# SMTP woes



## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

I am in the process of trying to trouble shoot my outgoing mail problems. I have contacted my web hosting service and they assure me that the problem is not on their end, although I am getting a 501 Authentication failed from their server. I have contacted my ISP and the have assured me that they allow SMTP over port 25 without any restrictions that would cause me to have problems with my website hosting SMTP server. I am left with wondering if I am having a problem with the my computer.

Now before you all go off on making sure passwords and usernames are correct, I have checked them multiple times. I am connecting to the POP server just fine, it is only the SMTP that is causing problems. So I am stuck with no out going mail.

I am open to suggestions at this point.

Any Ideas?


If it helps, here is the log from my connection attempt:
CONNECTED Jul 16 16:48:39.536 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0

READ Jul 16 16:48:39.589 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
220 smtpauth14.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP

WROTE Jul 16 16:48:39.616 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
EHLO [192.168.0.65]

READ Jul 16 16:48:39.666 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
250-smtpauth14.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net

READ Jul 16 16:48:39.717 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN
250-8BITMIME
250 PIPELINING

WROTE Jul 16 16:48:39.745 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
***********************************************************

READ Jul 16 16:48:39.812 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtpout.secureserver.net -- port:25 -- socket:0xefe2f50 -- thread:0xed3cac0
501 Authentication failed.


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

Your web host doesn't seem very assuring to me.

Are you sure the POP3 and SMTP credentials are the same?

How much control do you have over the email server? Do you set the accounts, usernames, passwords, etc., or do they?

If it's an authentication error, chances are it's not on your end. All you're doing is sending a few bytes of data to them--nothing complicated, even telnet can do that. So if there's a problem it's most likely on their end.


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## fredtgreco (Jul 16, 2009)

Did you try port 587? That often does the trick.


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Skyler said:


> Your web host doesn't seem very assuring to me.
> 
> Are you sure the POP3 and SMTP credentials are the same?
> 
> ...



POP and SMTP user/pass are same and I set them. Only have one setting for both on hosting side. I tried to press the point the error appeared on their side, but the phone helper couldn't access the server logs to see what was being reported on his side. This is a really, really cheap service so It is highly unlikely that they will have a real tech check server logs for me.

-----Added 7/16/2009 at 08:05:09 EST-----



fredtgreco said:


> Did you try port 587? That often does the trick.



I tried a very large range of ports.

25
80
465
587
3347


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

Funny, I'm getting 500 not implemented... unless those asterisks weren't really asterisks...


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

nope not really asterisks.


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## fredtgreco (Jul 16, 2009)

It might be the server. For Earthlink for example, you cannot use:

smtp.earthlnk.net

You must use

smtpauth.earthlink.net


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

gene_mingo said:


> nope not really asterisks.



I thought as much. But did you only enter your username and password, or was there some SMTP language in, with, and under the asterisks?


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Skyler said:


> gene_mingo said:
> 
> 
> > nope not really asterisks.
> ...



That is just a copy and paste from my mail log. I am trying to telnet into the SMTP server right now.


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## John Weathersby (Jul 16, 2009)

Some hosts want you to pay for or have a pre assigned number of relays you can use per some period. Is this the case for your account? 

Looks your on godaddy (secureserver is who they use) if so, you need yo assign relays to the account(s) your configuring that you'll be sending mail out from. 

Hope that helps!


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## Semper Fidelis (Jul 16, 2009)

http://help.godaddy.com/article/2649
What are the SMTP Relay settings for my email client? - Help Center&mdash;Knowledge Base and FAQ
Checking Your SMTP Relay Settings - Help Center&mdash;Knowledge Base and FAQ


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Semper Fidelis said:


> Did this problem just start?
> 
> Is it possible that the SMTP server requires authentication?
> 
> Are you using a custom domain and that's why you want to log into your host? If so, you could use Google Apps and resolve that problem. If you PM me I can help you get that set up.



It just started last weekend after 3+ years of no problems.
Yes it requires auth. should be the same as the POP.

My ISP cannot supply me with an email addy, they don't support any non-windows OS. So I purchased a domain and paid for hosting. It runs me $4/month for the hosting service. The hosting plan provides me with 100 or so email accounts of which I use 3. So I have been using the hostings SMTP for all my outgoing mail. I have had no problems for 3 years and now it no longer works. 

Thanks for the tip on google apps, i have not tried to use them yet, but will look at them tonight. I will PM you if I need help.

-----Added 7/16/2009 at 08:44:01 EST-----



John Weathersby said:


> Some hosts want you to pay for or have a pre assigned number of relays you can use per some period. Is this the case for your account?
> 
> Looks your on godaddy (secureserver is who they use) if so, you need yo assign relays to the account(s) your configuring that you'll be sending mail out from.
> 
> Hope that helps!



I have 250 per day per account. I have not used any since last Friday.


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

How did your telnet attempt go?

If that still doesn't work, it's your web host's fault, and tell them it was someone majoring in computer science who said so.


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Skyler said:


> How did your telnet attempt go?
> 
> If that still doesn't work, it's your web host's fault, and tell them it was someone majoring in computer science who said so.



my telnet skill are so rusty. I am still muddling through the man pages looking for commands.

-----Added 7/16/2009 at 09:09:16 EST-----

it seems I cannot find a command to send the password via telnet. 

taylor-familys-imac:~ tfamily$ telnet smtpout.secureserver.net -25
Trying 72.167.82.80...
Connected to smtpout.where.secureserver.net.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 p3plsmtpa01-02.prod.phx3.secureserver.net ESMTP
helo smtpout.secureserver.net
500 Not implemented.

I can pass the user info using -l, but I can't seem to find a password command. I am running a bash shell.


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

gene_mingo said:


> Skyler said:
> 
> 
> > How did your telnet attempt go?
> ...



You won't find the SMTP commands in the man pages, I don't think.

Use:

*telnet smtpout.secureserver.net 25*

*EHLO [your.domain.name]*

*AUTH LOGIN*

_The server will give you a challenge that looks like this: VXNlcm5hbWU6

This is "Username:" encoded in Base64, which you can decode here:
Base64 Online - base64 decode and encode_

*AUTH LOGIN [your username encoded as base64]*

_The server will probably prompt you for your password next, though I didn't get that far without a username._

Then let me know what happens.


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Skyler said:


> gene_mingo said:
> 
> 
> > Skyler said:
> ...



taylor-familys-imac:~ tfamily$ telnet smtpout.secureserver.net -25
Trying 64.202.165.58...
Connected to smtpout.where.secureserver.net.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 smtpauth03.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP
AUTH LOGIN
500 Not implemented.


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

Type "EHLO" first. That opens a session as it were.

-----Added 7/16/2009 at 09:26:22 EST-----

...but actually, your mail program was using AUTH PLAIN, wasn't it? You can try pasting the code that you asterisked over and see if that does anything.


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

EHLO
250-smtpauth11.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net
250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN
250-8BITMIME
250 PIPELINING
AUTH LOGIN
334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
**************************
334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6
*************
501 Authentication failed.


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## Skyler (Jul 16, 2009)

Okay, then it's their problem and they need to fix it.

Send them the exact error message and what you tried to test it. Or, use Gmail.


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## gene_mingo (Jul 16, 2009)

Skyler said:


> Okay, then it's their problem and they need to fix it.
> 
> Send them the exact error message and what you tried to test it. Or, use Gmail.



Yep. This is what I tried to explain to them already. 
Thank you for the help. I am done for the night and will call customer support tomorrow. Pray for me that I don't get to frustrated with them as they try to explain that it is my fault.


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