I recently found that I can no longer send outgoing email using Earthlink smtp from a Knology broadband link. I used to use smtpauth.earthlink.net with name/password authentication, and in my Mozilla mail settings I'm pretty sure I selected "Use SSL when available". This worked just fine until yesterday. I used to send email from home (Brighthouse/Earthlink broadband) or from a Knology broadband connection, or from a Verizon DSL account. Now I timeout when I try to send email from Knology, haven't tried the Verizon DSL since last Wednesday.
Since I selected Mozilla's "Use SSL when available" I'm not sure if my previous setup was connecting to port 465 with SSL or port 25. It could be that I was always connecting to port 25 and Knology has finally started blocking outbound port 25, or I was connecting to port 465 using SSL.
Talking to Earthlink support tonight, I found that they recently *discontinued* SSL access on port 465, so I think that may be the problem, but they said they made that change 3 weeks ago. Perhaps it was a gradual cutover. I made it clear to Earthlink how displeased I was about this change. I'm typing this message on a *^&$^%# miserable webmail client tonight :(
What's the easiest way around this problem (assuming Earthlink doesn't wise up)? I manage a Linux server that is not subject to port 25 outbound blocking and I could configure this machine to forward a port or something -- what? Can anyone point me to good information?
As a more general question, what is the trend here? I thought port 25 outbound blocking for spam relay prevention was pretty universal. How are road warriors supposed to access their ISP's SMTP server from their hotel room broadband, or are they supposed to reconfigure their email client each time or use (spit!) webmail? I thought the port 465/SSL/password setup was pretty slick, but is the SSL too cpu-intensive for ISPs to support now it's coming in to more common use due to broadband in hotel rooms, etc.? The support people at Earthlink said that some of their hotel "parteners" allowed access to smtpauth.earthlink.net/25 as a special case.
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