've got three email programs, three computers and nothing can send
> > email.
> >
> > Rebooted comcast router
> > Rebooted my router
> > Reloaded my email program
> > Threw out the settings on email programs and reinputted all settings
> > Set email program to use port 465 and it didn't work
>
> Did you enable password authentication? That's required on ports 587 and
> 465.

Yes and I enter the PW and it still says it is denied.

>
> > Went back to port 25 and it doesn't work.
>
> So now it doesn't work on either port? Or was that a typo?

It doesn't work on 25,465 or 587.

I spent around an hour and a half with two Comcast tech's today the
second being in the second tier who was stumped as he said, "You've done
EVERYTHING we would or could do!" and still doesn't understand why it
won't send.

>
> > I can telnet into cc smtp and it's there, but I can't use it.
>
> If you can telnet to the port that doesn't work with the mail program,
> then Comcast isn't blocking you.
--

Mike

[Mike]

In article <qtuml8htilkqqglvg...@4ax.com>,

I haven't seen that one for any port.
--
Mike

[Barry Margolin]

In article <mike-5140B5.0...@d90-136-209-74.cust.tele2.de>,

Sometimes an account gets messed up in Comcast's database, and they need
to reset it. That's what this sounds like. It obviously has nothing to
do with ports, since it fails the same way on all ports.

What mail program are you using, and do you know how to get it to
produce an SMTP transcript?

[meagain]

Could it have anything to do with his/her DNS Cache?

> What mail program are you using, and do you know how to get it to
> produce an SMTP transcript?

I think the (old and free) SamSpade from "Blighty" can do that.





--
www.BoltonAccess.TV

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kjh7jv$thk$1...@dont-email.me>,

meagain <rick0....@gmail.com> wrote:

> Could it have anything to do with his/her DNS Cache?

I don't think that's likely. The address of the Comcast SMTP server
doesn't change often.

[Steve Baker]

That sounds like you didn't enable authentication, but it's hard to
say for sure without seeing the error message. Does the server say
"authentication rejected" or does it say "Authentication required"?

--
Steve Baker

[Mike]

In article <barmar-8D4B1F....@news.eternal-september.org>,

Finally someone from Comkrap got back to me this afternoon and said
they had to escalate it to a higher tier tech support. That guy called
around 8:30pm cst or so. So after some discussion of my problem that I
couldn't send mail he claims that while I'm using port 465,I won't be
able to send mail at all since I am using a third-party email provider
and not comcast. Won't work he claims since my "incoming" mail is from a
different domain and that's the reason comcast switched to 465 since the
port 25 was getting a load of spam. I think a call to retention is in
order and to get rid of comcast.

Oh, and I can't ping the smtp server(it knows nothing of what domain
I get email on and I told the guy this, but he never answered why
pinging isn't working at all. 10 tries and nothing returned.

Comkrap is hosed...
--
Mike

[Mike]

In article <barmar-8D4B1F....@news.eternal-september.org>,

So to be fair, I switched my email program over to using comcast's mail

and it still doesn't work.

--
Mike

[Barry Margolin]

In article <mike-3F9205.2...@74.sub-97-136-209.myvzw.com>,

Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

> Finally someone from Comkrap got back to me this afternoon and said
> they had to escalate it to a higher tier tech support. That guy called
> around 8:30pm cst or so. So after some discussion of my problem that I
> couldn't send mail he claims that while I'm using port 465,I won't be
> able to send mail at all since I am using a third-party email provider
> and not comcast. Won't work he claims since my "incoming" mail is from a
> different domain and that's the reason comcast switched to 465 since the
> port 25 was getting a load of spam. I think a call to retention is in
> order and to get rid of comcast.

Have you complained to your third-party mail provider that they don't
support the standard mail submission on port 587?

>
> Oh, and I can't ping the smtp server(it knows nothing of what domain
> I get email on and I told the guy this, but he never answered why
> pinging isn't working at all. 10 tries and nothing returned.
>
> Comkrap is hosed...

Comcast blocks pings to their servers. Lots of companies do this.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <mike-670528.2...@74.sub-97-136-209.myvzw.com>,

Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

> So to be fair, I switched my email program over to using comcast's mail
> and it still doesn't work.

Did you remember to change the authentication to your Comcast
credentials instead of the third party?

[Mike]

In article <barmar-433AC9....@news.eternal-september.org>,

Barry Margolin <bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

> In article <mike-670528.2...@74.sub-97-136-209.myvzw.com>,
> Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:
>
> > So to be fair, I switched my email program over to using comcast's mail
> > and it still doesn't work.
>
> Did you remember to change the authentication to your Comcast
> credentials instead of the third party?

