Re: [cobalt-users] RAQ 4 Email Relaying

[Greg Hewitt-Long <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Hi All
>
>Just a quick question about e-mail relaying before I cancel my contract with
>the RAQ4 provider I am with.
>
>When I originally enquired about the RAQ I asked the sales dept "can I allow
>any of my potential clients to send mail through my Server regardless of the
>dial-up connection they have and whether they have a fixed IP or not to any
>e-mail address"
>
>In other words can my client send mail without me having to supply a dialler
>and entering the IP range of the supplying diallers to any e-mail address
>(not just locally) - this is obviously only for my clients and not the rest
>of the world.
>
>I thought I would be able to give access to the SMTP just by entering  the
>clients Domain Name held on my Server in the "Hosts/Domains allowed to
>relay" when I create their virtual accounts.
>
>They came back with the answer YES.
>
>I have not successfully done this yet as I keep on getting the message
>"Relaying Denied". - unless I have the IP number that they are connected
>with or they have a static IP (which seems to be getting less and less)
>.
>The only time this works is when I have "PoP before SMTP" enabled at which
>point they have to collect their mail before sending. The only problem with
>this is if they miss the window for relaying (30mins) or they have created
>their messages off-line, they will still get the message as the email
>programs want to send before they collect. Which is fine as they only have
>to "send" again and the message will go. Most of my clients are not happy
>with this and have complained as they some have automated sending/collection
>systems in place.
>
>I am aware that the other alternative is for the clients to collect through
>me and send through the ISP that they connect too but I wanted to keep
>everything "under one hat"
>
>Any comments would be greatly appreciated and please accept my apologies if
>this has been raised before - I just need clarification.
>
>Ray Healy

You can open your RAQ to relay for anyone - but to be honest, that's a GROSSLY NEGLIGENT thing to do.

Why don't your clients want to use their own ISP's outbound (SMTP) server?  I am assuming that SOMEONE provides them a connection, and can therefore validate the IP they are using as their own.  Whether that's AOL or anyone, they only need to learn how to use their email client to send email as if it was their domain, and put the return address at their domain as well.

The alternative, is to collect email then send.  If that is a hassle, and they can't get it into their heads that the correct method is "collect and send, collect and send" - and they can't appreciate that this method is to prevent SPAMMERS from using your server (and possibly forging THEIR names), then either you need to learn a better way to educate them, or to remove them from your client list.

You seem intent on creating an open relay - which really is insane.

I can't see why you need an open relay to keep your customers happy - perhaps you should consider a career change?
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