Cingular/AT&T blocks outside mail server use

I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
"are blocking it".

cwmx.com takes frelling forever for mail to get through it. I've timed
it at a minimum of 30 minutes, and it's taken as long as four HOURS.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the
highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its
experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

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› See More: Cingular/AT&T blocks outside mail server use

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
> indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
> said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
> "are blocking it".

As in you can't access your own server (or anyone else's) while using the
handset or tethered or you can't use your own mail server on a tethered
handset? Just curious what you're experiencing.

It is alleged that DTC claimed:

> Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> > I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
> > indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
> > said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
> > "are blocking it".
>
> As in you can't access your own server (or anyone else's) while using the
> handset or tethered or you can't use your own mail server on a tethered
> handset? Just curious what you're experiencing.

As in I cannot use "my" own server from the handset. I have not
tethered to anything as of yet. And I don't think tethering or not
tethering would make any difference here. The cellular network is
blocking the connection to the outside server.

I'm trying to find out from my email provider if I can use an alternate
port.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"This will teach you to... trifle with a Centauri! You triple
damned... do you know that you are smaller than I thought you were...
you are smaller. There are more of you... THERE ARE MORE OF YOU!!!"
(Amb. Mollari to the dead bug, B5 "Sic Transit Vir")

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> It is alleged that DTC claimed:
>
>> Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
>>> I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
>>> indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
>>> said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
>>> "are blocking it".
>> As in you can't access your own server (or anyone else's) while using the
>> handset or tethered or you can't use your own mail server on a tethered
>> handset? Just curious what you're experiencing.
>
> As in I cannot use "my" own server from the handset. I have not
> tethered to anything as of yet. And I don't think tethering or not
> tethering would make any difference here. The cellular network is
> blocking the connection to the outside server.

Ok, as I understand it...you are trying to use your handset to check your
email. Have you tried other email servers? True, handset or tethered would
be a moot point.

> I'm trying to find out from my email provider if I can use an alternate
> port.

It is alleged that DTC claimed:

> > As in I cannot use "my" own server from the handset. I have not
> > tethered to anything as of yet. And I don't think tethering or not
> > tethering would make any difference here. The cellular network is
> > blocking the connection to the outside server.
>
> Ok, as I understand it...you are trying to use your handset to check your
> email. Have you tried other email servers? True, handset or tethered would
> be a moot point.

From my handset, I have access to two SMTP servers: cwmx.com which is
unacceptably slow and "my" server at my mail/domain host which AT&T is
blocking.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"My girlfriend always laughs during sex -- no matter what she's
reading." -Steve Jobs (Founder: Apple Computers)

At 26 Jul 2007 09:15:56 -0400 Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:

> From my handset, I have access to two SMTP servers: cwmx.com which is
> unacceptably slow and "my" server at my mail/domain host which AT&T is
> blocking.


Come join us at T-Mobile, Jeffrey!

T-Mo allows access to any e-mail server.

To be fair to AT&T, T-Mo has a weird setup if you want to use their
servers (for those e-mail providers that block SMTP access originating
outside their own network.) Unlike an "open" SMTP server like cwmx.com,
you have to register up to five specific e-mail address on their website
that you can then use the T-Mobile SMTP server with. (This wouldn't
apply to you, most likely, since you want to use your own anyway.) They
issue you a new username (your phone number followed by :1, :2, etc. up
to :5 for the five e-mail accounts) which you use with your existing SMTP
password.

--
Todd Allcock

"I don't need my cell phone to play video games or take pictures or double
as a Walkie-Talkie; I just need it to work. Thanks for all the bells and whistles,
but I could communicate better with ACTUAL bells and whistles."
-Bill Maher 9/25/2003

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
> indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
> said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
> "are blocking it".

It's not unheard of for ISPs in general to block outbound port 25 access,
or to redirect it so that it goes to their own servers. It's an anti-spam
measure. See if port 587 will do you any good.

--
"Liberals used to be the ones who argued that sending U.S. troops abroad
was a small price to pay to stop genocide; now they argue that genocide
is a small price to pay to bring U.S. troops home."
-- Jonah Goldberg

Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> It is alleged that DTC claimed:
>
>>> As in I cannot use "my" own server from the handset. I have not
>>> tethered to anything as of yet. And I don't think tethering or not
>>> tethering would make any difference here. The cellular network is
>>> blocking the connection to the outside server.
>> Ok, as I understand it...you are trying to use your handset to check your
>> email. Have you tried other email servers? True, handset or tethered would
>> be a moot point.
>
> From my handset, I have access to two SMTP servers: cwmx.com which is
> unacceptably slow and "my" server at my mail/domain host which AT&T is
> blocking.

Interesting. Did CS say it was a blocking model across the broad or unique
to you. Keep us posted on what you find out.

