OT: ?? Comcast blocked my port 25

[Michael Hipp]

Rick Bowers wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> On Wednesday (21 January) I received a message from Comcast saying they 
> have blocked port 25 on my modem (I didn't know you could configure a 
> SPECIFIC modem for that). They pointed me to directions for making 
> things work using port 587. It seems to work for one account, but not 
> the others -- even though I set them all up the same.
> 
> I have run a mail server here at the house for more than 5 years. Until 
> now, all has been well. In addition to no longer being able to send 
> mails, all my incoming messages seem to be blocked. I haven't received 
> any new messages since 20 January. If I send from my GMail account, the 
> message eventually gets returned with a "connection timed out" error code.
> 
> Do any of you have any words of wisdom? I plan to call Comcast, but 
> would like to understand why blocking port 25 also affected my inbound 
> messages and why only one account works.  I'm guessing that a single 
> account ID/password is being used. I use Eudora as my mail client.

Blocking outbound port 25 has become defacto standard for most ISPs I deal 
with (AT&T, Suddenlink, Verizon). I'm also not surprised they might block 25 
inbound. It's all an attempt to stop spam and generally for the good, if a pain.

Options:
- For inbound, switch to using fetchmail to get your email from the various 
servers that are receiving your email (pull rather than push).
- If you're hosting the email domain on your own box, you are stuck you'll 
have to upgrade to some higher tier of service where they won't block things.

The reason that "only one account works" probably is that the one account 
you're hosting at comcast. Just because they allow you to use 587 doesn't mean 
your other email providers are doing the same. Contact them and find out what 
alternate ports they offer. Almost all of them offer alternate ports these days.

Michael