SMTP Relay Service

Anyone have any recommendations/advice regarding a good/reliable SMTP Relay Service? Am I asking in the right place?

A happy PlusNet broadband customer for many years, and still happy with them. Need wireless access when away from home so I signed up with BT OpenZone

I faced this problem while working away in Sweden during the summer. The solution I came up with was to sign up for a free google mail account. Once signed up you can use their SMTP server to send mail via. As you need to authenticate to the server it allows you to send no matter which connection you are connected via.

This changed recently. If you set your mail client to use authentication using your main username and password (not username+mailbox) you should be able to send whether connected to Plusnet or not.

As jelv said, you can now use relay.plus.net as an authenticated server. Remember, though, NOT to tick any boxes that say use Secure Password Authentication (SPA).

Alslo, as jelv said, you must use your main username and password (the ones you use to log into the PlusNet website) and not the username and password for any extra mailboxes set up (although, for the extra mailboxes ths only applies to the OUTGOING server - incomimg server settings would still have username+mailbox and the relevant password).

jelv/paulby

Thanks for that.. Is this now officially supported? i.e. I know it works, but I thought it was something that as being trialled/might be withdrawn?

As far as I am aware it's not going to be withdrawn as it only works with paid for accounts not free accounts.

Ian

Thank you all... Brilliantly simple suggestion, doesn't cost anything. Have made changes to Outlook accounts. Will go find a Hotspot from which to test tomorrow!

Unless major problems crop up I would think this option is unlikely to be withdrawn. However what is likely is that an 'allow roaming' button will be introduced on the portal at some time. That will only require selecting once so isn't an issue.

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I understand that PlusNet currently have an unsupported work around, but I want a service that I know isn

Below is an official, if not exactly helpful, response from PlusNet support:

We do not allow use of our SMTP server from none plus.net connections, you will need to alter this to the ISP that you are connected to, if you are only using this now and then, it will be worth while for you to use our web mail facility that can be found at the link below, this can be used on any connection

So, off to AuthSMTP it is...

Interesting - I'm use the plusnet smtp relay from a Virgin (ex-NTL) line!

Oh, I'm sure there is probably nothing stopping you from using it, currently.

I personally cannot be bothered with something that might be withdrawn, get broken, have no support or breach T's&C's at a time which will doubtless be inconvenient.

While I would rather not pay for something I don't need to be paying for, AuthSMTP isn't expensive and if it means that my wife and I have a service that works without interruption then it's a price worth paying, IMO.

From browsing through the Community Forums on PlusNet, roaming/authenticated SMTP is patently something they've been working on for a while now. On the basis that there are people like me prepared to pay for AuthSMTP, I guess there's an income opportunity for PlusNet? i.e. When "The Button" for Authenticated SMTP arrives on the Customer Portal, I wouldn't be surprised if the default setting was "off" and switching it to "on" attracted a charge, which wouldn't be unreasonable in my view.

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When "The Button" for Authenticated SMTP arrives on the Customer Portal, I wouldn't be surprised if the default setting was "off" and switching it to "on" attracted a charge, which wouldn't be unreasonable in my view.

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I think it would be unreasonable - I already pay PN for a mail relay service I don't use!

An authenticated relay usable off-net would allow me to use the mail relay I pay for as part of my subscription. If PN are moving toward providing this as part of their standard service it would be a positive move and a useful marketing ploy.

Alternatively allow me to opt out of the outbound mail relay service entirely (for a reduction in subscription of say

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I wouldn't be surprised if the default setting was "off" and switching it to "on" attracted a charge, which wouldn't be unreasonable in my view.

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It's not the plan though, certainly not for Broadband subscription accounts anyway. The work won't be about collecting extra revenue at all, just about keeping things secure and preventing abuse.

At this point the ASMTP implementation is looking good and the only think that would cause us to review it would be if the service was abused. We are actively monitoring and dealing with cases where that is potentially a problem already, so I don't personally see it as being much of a concern at this point. Until we have the roaming default as off though, I don't think we will be in a position to publicise this as part of the core service.

Ian

Thanks Ian.... Long time no type!

So, should I use AuthSMTP?

Glad to hear that when ASMTP finally arrives it's not planned as a chargeable extra, just making the point that I wouldn't complain it was chargeable, or only available on certain types of paid for accounts. Though I'm quite happy to not pay for it too!

Frankly broadband access has to be one of the few things that that we pay for which we seem to pay less and less for more and more capability. I'm now paying significantly less for significantly more capability than when I switched to PlusNet nearly five years ago.

Regards
Peter

Yeah - I say go for it... If we do withdraw it, we will provide notice and then if it comes to it you could sign-up elsewhere.

As I say though, I can't really see it getting to that stage.

Ian

Could I just ask if the ASMTP service will support alternative ports to get round access points that block port 25? (if so what ports, don't fancy testing them all).

Thanks

@mbeenham,

At the moment I don't think it's possible to use alternative ports.

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We do not allow use of our SMTP server from none plus.net connections, you will need to alter this to the ISP that you are connected to, if you are only using this now and then, it will be worth while for you to use our web mail facility that can be found at the link below, this can be used on any connection

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@jpo, fancy PM'ing me a ticket ID so I can make sure whoever dealt with your enquiry is aware of the correct stance on this going forwards?

Kind Rgds,