Yes. I started a fresh account and put in settings from Comcast's set-up
page.
--
Mike

[Mike]

In article <barmar-8D4B1F....@news.eternal-september.org>,

I've tried three email programs

The old Eudora which worked fine up until a week ago last Thursday

Thunderbird

Apple Mail on two computers.

None work.

I also can't ping the smtp server. 10 tries and no responses.
--
Mike

[Adam H. Kerman]

Barry Margolin <bar...@alum.mit.edu> wrote:
>Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

>>Finally someone from Comkrap got back to me this afternoon and said
>>they had to escalate it to a higher tier tech support. That guy called
>>around 8:30pm cst or so. So after some discussion of my problem that I
>>couldn't send mail he claims that while I'm using port 465,I won't be
>>able to send mail at all since I am using a third-party email provider
>>and not comcast. Won't work he claims since my "incoming" mail is from a
>>different domain and that's the reason comcast switched to 465 since the
>>port 25 was getting a load of spam. I think a call to retention is in
>>order and to get rid of comcast.

>Have you complained to your third-party mail provider that they don't
>support the standard mail submission on port 587?

Why would Comcast block outbound 465 at him modem to another mail server?

[Steve Baker]

On Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:31:19 -0500, Mike <mi...@nononccfaba.org> wrote:

>I've tried three email programs
>
>The old Eudora which worked fine up until a week ago last Thursday
>
>Thunderbird
>
>Apple Mail on two computers.
>
>None work.

Do any of those email clients generate error messages when you try
to send? (hint, hint)

>I also can't ping the smtp server. 10 tries and no responses.

As already explained, an inability to ping the Comcast email servers
means nothing.

--
Steve Baker

[Steve Baker]

They wouldn't. Many Comcast support folks don't know much about how
things work. You could get a job there.

--
Steve Baker

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kk0b0o$p40$2...@news.albasani.net>,

"Adam H. Kerman" <a...@chinet.com> wrote:

They don't. They only block port 25.

I didn't mention 465 because that's not an IETF standard (it's a
Microsoft Exchange feature that has been copied by other
implementations), while 587 is. So if you're going to complain about
something, you should complain about 587.

587 and 465 are effectively equivalent -- with 465 the entire connection
is encrypted, with 587 encryption starts when the client sends STARTTLS.

[Adam H. Kerman]

Does bitterness pay big dividends in your life?

[Adam H. Kerman]

As I recall, Exchange does something proprietary in addition to what you
describe. I have an Exchange mailbox that I forget to check because I
can't get it to work with alpine. I have to use the Exchange client in
the browser, feh. I don't check it for months.

[meagain]

Use tracert to test the comcast email server.



--
www.BoltonAccess.TV

[Tom M]

This will give no more information about the server than ping. It will
show you the route but not the status of the server. Telnet will tell
you if you can make a connection on the required port.

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kk21q8$duf$2...@news.albasani.net>,

Yes, Exchange has its own, proprietary extensions to the IMAP protocol.
Although I think it should still be usable with an ordinary IMAP client.
Many clients allow you to select "Exchange" as a protocol, which enables
the extensions. I think the extensions allow clients to access things
like the Outlook calendar and address book.

[Adam H. Kerman]

If you know what the correct syntax is to make it work, please tell me.

>Many clients allow you to select "Exchange" as a protocol, which enables
>the extensions. I think the extensions allow clients to access things
>like the Outlook calendar and address book.

I don't need that crap. If I have to use the address book (which they
use for the company directory), I'll look on line with a browser.

[Steve Baker]

On Wed, 10 Apr 2013 09:27:33 -0400, meagain <rick0....@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Steve Baker wrote:

>> As already explained, an inability to ping the Comcast email servers
>> means nothing.
>>
>
>
>Use tracert to test the comcast email server.

Since tracert sends out ping packets the results will be exactly the
same as simply pinging the server.

--
Steve Baker

[Barry Margolin]

In article <kk4t8i$ku$1...@news.albasani.net>,

Don't know. When I used to work for a company with an Exchange server, I
switched from Apple Mail to Microsoft Outlook because Mail would
occasionally lock up when checking mail. That was before Apple added
explicit Exchange support to Mail, and I never bothered switching back
when they added it.

Theoretically you shouldn't have to do anything, but we all know how
much Microsoft cares about adhering to standards.