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bbales · Feb 17, 2005, 08:56 AM

I use SBC ameritech for DSL service. Last week, ameritech began blocking port 25 for outgoiing mail, which I discovered when I could no longer send mail with my .mac e-mail account. My main ameritech account is fine, obviously. But I have another account that I use for a business in which I am involved. And of course, now I cannot send on that account -- receive, but not send. I assume it's the port 25 thing.

My knowledge on servers, etc. is hazy at best. Is there a way to somehow force e-mail for that account to use ameritech's servers or something along those lines? Other people MUST be having this problem. (I know they were on .mac.com, because I found my answer for that problem on discussion boards at apple.) How have others solve this?

Thanks.

turtle777 · Feb 17, 2005, 09:33 AM

Try port 587.

-t

SWFan · Feb 17, 2005, 10:30 AM

Your only option is to see if you email provider will open another port for smtp. Apple obviously did this with the .Mac accounts as you can use port 587 to send on.

bbales · Feb 17, 2005, 11:45 AM

Thanks. I did try port 587 and that did not work. That must have been apple's solution for .mac mail, but it obviously isn't working for my other problem.

turtle777 · Feb 17, 2005, 01:02 PM

Originally posted by bbales:
Thanks. I did try port 587 and that did not work. That must have been apple's solution for .mac mail, but it obviously isn't working for my other problem.

On port 587, you need to aunthenticitate yourself before sending.
Make sure you have that option checked.

-t

C.J. Moof · Feb 18, 2005, 10:56 PM

Your options are to use 587 with SSL enabled as suggested or to use your ISP's SMTP server when you're home. If Ameritech isn't letting out traffic on 25, you either don't go out (use their server instead) or don't use that port.

bbales · Feb 19, 2005, 09:57 AM

Well playing around with the various settings did not work. And I don't know how to make that account use ameritech's servers. So -- I called ameritech last night and despite having some difficulties with understanding the tech support guy, eventually filled out an "abuse of services" form, to get port 25 unblocked. (The guy told me ameritech had gotten TONS of complaints -- probably due at least partly to the fact that as far as I can tell, the company announced blocking of the port only on the web site. I never go to the web site, and I can't believe I'm alone in that regard.)

I've already received notification it's been done. I just have to power off the router and then power it up and supposedly I'll be back in business. Haven't tried it yet, though.

For a communcations company, ameritech isn't so awfully good at it.

I'm posting the solution for anyone who might have a similar issue. Just fill out the form (which is on the web site, though it makes it wounjd like you're complaining about somebody else) and you should be back in business.

The Oracle · Feb 19, 2005, 07:44 PM

Originally posted by bbales:
And I don't know how to make that account use ameritech's servers.

This is very easy. Tell us what email program you use.

Captain Obvious · Feb 19, 2005, 08:16 PM

Originally posted by bbales:
So -- I called ameritech last night and despite having some difficulties with understanding the tech support guy, eventually filled out an "abuse of services" form, to get port 25 unblocked.

should have just done it online instead of talking to those people:
http://help.sbcglobal.net/legacy/abuseform/

ghporter · 01:41 PM

Originally posted by bbales:
I just have to power off the router and then power it up and supposedly I'll be back in business.

Why power off your router? Is it because you'll need to log back into Ameritech's DSL? I'd power off the modem AND the router to start everything fresh.

Originally posted by bbales:
For a communcations company, ameritech isn't so awfully good at it.

It's not just Ameritech-it's all of SBC. It's too big a company, and the fourth left hand doesn't tell the thirteenth right hand what it is doing.

Edited to fix quoting code

bbales · Feb 21, 2005, 11:00 AM

Originally posted by The Oracle:
This is very easy. Tell us what email program you use.

Entourage -- but I may switch to Mail when Tiger comes out. For the moment, Entourage.

bbales · Feb 21, 2005, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
should have just done it online instead of talking to those people:
http://help.sbcglobal.net/legacy/abuseform/

That's for sure. Unfortunately, I think the form is poorly named. The only "abuse of service" I needed to complain about was ameritech's, not anyone else's. Once I looked all the way through the form, there was an option for complaining about port 25. Would have saved me a lot of time ... but I didn't know.

bbales · Feb 21, 2005, 11:03 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ghporter:
[B]Why power off your router? Is it because you'll need to log back into Ameritech's DSL? I'd power off the modem AND the router to start everything fresh.

Well, everything works.

The directions were to back disconnect the service and then reconnect. The router directions were only for those people who have them, as I do.

__^^__ · Feb 26, 2005, 08:07 AM

Originally posted by bbales:
That's for sure. Unfortunately, I think the form is poorly named.

They probbally had one of their technical geeks create the form.