Earthlink email - NOT encrypted POP3/SMTP

[PS56k]

After reading a recent thread on a RoadRunner / TWC email connection,
I thought I would just mention that my Earthlink email POP3/SMTP servers
don't use any of the security wrappers.
--> POP3 - Port 110 - NONE
--> SMTP - Port 587 - NONE

really sad that this legacy ISP still has no email security wrappers...

[Disaster Master]

STARTTLS is not a 'wrapper'.

I've never heard of any provider that utilizes port 587 without disallowing plaintext AUTH.

Meaning, you cannot use port 587 without setting the security level to STARTTLS (or whatever your client calls it).

[Chris Ramsden]

Here's the exception that proves the rule:

Sending of the message failed.
An error occurred while sending mail: Unable to establish a secure link
with Outgoing server (SMTP) mail.{redacted}.co.uk using STARTTLS since
it doesn't advertise that feature. Switch off STARTTLS for that server
or contact your service provider.

Needless to say, it doesn't support SSL or TLS either.

--
Chris

[Mike Easter]

Disaster Master wrote:

EL email setup illustration/screenshots for (old) Tb

Both pop3 & smtp are (rather, SAY) security none. smtp is 587.

https://support.earthlink.net/articles/browsers/how-to-set-up-mozilla-thunderbird-to-send-and-receive-emails-v2.php
How to set up Mozilla Thunderbird to send and receive emails

However, in my experience with EL, it harbors a LOT of old webpages.

This site which 'prides' itself on email settings for providers says SSL
is there; and so is IMAP.

http://settings.email/earthlink.net-email-settings.html

--
Mike Easter

[Ant]

Yep. https://support.earthlink.net/articles/email/imap-email.php web
page: "... IMAP grants you improved security options using StartTLS
security to protect your email when you are downloading it from the
EarthLink Mail server. Use of StartTLS is optional..."
https://support.earthlink.net/articles/email/imap-email.php#1-3 for its
details.

I wished ELN would fix/upgrade its old legacy e-mail servers too.
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[Ant]

Yep, many old providers are like this. :(

However, ELN's IMAP server have security as shown in

https://support.earthlink.net/articles/email/imap-email.php web page:

"... IMAP grants you improved security options using StartTLS security
to protect your email when you are downloading it from the EarthLink
Mail server. Use of StartTLS is optional..."
https://support.earthlink.net/articles/email/imap-email.php#1-3 for its
details.

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other way... They look all the time at the ground and never see the
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[PS56k]

even though most of the Earthlink Email Settings "help" pages
seem to indicate NONE - I did try each - StartTLS and SSL -
- StartTLS - works, and I left it that way
- SSL - never connected - so a no go

[PS56k]

here is a test of the ---> smtpauth.earthlink.net -

220-elasmtp-spurfowl.atl.sa.earthlink.net ESMTP Exim 4.67 #1 Sat, 21 Jan
2017 18:45:32 -0500
220-NO UCE. EarthLink does not authorize the use of its computers or network
220 equipment to accept, transmit, or distribute unsolicited e-mail.
[601 ms]
EHLO PWS3.mxtoolbox.com
250-elasmtp-spurfowl.atl.sa.earthlink.net Hello PWS3.mxtoolbox.com
[64.20.227.134]
250-SIZE 29360128
250-PIPELINING
250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN CRAM-MD5
250-STARTTLS
250 HELP [624 ms]
MAIL FROM:<supe...@mxtoolbox.com>
250 OK [623 ms]
RCPT TO:<te...@example.com>
550 Please configure your mail client to use authentication. [5628 ms]

[PS56k]

BTW - just to cover the other side of the coin -
the incoming POP3 Server - port 110 -
I tried both POP3 security protocols and both failed to connect -
- StartTLS - failed
- SSL - failed
- NONE - ok

[Disaster Master]

On Sat Jan 21 2017 18:41:18 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time), PS56k <psch...@no-spam.interserv.com> wrote:

even though most of the Earthlink Email Settings "help" pages
seem to indicate NONE - I did try each - StartTLS and SSL -
- StartTLS - works, and I left it that way
- SSL - never connected - so a no go

STARTTLS only works on port 587.

SSL/TLS only works on port 465.

[PS56k]

BTW - it appears that none of the Earthlink email settings pages
are showing that STARTTLS is an avail option - and just show NONE

https://support.earthlink.net/email/email-server-settings.php

As I mentioned, I tested it, and have now changed my Earthlink SMTP
to include the STARTTLS setting....

[Disaster Master]

On Sat Jan 21 2017 19:11:21 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time), PS56k <psch...@no-spam.interserv.com> wrote:

BTW - just to cover the other side of the coin -
the incoming POP3 Server - port 110 -
I tried both POP3 security protocols and both failed to connect -
- StartTLS - failed
- SSL - failed
- NONE - ok

This is at it should be.

Port 110 is only for unencrypted POP traffic, or encrypted with STARTTLS. Port 995 is only for POP traffic over SSL/TLS.

Port 143 is for unencrypted IMAP traffic, or encrypted with STARTTLS. Port 993 is only for IMAP traffic over SSL/TLS

Note: providers who do not force encryption (easily done) on ports 110 and 143 are, in my opinion, negligent. If they do not force SMTPAUTH, they are an open relay, and will be quickly blacklisted by every decent blacklist on the net.

[Disaster Master]

On Mon Jan 23 2017 11:40:15 GMT-0500 (Eastern Standard Time), PS56k <psch...@no-spam.interserv.com> wrote:

On 1/21/2017 5:47 PM, PS56k wrote:

BTW - it appears that none of the Earthlink email settings pages
are showing that STARTTLS is an avail option - and just show NONE

https://support.earthlink.net/email/email-server-settings.php

As I mentioned, I tested it, and have now changed my Earthlink SMTP
to include the STARTTLS setting....

I would never use any provider who did not allow the use of - or personally, restrict to only allow - encrypted connections.

Use such services at your own peril.

That said, looking at the above, it obviously DOES offer STARTTLS encryption.