Tech: Is AOL Off Line?

Subject: Tech: Is AOL Off Line?
From: GUEST,DonMeixner
Date: 07 May 03 - 07:18 PM

I can't seem to get on AOL's mail server. Does anyone know if there is a problem?

Don

Subject: RE: Tech: Is AOL Off Line?
From: RolyH
Date: 07 May 03 - 07:26 PM

No problem on the right hand side of the pond.

Subject: RE: Tech: Is AOL Off Line?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 03 - 02:26 AM

Many call it A ole Hell

Subject: RE: Tech: Is AOL Off Line?
From: vlmagee
Date: 08 May 03 - 06:31 AM

AOL recently began blocking any SMTP server that it deems either an "open relay" or is blacklisted. If you are running your own server, that is your problem. Among other things, if they can't do a successful reverse lookup on you, they will consider you unauthorized. I don't think you will be able to resolve this long term. Blocking questionable servers is becoming more common now, as ISPs try to eliminate SPAM - most of it comes from just such servers.

I had to give up using my "home" server (which was convenient because it worked from everywhere regardless of how I was connected), and now use my company server for all my mail. I didn't like to do that because it isn't physically local (more like 2000 miles away). My cable ISPs have unstable SMTP servers, so I can't dependably use them (why customers put up with that is another question - outages of 30 minutes or more repeatedly throughout the month).

Subject: RE: Tech: Is AOL Off Line?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 May 03 - 07:00 AM

Among other things, if they can't do a successful reverse lookup on you, they will consider you unauthorized/

Please explain.

I use a dial up ISP, freeserve for my Internet connection. Presumably that would be the IP address they look up? I maintain 2 web sites, jonbanjo.com and folkinfon.org and use the email services provided by my web host. Thier SMTP servers require authentication but if I'm understanding you correctly, AOL could still assume that messages are being sent via "open relay".

Jon (hoping I've missunderstood something)