It is alleged that DTC claimed:

> > From my handset, I have access to two SMTP servers: cwmx.com which is
> > unacceptably slow and "my" server at my mail/domain host which AT&T is
> > blocking.
>
> Interesting. Did CS say it was a blocking model across the broad or unique
> to you. Keep us posted on what you find out.

"That server is not supported. Use cwmx.com port 25 instead."

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"God. And I thought +I+ was depressing!" (Cmdr. Ivanova, B5 "The
Summoning")

"Jeffrey Kaplan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It is alleged that DTC claimed:
> ..........
> From my handset, I have access to two SMTP servers: cwmx.com which is
> unacceptably slow and "my" server at my mail/domain host which AT&T is
> blocking.
> --
> Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
> The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

I think Hotmail is one of several email accounts that supports
'aggregating'. A free Hotmail account should be able to collect emails from
multiple accounts then present them as online accessible.

You didn't mention what device you are using. I use WebEx to access my home
PC from a 8525 with an external monitor. I haven't tested the Blackjack.

On Jul 25, 7:35 pm, Jeffrey Kaplan <[email protected]> wrote:
> I finally got confirmation from a CSR with AT&T/Cingular that they are
> indeed blocking the user of outside smtp servers. Bastards. The guy
> said that the server I'm trying to use is "not supported", and so they
> "are blocking it".
>

It works for me. I'm using a V557 through Cingular (AT&T) MediaNet to
connect to my own personal mail server with IMAP and SMTP. No
problems at all. I just sent myself a test message to make sure it is
working.

Very highly likely this is a problem with your ISP. Most, if not all,
block use of their SMTP servers by outside IP addresss. If you're
lucky you can use SMTP authentication and it'll work.

It is alleged that Thurman claimed:

> I think Hotmail is one of several email accounts that supports
> 'aggregating'. A free Hotmail account should be able to collect emails from
> multiple accounts then present them as online accessible.

Not the problem. I've specified OUTGOING mail as the problem, several
times.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"If I am ever the Hero top 100 list: #89. People who whine about not
being trusted are either (a.) Operatives for the Evil Overlord; (b.)
Mind-controlled by the Evil Overlord; (c.) Totally clueless about
concepts like OPSEC and need-to-know; or (d.) Dangerously neurotic
and/or immature; and are consequently not to be trusted.

It is alleged that The Reverend Natural Light claimed:

> It works for me. I'm using a V557 through Cingular (AT&T) MediaNet to
> connect to my own personal mail server with IMAP and SMTP. No
> problems at all. I just sent myself a test message to make sure it is
> working.
>
> Very highly likely this is a problem with your ISP. Most, if not all,
> block use of their SMTP servers by outside IP addresss. If you're
> lucky you can use SMTP authentication and it'll work.

It's a host, not an ISP. It works fine from my desktop. I've checked
with the host and they're not blocking anything. And the AT&T rep has
confirmed that +they+ are the ones blocking it.

All as I previously stated.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"The smaller the mind the greater the conceit. Aesop

On Jul 27, 1:09 pm, Jeffrey Kaplan <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> It's a host, not an ISP.
>

??

>It works fine from my desktop. I've checked
> with the host and they're not blocking anything.

Are you connecting to a web mail service from your desktop or an SMTP
server with an email client on your desktop?

> And the AT&T rep has
> confirmed that +they+ are the ones blocking it.

Except that they're not blocking anything. It works for me right
now. No problems. No blocked ports.

On the other hand, I would *not* be able to connect to a Comcast SMTP
server with my phone even though I'm a Comcast customer because they
block external IPs. But I own my own mail server.

It is alleged that The Reverend Natural Light claimed:

> > It's a host, not an ISP.
> ??

They are not my ISP, they do not provide my connectivity. They provide
my web, mail, and domain hosting.

> >It works fine from my desktop. I've checked
> > with the host and they're not blocking anything.
> Are you connecting to a web mail service from your desktop or an SMTP
> server with an email client on your desktop?

SMTP. The only way to fly.

> > And the AT&T rep has
> > confirmed that +they+ are the ones blocking it.
> Except that they're not blocking anything. It works for me right
> now. No problems. No blocked ports.
>
> On the other hand, I would *not* be able to connect to a Comcast SMTP
> server with my phone even though I'm a Comcast customer because they
> block external IPs. But I own my own mail server.

Since the server I'm trying to use is NOT provided by an ISP, rather by
a hosting service, the only way to access it is via an external IP.
This server is not being blocked at the host end. Other users have
confirmed that they can use it over their cellular connections. And as
I've stated in my OP, an AT&T rep has confirmed/admitted that they are
the ones doing the blocking.

--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
The from userid is killfiled Send personal mail to gordol

"The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary,
in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, may justly be
pronounced the very definition of tyranny." - James Madison, The
Federalist Papers