email gurus please - need help

[Erin]

Have got a strange little problem with our office emails. We have three pc's each with their own pop3 access to their email accounts. We can receive mail just fine but it won't send. Comes up with error message saying can't find server 08xccc0e or something similar. Done the usual search, followed a FAQ on the providers website and am still none the wiser. I've also tried sending from a home pc (using same email account) and that works fine. I'm therefore guessing it is the router blocking port 25 as that is the only common item. Each pc runs Norton IS, so I suppose there is a possibility an update has messed with the security settings, but that assumes each pc has received same update and reacted in the same way.

Any thoughts? Anything I could try/check before messing about any further? I can't find any settings on the router that are wrong/have changed,

keith

[Cookee]

Every computer guy I have ever spoken to has told me to never install Norton!

[Poly]

Do you send via your ISP (i.e. broadband providers) mail servers or a third party server (e.g. 1and1.co.uk).

Some ISPs block outgoing connections on port 25. Most genuine mail servers will accept connections on another port (IIRC 587 is common) to overcome this. (To "debug" the problem I'd try pinging and then telneting into the mail server on port 25. If you can ping it, but not telnet - then as you say something is blocking the path. You can probably use traceroute to find where the block is - but I'd need to look up the windows settings). EDIT :- It looks like TRACERT in windows won't allow you to specify TCP and Port25 so scrap that idea.

[Channel Ribs]

If you send via your broadband provider they may have turned on SMTP authentication, I would check with them unless as Polwart says you use a third party for outbound mail.

[Erin]

Thanks for your replies Polwart and Martin.

I know about the blocking of port 25 by some ISP's as that happened on my mobile when I was away, and I couldn't send. Fortunately it was documented on 1and1's FAQ page. Also, it's always required authentication, so it's not that either.

The email server is 1and1.co.uk, and the ISP is my local Telecom provider. My home setup uses the same companies and email is fine on that, so I somehow doubt it has anything to do with either ISP or 1and1.

I've tried 1and1's FAQ for the error message and they suggested telneting, but their example used port 110 for receiving, which ain't much help as that bit works fine. How would you check for port 25? Telnet is new to me.

I will phone the 1and1 helpline tomorrow, but it really seems like a hardware/software problem at my end, rather than theirs. Could the router be packing up and blocking port 25 comms somehow?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Erin

I've tried 1and1's FAQ for the error message and they suggested telneting, but their example used port 110 for receiving, which ain't much help as that bit works fine. How would you check for port 25? Telnet is new to me.

Erin, I don't use Windoze much these days but here goes:

1. Get a command prompt e.g. Click Start, find Run..., type cmd and press enter
2. Type

telnet smtp.1and1.com 25

3. If it says something like "trying 74.208.5.2" but never connects then something is preventing the connection on port 25. Try swapping 25 for 587.

If it does connect it will say something like:

[user@localhost ~]$ telnet smtp.1and1.com 587
Trying 74.208.5.2...
Connected to smtp.1and1.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 smtp.perfora.net (mrus2) Welcome to Nemesis ESMTP server

bearing in mind that the windows format and details may be slightly different.

If you get connected you probably don't need to go any further (the router / firewalls are behaving!) - the problem is not with the network.

If you don't get connected on port 25 try your isp's mail server on 25 - if that connects and 1and1 doesn't then the ISP is probably the problem.

[Erin]

Many thanks for your clear explanation/procedure. I will give it a go later.

[Erin]

Solved.

Messed around trying a spare router to no avail. Phoned the helpline, they suggested changing port to 587 (I know, I know you told me ) and all is now well. Why on earth our ISP should suddenly decide to block port 25 is beyond me. What's even stranger is that at home it still works on 25. Same ISP, same email server.

Thanks anyway

[Poly]

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Erin

Thanks for your replies Polwart and Martin.

But Cookee gave you the good advice

Originally Posted by Cookee

Every computer guy I have ever spoken to has told me to never install Norton!

After many years experience I think you'll come to the same view ......... eventually

The stuff f**ks with your network, and slows your pc dont use it and get a decent simple router like a Draytek .........

[Erin]

The only reason I stick with Norton, is because I've got the hang of it now.

As for the router, yes it is a Draytek as it happens.

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Erin

The only reason I stick with Norton, is because I've got the hang of it now.

As for the router, yes it is a Draytek as it happens.

So enable the DHCP settings and you're sorted.. Norton is bloatware for your PC .. a router is an automatic firewall with DHCP enabled as it doesnt give the local address of your PC unless you do, when surfing.

Sure thats exploitable .. and might happen if you were surfing a dodgy website .. and Ok'd some response box saying yes .. when you should have been home trimming some bush or something lordy .. my double entendres

[Erin]

If I could preoccupy myself with any more bush 'management', then the pc would be the least of my worries . Currently however, all hedges are in full trim.

Am I right in assuming that DHCP hands out IP's to clients on a network, and avoids the need to have fixed IP's. Would you mind elaborating a little, as to how that benefits security etc. TBH I don't fully understand what the term firewall really means.

Cheers