Problem reaching register365 smtp servers from eircom

galvo_clare · 06-02-2013 10:33pm #1

Anyone experiencing the following?

This afternoon at work, mails stopped going out. We're using register365 for sending/receiving mail. Mail is still getting in.
It looked like we couldn't connect with the register365 smtp server. I rang r365 and they confirmed they were having no issues. I tried to ping the smtp server and succeeded, both using the name and ip address. telnetting a connection was refused.
I tethered my laptop to my phone and sent mail successfully over vodafone's mobile network.
That pointed to eircom and when contacted, they couldn't explain it either. They said they would run tests on the line, suggested that it might be my router, which can't be right and we left it that I would go home and try from my eircom broadband connection there.
At home, this afternoon, I could send mail but a few hours later, I can't, with the same symtoms - i.e. I can't connect to the smtp server.
The bizarre thing about it is there are a few computers on the work network that can still send mail and they're all set up the same, even down to the same email client (Eudora).

Any ideas?

TIA

Manwithastick · 07-02-2013 12:38pm

I'm having the same problem all of a sudden I can't send mails via register365, still receiving them fine. I thought it might have something something to do with my disk space on the server reaching it's limit. Having seen your post it appears there could be a bigger issue?

I have put raised a ticket with them. I would be interested to know if you have a solution to the problem.

t¬m¬j · 07-02-2013 12:54pm

Hi folks,

Having the same problem with register 365 and their smtp server.

I have a temporary workaround which is to change all the smtp servers to match the smtp server of my ISP (vodafone... which is mail.vodafone.ie) and this will work while in the office, but not for the laptops at home etc or for any users on the road.

I have raised tickets with register365 but I am getting a generic response.

I have tried turning off firewalls and anti-virus (AVG) but to no avail.

Strange thing is that email works on my own laptop, only difference is that I use Avast as an antivirus..That's the only difference that I can see...

great to see I am not alone!

galvo_clare · 07-02-2013 1:01pm

I checked with someone I know who is also with r365 and he tells me that he got an email a few weeks ago informing
him that they would shortly not be accepting smtp connections without encryption. I didn't get that email.

I've confirmed with them this morning that this is the case and they now expect ssl encryption through port 465.

Unfortunately, I'm using Eudora, which is notoriously picky when it comes to SSL. I'm currently playing around with Thunderbird
but I haven't managed to connect yet.
In my experience outlook express worked well with ssl, but I'm not going back there again!

Hope this helps.

t¬m¬j · 07-02-2013 1:04pm

I have played around with the ssl settings through port 465 to no avail...
Still scratching the head..

Manwithastick · 07-02-2013 1:10pm

I don't know what is going on there as I have my email set to SSL and always have …

Manwithastick · 07-02-2013 1:15pm

I got this a day or to ago, it only concerned one client and the domain it mentioned in the mail (see below) I have been intouch with the person in question. It never mentioned my domain as I have always used SSL

To verify the authenticity of this communication, we have placed a copy of the email directly into the Support Enquiry Tracking section of your Online Control Panel as a closed ticket.

** PLEASE READ - THIS AFFECTS EMAIL ACCESS **

Last week we wrote and requested that you update email client program settings to use a more secure method. If you have already taken action, please disregard this email, otherwise please read on.

We have identified that Usernames associated with the Domain(s) below have an email program configured to collect email in a way that means passwords are not transmitted securely. We are here to help you improve online security and are therefore requesting a simple change is made to the email programs setup on the computers and devices collecting emails for these Usernames.

On the 13th February 2013 we will be withdrawing support for insecure methods of authentication, and in order to avoid mail service disruption, changes need to be made for all Usernames listed below.

** DOMAIN(S) & USERNAMES IMPACTED: **
(I have removed my domain name)

What Do You Need to do?
Please change the email authentication type to SSL in your local email client. Follow the simple on-screen instructions in our guides for upgrading to SSL with the most common email applications, available for both POP and IMAP connections. ( This is the link they send you to http://www.register365.com/knowledge/email/upgrading_to_ssl/429/)

Why Change My Email Program Security?
This change is only relevant if a mail user has an email program (e.g. Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Mac Mail) configured with insecure settings. It is most likely that the email program defaulted to the least secure setting at the point when the mailbox was set up, and this setting is no longer considered secure.

We strongly recommend that email client settings are updated to be Plain text over TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Socket Layer). Plain text over SSL is a much more secure authentication method and will ensure that your user passwords are much less likely to be intercepted by hackers.

We would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused by this action to update your mail security, but we hope you recognise we are helping you to protect your account from potential malicious activity which is unfortunately on the rise across the world.

Getting In Touch
If you have a problem and need assistance, we are here to help. Please get in touch by raising a support ticket via your Online Control Panel. For faster response, please set Department to "Customer Support" and type "Upgrading Email To SSL" in the Brief Description field.

Kind Regards
Register365 Support Team

galvo_clare · 07-02-2013 2:22pm

Ok

Finally got back to 365. They're under severe pressure. There was an error with their new config which is causing lots of problems.

Immediate solution is to use smtp.hosts.co.uk as the outgoing smtp server.

If you can't get encryption to work on this, you can use an unencrypted connection on Port 25 at least for another week
while they sort out the mess.

At the moment, I have an encrypted connection working with SSL/TLS on Port 465.

Hope this helps.

Manwithastick · 07-02-2013 2:37pm

thanks for the update. Still struggling to get it sorted out.

I don't know about the rest of you but this is the final straw. I can not see myself renewing my account with them when the time comes.

galvo_clare · 07-02-2013 4:02pm

In my experience no matter who you go with, problems will happen.
I was on hold for nearly an hour before lunch before I got tech support and I rounded on them because it was obvious they had screwed something up and could have put the solution easily on their recorded outgoing message.
At the start of the wait, the voice referred to a support page but the URL was impossible to remember and was never repeated.
Their support pages had a few new updates about SMTP but really didn't address the issue.
The fact is, they decided at a weeks notice to make a major change to how they operated their SMTP servers. They didn't communicate this to all their customers, they didn't put it on their website in any meaningful manner and to cap it off, when I rang tech support yesterday with smtp problems, they didn't immediately tell me of the change.
Very poor show all around and it looks like they are snowed under with technical enquiries. Maybe they'll learn from this or maybe not.

Manwithastick wrote: »

thanks for the update. Still struggling to get it sorted out.

I don't know about the rest of you but this is the final straw. I can not see myself renewing my account with them when the time comes.

Problem reaching register365 smtp servers from eircom

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