J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

[Nanook]

This all started last thursday, when out of the blue, I cannot get email to my parents...(this is not a good thing, trust me, LOL)

Upon investigation I get the information from thier ISP (uswest, recently become tds) has blocked imcoming email from MY ISP for being a spam sourse, something about no reverse DNS. My provider is "blacklisted".

Anyway, It has been almost a week now with no resolution. My ISP blames uswest, thiers blames my cpinternet. I'm caught in the middle. According to my ISP, this is the first time they've encountered this problem and there are two of us now that are blocked from sending email to the uswest addresses.

I'm about to do something rash, and switch ISP, but the choices up here are few and the others are less desireable than the cpinternet I have.

What would you do? This not being able to communicate has caused some huge problems for the "old folks" on the other end, and all of this is getting on my last nerve!

[Rebycman]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

Excuse me, I'm not J kid but I have years of experience running email servers.

Reverse DNS (rDNS) is a method of resolving an IP address into a domain name, just as the domain name system (DNS) resolves domain names into associated IP addresses. One of the applications of reverse DNS is as a spam filter. Here's how it works: Typically, a spammer uses an invalid IP address, one that doesn't match the domain name. A reverse DNS lookup program inputs IP addresses of incoming messages to a DNS database. If no valid name is found to match the IP address, the server blocks that message.

Just about every 'real' email server now days has a PTR (Reverse DNS) record, this is standard practice (hotmail.com and yahoo.com require PTR too, so don't think its just qwest.net). Usually the reason mail servers don't have a PTR is they are on a dynamic IP or their ISP does not allow servers (so they wont configure your PTR).

As far as being blacklisted, this is probably the auto-reject issue above (no PTR). Just in case you can check if you are listed in any Relay Black Lists (RBL) at http://dnsstuff.com/ and check your domain & IP, and your hosts domain and IP as well. This will tell you if you are really blacklisted. (if you don't understand this PM me and I'll look at it)

There are options around this, usually involving you fowarding your email through a real email server (or better yet, get your host to set up their email server properly [img]/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ).

-Reby

[Nanook]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

Thank you Reby, I sorta get the jist of this. I've been on the phone with both companies trying to get the matter resolved, and so far no luck!

[Rebycman]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

From what I can see its not you or your host. I checked the DNS entries and everything looks cool, and it even responds and resolves in .24ms which is good.

I see a PTR/Reverse DNS record so you shouldnt have problems...you are not RBL blacklisted so that's not an issue. I can ping the mail server and all MX mail records resolve Hmm... about the only thing I can think of at this point is qwest has your hosts IP/mail server banned at their smtp server.

If you want to further test I can give you an email addy to test at the server level. I can check my server logs and double check your mail server as the message hits my server. I don't want to seem like I'm advertising here so pm me if interested and I'll give you the addy. (BTW I use qwest.net as my ISP so it may help narrow down the problem, uswest was the old name before they converted to qwest.net. At least it my area)

-Reby

[Nanook]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

Thank you Reby, I am sorta getting it! I sent you a PM...

[loops]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

omg...that hurt to read. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

you got all that steph? I think I'd need Calgon at this point...

[ohliz]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

In the meantime, you can get a gmail account...I have invites if you want, just email me at [email protected]

[Rebycman]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

lol sorry Loops, this is what happens when I surf the net while I have my morning coffee. Trying to explain a technical process isnt easy, and even harder when my brain is still half asleep lol!

Hopefully its all sorted out, dealing with qwest.net support is no fun. I hate talking to tier 1 support, they are always a bunch of drooling idiots. Last time I called them and sat on hold for 45 min waiting. Why? The fools retired my 2 DNS name servers and failed to mention it to their users.

-Reby

[Nanook]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

Thanks Liz, I'm going to give my ISP one more day to resolve the situation and if they cannot get my mail through, I'm just going to switch to a different ISP. I'm truely disgusted, after waiting to hear from them all afternoon and a no show. Reby, you've been a huge help, and I can;t thank you enough for that...

Yes, I need a Calagon experience! Take me away!

[Nanook]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

It appears as though an email has finally made it through! Oh happy day! Ahhhh....

[Rebycman]

Re: J Kid, I have a big Big BIG Problem!

Yay!

..do a little dance...
..make a little love...
..get down tonight, get down tonight...

-Reby