Out of 19 million broadband users in the UK - how many know how to setup a mail server, let alone have the desire to run one.

presumably most people are connected and using an IP address all the time

didn't Talk Talk just publish stats ..............

"The largest amount of customers TalkTalk saw online in June was 2.75 million people (around 65%),"

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Out of 19 million broadband users in the UK - how many know how to setup a mail server, let alone have the desire to run one.

It might be more than you think. In any case, why not offer the option? Could even be a revenue stream (like it is for O2).

If you're running a mail server, you really need to have your router on all the time. So it doesn't really matter whether your address is static or dynamic.

In reply to a post by AEP:

If you're running a mail server, you really need to have your router on all the time. So it doesn't really matter whether your address is static or dynamic.

Not everyone has adsl uptimes running into weeks though. And dynamic IP address ranges are commonly blacklisted.

In reply to a post by AEP:

If you're running a mail server, you really need to have your router on all the time. So it doesn't really matter whether your address is static or dynamic.

How do you prevent non-voluntary disconnections? How much work is needed to make the mail server work if the IP address changes?

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

How do you prevent non-voluntary disconnections? How much work is needed to make the mail server work if the IP address changes?

Dyndns can be employed to keep a static hostname even when the IP address changes. This doesn't negate the problem of dynamic IP address ranges being blacklisted though, and also failed or slow DNS updates can lead to mail being sent to the wrong IP address.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

Out of 19 million broadband users in the UK - how many know how to setup a mail server, let alone have the desire to run one.

It might be more than you think.

I have to admit that in the years I've been here I've never seen the question of why anyone should run their own mail server discussed.

Personally, I haven't a clue why one should do so, but can see (I think) good reason not to.

Anyone care to enlighten me as to their advantages? And disadvantages.

Privacy, reliability, security.

Not everyone has adsl uptimes running into weeks though.

That's why mail servers do a DNS lookup to find the address of the remote server, rather than relying upon a known dotted quad.

And dynamic IP address ranges are commonly blacklisted.

I suspect that if static addresses become more common, and are misused in the same way then static address ranges will also be blacklisted (many already are).