Email Authentication

[Robert Ameeti]

At 10:08 AM -0700, 3/12/08, James Rea wrote:

>  > >"Error: 554 5.7.1 <unknown[69.89.110.77]>: Client host rejected:
>>  >This server does not accept incoming mail
>>  >(554)"
>>
>>  Interesting in that the error states that it does not accept incoming
>>  mail without mentioning authentication.
>
>Many servers give very cryptic error messages. I think this is in an
>attempt to deny useful information to spammers trying to hack their
>server. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult for legitimate users to
>debug problems.

I think most error messages are cryptic because they are primarily 
created for the benefit of the programmer and the lack of detail just 
isn't recognized as being worthy of detailing.

Doing a Telnet session with the smtp server though can walk the 
process step by step through to see at what point the failure 
actually occurs.

>Also, many servers apparently have buggy authentication and/or are
>incompatible with some clients. Our ISP went thru a similar transition
>some time ago. They wound up turning the authentication off again
>because there were so many support headaches. I believe they were using
>an MS-Exchange server.

I've found that with some Microsoft products, the authentication 
setting within Outlooik, Outlook Express, Entourage, and such must be 
the opposite of what you would set it to within alternate email 
clients. Where you would typically set the authentication to yes in 
one program, Microsoft's program requires the opposite setting to 
work. It is more a matter of trial and error to make Microsoft 
products work.

-- 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Robert Ameeti

Vuja De - The feeling you've never been here.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>