Mweb and redirecting SMTP sessions

[XperiAnce]

Hi MWeb Guy,

I work for a company that hosts a tiny email server (300 users of which only about 100 are really active).

I've been having issues whereby clients trying to send via Authenticated Sessions get username and password invalid. After doing some investigating, I've noticed that SMTP connections to the server get redirected to Mweb, and then the Mweb Redirect Server bounces the credentials.

For example, the email address [email protected] is hosted with us, it tries to send an email via an Authenticated Session and gets Username/Password incorrect. Wireshark says that my SMTP connection didn't go to the correct server (mail.flock.co.za), but to Mweb Redirect Server:

1172 69.623026 72.32.203.42 192.168.1.183 SMTP 145 S: 220 redirect03.smp.mweb.co.za ESMTP Exim 4.77 Wed, 02 May 2012 11:05:12 +0200

Is there any way around this? I really don't want to phone all my customers on Mweb (and Vodacom Business, it would appear) and tell them to not authenticate their sessions?

 

[deweyzeph]

This is the single biggest reason why I haven't moved over to Mweb yet for uncapped. I have several mail servers that I need to connect to on port 25.

 

[MWEBHelp]

Hi MWeb Guy,

I work for a company that hosts a tiny email server (300 users of which only about 100 are really active).

I've been having issues whereby clients trying to send via Authenticated Sessions get username and password invalid. After doing some investigating, I've noticed that SMTP connections to the server get redirected to Mweb, and then the Mweb Redirect Server bounces the credentials.

For example, the email address [email protected] is hosted with us, it tries to send an email via an Authenticated Session and gets Username/Password incorrect. Wireshark says that my SMTP connection didn't go to the correct server (mail.flock.co.za), but to Mweb Redirect Server:

1172 69.623026 72.32.203.42 192.168.1.183 SMTP 145 S: 220 redirect03.smp.mweb.co.za ESMTP Exim 4.77 Wed, 02 May 2012 11:05:12 +0200

Is there any way around this? I really don't want to phone all my customers on Mweb (and Vodacom Business, it would appear) and tell them to not authenticate their sessions?

Hi XperiAnce

Which smtp port are you using ?

I would suggest that you use port 587.

Let me know if this resolves your query.

 

[XperiAnce]

Hi Mweb Guy.

Our clients use port 25, I've set up port 587 on our server and am testing it now.

Just to confirm,

What will work
Mweb Customers* using port 25 and not authenticated sessions
Mweb Customers* using port 587 with authenticated sessions

What won't work
Mweb Customers* using port 25 and authenticated sessions

*Mweb Customers meaning people who use Mweb as their ISP but use their email through us.

 

[savage]

Customers out of your own network connecting to SMTP servers inside your network, should be using port 587 (SMTP Submission port) - preferably with authentication. It's defined in RFC2476.

Port 25 is used for SMTP *transfers* from one MTA to another MTA. Not a MUA to a MTA.

It's a relatively new standard in terms of Internet age - people are slowly starting to adopt and implement it. I suggest you follow suite, your' problems are just going to become more and more...

 

[MWEBHelp]

Hi Mweb Guy.

Our clients use port 25, I've set up port 587 on our server and am testing it now.

Just to confirm,

What will work
Mweb Customers* using port 25 and not authenticated sessions
Mweb Customers* using port 587 with authenticated sessions

What won't work
Mweb Customers* using port 25 and authenticated sessions

*Mweb Customers meaning people who use Mweb as their ISP but use their email through us.

That is correct yes.

 

[XperiAnce]

Customers out of your own network connecting to SMTP servers inside your network, should be using port 587 (SMTP Submission port) - preferably with authentication. It's defined in RFC2476.

Port 25 is used for SMTP *transfers* from one MTA to another MTA. Not a MUA to a MTA.

It's a relatively new standard in terms of Internet age - people are slowly starting to adopt and implement it. I suggest you follow suite, your' problems are just going to become more and more...

Ah - our company doesn't really focus on hosting email, so this is all new to me, I've been thrust into the deep-end here. I've opened up access on port 587 and told customers to either use port 25 with no authenticated sessions or port 587 with authenticated sessions. It appears to be working.

 

[PsyWulf]

Ah - our company doesn't really focus on hosting email, so this is all new to me, I've been thrust into the deep-end here. I've opened up access on port 587 and told customers to either use port 25 with no authenticated sessions or port 587 with authenticated sessions. It appears to be working.

Only Mweb Home users get redirected(and some other ISP accounts like Webafrica),Mweb Business accounts do not,but yeah just add setting up port587 as Alternate submission SMTP for Authenticated sessions in any configs you do and you'll be golden according to the standards and not get redirected by any ISP

 

[XperiAnce]

Thanks Lads, today I learnt that I have no idea how to do my job

Appreciate the input from everyone.

 

[guest2013-1]

Customers out of your own network connecting to SMTP servers inside your network, should be using port 587 (SMTP Submission port) - preferably with authentication. It's defined in RFC2476.

Port 25 is used for SMTP *transfers* from one MTA to another MTA. Not a MUA to a MTA.

It's a relatively new standard in terms of Internet age - people are slowly starting to adopt and implement it. I suggest you follow suite, your' problems are just going to become more and more...

^ this

 

[GoofySmurf]

Hi MWeb Guy,

I work for a company that hosts a tiny email server (300 users of which only about 100 are really active).

I've been having issues whereby clients trying to send via Authenticated Sessions get username and password invalid. After doing some investigating, I've noticed that SMTP connections to the server get redirected to Mweb, and then the Mweb Redirect Server bounces the credentials.

For example, the email address [email protected] is hosted with us, it tries to send an email via an Authenticated Session and gets Username/Password incorrect. Wireshark says that my SMTP connection didn't go to the correct server (mail.flock.co.za), but to Mweb Redirect Server:

1172 69.623026 72.32.203.42 192.168.1.183 SMTP 145 S: 220 redirect03.smp.mweb.co.za ESMTP Exim 4.77 Wed, 02 May 2012 11:05:12 +0200

Is there any way around this? I really don't want to phone all my customers on Mweb (and Vodacom Business, it would appear) and tell them to not authenticate their sessions?

Its quite a ball ache I had the same exact issue, its quite simple sorting it out log a ticket at the premium help desk with your I.P and they remove it.

Keep a eye on it they messed up the routing once so far and it switched back.