Possible Solution For Some Email Blocking?

[Shep]

HG offers some great reseller plans, but problems with email servers being routinely blacklisted makes it difficult to operate as a legitimate reseller. Clients should be able to use email accounts associated with their domain name without having to worry about the server being blacklisted on a regular basis (mine is blacklisted several times a week making client email accounts worthless). Before ya'll jump on the "get a dedicated server" bandwagon...Not everyone can afford a dedicated server, nor does everyone want the extra responsibility of running a dedicated server. Besides, the majority of my sites run just fine on a simple reseller account and don't require the resources of a dedicated server.

Another shared hosting provider offers the following as a solution. Users must submit their email address before being allowed to use the "send only" servers. An explanation of the problem and the solution are below. Perhaps HG could implement something similar?

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Problem: An email you sent was rejected/bounced back. The bounce claims that your server is a spam source.

Solution: Our "send only" outgoing mail servers.
A common mail-related problem is out-going mail being marked as spam by remote servers. To solve this problem, we have "send only" mail servers. Using these servers will greatly reduce the chance that your mail is marked as spam.

Common Questions:
If you do not allow spammers, why do servers sometimes get marked as spam sources?
There are two main causes for servers being marked as spam sources (aka RBL listings).

The first source of RBL listings is forwarded mail. We give you the option to forward your domain's email to another email provider. When a forward is set-up, we forward ALL mail sent to you@your_domain.com to you@your_other_mail_provider.com. The problem is when a spam email is forwarded. If the email is marked as spam by the other mail provider, our mail server is commonly marked as the sender (instead of just a middle-man forwarding the mail). If enough messages are tagged as spam, your mail server IP is eventually marked as a spam source and blacklisted.

The other source of RBL listings is exploited user scripts. These are scripts - usually contact forms or guestbooks - which spammers are able to trick into sending spam out. When we find user scripts that are exploitable we disable them. However unless we totally disallow scripts to send mail, there is no 100% solution for this problem. In most cases the exploitable scripts are only found after the first spam has been sent.
Because multiple clients are assigned to the same physical mail server, your mail can be affected even if you do not forward mail or have bad scripts. A single user with a spam problem can affect all users on the server.

Our "send only" smtp servers solve all of these problems. These servers do not forward mail. In addition, scripts are not allowed to send mail through these special servers.

My outgoing mail works fine already. Do I need still need to create an smtp user?
You do not have to create a smtp user, however we recommend it. Your regular mail server will continue to allow you to send mail. However using our "send only" smtp servers will greatly reduce the chances of your mail being marked as spam.

[kmaw]

I'm interested in seeing the replies to this... HG and otherwise... I think it sounds like something that's better in print than in practice...

Sounds like basically each server would have it's own seperate server or IP that sends e-mails.... I don't think cPanel allows for this setup...

send only smtp servers... hmm

[osirion]

I cant say Ive been blacklisted lots of times on my server, probably only 3 or so times in all the years Ive been with HG. But the days my server does get blacklisted, its chaos! The most recent time it got blacklisted, yahoo blacklisted us. Its now 5 weeks down the line, and the server I am on is still blacklisted. Not HG's fault - Yahoo are being *******s; but its still a problem when I have to tell all my clients they cant e-Mail anyone @yahoo.com!

[Shep]

Originally Posted by Serra

2. Email critical people who can't afford to divorce themselves from shared hosting should find an email solution in addition to shared hosting.

Is there a solution that would allow them to use their domain name? One client tried gmail, but didn't care for it.

[slapshotw]

Originally Posted by Shep

Is there a solution that would allow them to use their domain name? One client tried gmail, but didn't care for it.

Did they try regular gmail or gmail for their domain? Did they not like the interface, or the @gmail.com address?

[Shep]

Originally Posted by slapshotw

Did they try regular gmail or gmail for their domain? Did they not like the interface, or the @gmail.com address?

They tried "gmail for your domain". At first they didn't like the interface so I set it up so they could send and receive using MS Outlook. Then they said they were not receiving all of their email.

[kmaw]

Originally Posted by Shep

Then they said they were not receiving all of their email.

They probably tried to download it by POP3 in Outlook then go on gmail and expect it to be there...

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by kmaw

They probably tried to download it by POP3 in Outlook then go on gmail and expect it to be there...

http://lemmings.ws/funnypost.gif

I could have sworn I had a 'group scream' smiley...

This is one of many ideas that have been thrown around, as we would love to minimize these types of problems as well. We are currently (internally) testing various solutions and, assuming all the bases are covered, hope to have something ready for public use in the next few weeks. I'm not going to get too specific because we're currently in the testing phase. Thanks!

[-S-]

Originally Posted by GatorJamyn

This is one of many ideas that have been thrown around, as we would love to minimize these types of problems as well. We are currently (internally) testing various solutions and, assuming all the bases are covered, hope to have something ready for public use in the next few weeks. I'm not going to get too specific because we're currently in the testing phase. Thanks!

This is very good to hear, as at least a few of us were being blocked by Comcast for weeks, apparently due to just the sort of UCE forwarding that the OP's suggestion would provide with IPs that would hopefully be sufficiently distinguished to facilitate blocking them (if need be), without blocking our "Send Only" missives.

Thanks to HG's Richard for digging deeper into the Comcast semi-perma-ban, and clearing it up!

For the ISPs and block-lists don't have the courtesy to generate a "Blocking Notice" for the allegedly offending host, here are some novice ideas:

Configure filters to look at incoming mail for NDR properties, and use that as an alert mechanism.

Configure regularly reoccurring auto-send Email from at least a few HG IPs to at least the most problematic (and possibly the larger) ISPs and Webmail providers. If HG can't directly obtain accounts on some of the ISPs, recruit "volunteers" (I have volunteered).

Successful Test email could be filtered and auto-bit-binned locally, and NDRs could likewise be auto-detected by HG for Heads-up on Blockage prior to many of customers being put-out at all.

[gwyneth]

-S- is there a special reason for the microscopic type in your message?

It's very, very hard to read.

[-S-]

Originally Posted by gwyneth

-S- is there a special reason for the microscopic type in your message?

It's very, very hard to read.

Sorry 'bout that. Oddly, though I did set the font size smaller, it didn't appear smaller here in Fx 1.5x (though that might be the result of other configurations). It should be more man-sized (as Polly J. Harvey might say) now.


[OT and set to be smaller: #16, Bobby Clark of course! Orr... pufffttt! ]

[Shep]

Originally Posted by GatorJamyn

This is one of many ideas that have been thrown around, as we would love to minimize these types of problems...

This is very cool. Email is the only serious problem I have ever had with Host Gator. Unfortunately, email happens to be important to most people.

[John8m]

I have suffered badly from email problems for a while now. It's a shame because everything else has been great. I've had quite a few complaints from customers too about certain messages not arriving, or not being able to email someone.

Makes me wonder how much business I have lost out on due to bouncebacks.

Is a dedicated server the best solution? If I know this will clear up all these email troubles then I would consider going that route even if it is a lot more money.

I used to be with Fasthosts - they were a lot more expensive but I don't recall ever having any email troubles like this... why don't they have these problems - what are they doing right?!!

[Sam]

Originally Posted by John8m

Is a dedicated server the best solution? If I know this will clear up all these email troubles then I would consider going that route even if it is a lot more money.

Yes.