Unable to send mail

Post by **old SKopischke** » August 1st, 2005, 10:00 am

Try Free SMTP Server from www.softstack.com - I use it all the time when I am traveling.

makaiguy · Post by **makaiguy** » August 1st, 2005, 12:18 pm

Please see this discussion re "relaying mail" errors:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... 42#1316842

squidx · Post by **squidx** » August 2nd, 2005, 4:51 pm

Hello, I have some experience with the "people" over at Cox. They only support SMTP from *within* their domain. If you have one of their IP addresses (ie., you're logged in from home), you should be all set. However, if you use a laptop and are on the road, *like one would expect in 2005*, you cain't "relay" your SMTP through them. This is because there are some holes in SMTP and people take advantage of them. Even though there are various schemes out there to prevent this from being abused, Cox has decided to totally limit these issues at the expense of their customers. If you don't have an alternate SMTP server, you'll need to send (though not receive) your e-mail through Cox's (crappy) webmail program.

I have solved this by using my web host's SMTP server. However, there is an added twist. Cox is so difficult that they have disabled using port 25 (the normal smtp port) from being accessed while you are connected with them as ISP, unless you are going to their SMTP server ONLY. I was able to get around this by using port 26, which my web host's SMTP server supports, luckily. (Cox's security through obscurity). This ISP is wwm.net, which I fully recommend for inexpensive web hosting and good responsiveness.

Hope this helps!

squidx · Post by **squidx** » August 2nd, 2005, 4:58 pm

It took me a good while to figure it out! Finally, I went in and made an "Exception" for Thunderbird and also "Opened" ports 25 and 26. Then it worked.

I think this firewall got installed during some SP2 update and autoconfigured. I notice it doesn't block Outlook or Outlook Express from using port 25 or 26 under any circumstances. That's what you get for sleeping with the boss, as it were, I guess.

Anyway you may have Windows Firewall on and not know it. It's hidden deep:
Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Security Center>Windows Firewall Options>Exceptions. Then Add Program... and Add Port...

Also, make sure that in the General tab "Don't allow exceptions" is not checked.

Good luck!

tkozikow · Post by **tkozikow** » August 2nd, 2005, 8:19 pm

Since this happens with both OE and T'bird I figured that it was probably something outside my computer and your explanation makes sense in some sort of twisted way. I am just surprised, however, that I seem to be the only Cox customer experiencing this problem or that they simply say f*** you to anyone who needs to send mail when they are not at home. This may, however, be the impetus for me to consider switching to Verizon when DSL finally makes it to my neighborhood. I have been reluctant to change ISPs, mainly due to the hassle of updating 1000s of contacts with my new e-mail address.

I am not technical, but is Cox's approach equivalent to sticking their head in the sand and pretending like the problem does not exist? How do other ISPs handle this?

Thanks to everyone for the advice and confirmation that I am not an idiot.

Cheers,

TJ

delahaba · Post by **delahaba** » August 13th, 2005, 2:45 am

tkozikow,

Cox customer here. Having the same issue. Pissed the f*** off.

Am I glad to finally have an answer to this problem. I didn't think searching these forums for "relaying not allowed cox" would turn up an answer, but thank you again.

Were you able to solve the problem or does Cox still suck? I don't think I can switch ISPs so I really need to find a way around this problem. I guess they didn't think someone from San Diego, would go to college in Long Beach and take his laptop with him. Idiots!

delahaba · Post by **delahaba** » August 13th, 2005, 3:09 am

For what it's worth, I emailed them and linked them to this thread. Told them they need to fix the problem or I'm going to change ISPs.

bdennis · Post by **bdennis** » August 13th, 2005, 8:29 am

i have been unable to send or receive emails using t-bird or outlook since 8/11. I am able to do both on gmail and my isp "webmail." i have tried turning off my firewall. no luck. any ideas?

tkozikow · Post by **tkozikow** » August 13th, 2005, 9:46 am

Glad that my problem has been able to help others understand that they really are not crazy and that there are problems with Internet service providers like Cox. Many thanks, however, go out to those on the board who have shed some light on this so that I don't go crazy trying to correct something that is out of my control.

My solution has been to use my company SMTP server for all outgoing mail, regardless of account, and this has been working for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, this may not be an option for everyone. Switching ISPs is a possibility, probably to Verizon, but with bundled pricing for cable and Internet it would cost me a lot more. I am on a special plan right now since I switched from Dish Network about five months ago which gives me cable (including just about every movie channel) and high speed Internet for $60/month until May 2006.

ed burns · Post by **ed burns** » August 13th, 2005, 2:15 pm

I'm having the same problem with Netscape ISP. The problem is that it works sometimes and sometimes it doesn't! I'm stuck usin Netscape cause they're cheap for dial-up
accounts(9.95/mo) and I can use them wherever I find a phone (I spend time in 2 or 3 different places). Their support is non-existant. So I just use Fastmail a lot.

makaiguy · Post by **makaiguy** » August 13th, 2005, 6:46 pm

There are plenty of other ISPs with good networks of local access numbers. The one I use for dialup (backup for my dsl and for use when on the road) is $7.95/mo and has local access in just about everywhere I want to go in the US and Canada. Their SMTP server uses authentication to allow me to use it for all my email sending whether I'm currently logged in through them or not. There are lots of others just as good.

I'll not promote mine specifically here, but PM me if you want more info. Meanwhile there are several good websites that list, compare, and review ISPs. One I especially like is www.freedomlist.com which specializes in information on low cost ISPs (primarily North American).

ed burns · Post by **ed burns** » August 13th, 2005, 8:20 pm

makaiguy...I looked at the national ISPs and didn't find anything suitable. They have web email which I get with Fastmail and don't have POP email. I'll stay with Netscape until something better comes along. This way I have the POP and web access.

Thanks anyway

EB

Guest · Post by **Guest** » June 9th, 2010, 6:15 am

tkozikow wrote:FWIW, I added a new SMTP server last week, using my office e-mail account, which works just fine. I find it really strange/weird/annoying that the cox.net mail server is giving me this much grief and I now tend to agree that it is the ISP since there are now at least two of us with different service providers having the same problem.

Is there any way that you can try a different outgoing mail server? Do you have a second computer that does not have this problem? As I mentioned in my earlier posts, everything is fine on my home desktop. As unlikely as this sounds, is it possible that this is a LAPTOP OS or configuration issue?

An error occurred while sending mail. The mail server responded: [recipient email address]: Relay access denied. Please verify that your email address is correct in your Mail preferences and try again

Unable to send mail

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Re: Unable to send mail