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F.A.Q UNIVERSAL E-MAIL AND NEWSGROUPS WHATEVER THE ISP YOU USE (AOL INCLUDED)
Version 1.33
(c) sebastien@willemijns.com
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Latest version available on http://www.manen.willemijns.com
French version available on http://www.manfr.willemijns.com
Thanks a lot to these VivilProject partners, too
is very hard because all theses addresses attract spammers but you can
use generally free services who helps you to be independent.
LIST OF WELL KNOWN PROTOCOLS USED FOR MAIL AND NEWS:
====================================================
- To read your e-mail, software messengers using generally version 3 POP
protocol (POP3) in waiting massive use of version 4 IMAP protocol (IMAP4).
- To send an e-mail, software messengers use SMTP protocol.
- To read and write to a newsgroup (also known as news), we use NNTP protocol.
====
AOL:
====
**********
LAST NEWS !!!! 2004 November !!!
AOL opens SSL connexions to SMTP and IMAP4
LAST NEWS !!!! 2004 October !!!
For some customers, Access to port 25 seems to be good again but every
e-mail goes by the AOL SMTP proxy for an antivirus check only...
LAST NEWS !!!! 2004 April !!!
Since April 5 2004, AOL blocks port 25 so:
1) "smtp.cs.com" is now unreachable with default parameters of your software
messenger... see the first tip to bypass this limitation...
2) Also, the majority of SMTP servers available is now unreachable (as
"smtp.hotpop.com" and many more...)
3) Private SMTP servers installed on your computer as ARGOSOFT, SENDMAIL
and other QMAIL cannot now be used under AOL :-)
More info at http://members.aol.com/adamkb/aol/mailfaq/imap
Tips:
1) Try "smtp.cs.com" on the port 587 instead of port 25,
2) Subscribe to a paid SMTP server (RUNBOX, FASTMAIL.FM and more and more)
find the chapter containing "RUNBOX" below on this document...
3) Use the old method by reading and write you mail with the webmail interface...
**********
LAST NEWS !!!! 2003 July !!!
AOL opens real IMAP4 and SMTP access (not POP3 access) compatible with
Outlook Express, Eudora and other e-mail software...
- IMAP4 server are "imap.cs.com",
- SMTP server are "smtp.cs.com",
- IMAP4 login is "login@aol.com" (i.e "foobar@aol.com"),
- SMTP login is "login",
- password for IMAP4 and SMTP is your classical AOL e-mail password,
More information by typing "OPEN MAIL ACCESS" keyword since the AOL interface
Also note if you want to use AOL SMTP server, you must use your AOL address
(login@aol.com) as the shipper...
********************
Since the beginning, AOL force his customers to use his own inferface to
access to his email and newsgroups that it doesn't like to Outlook Express,
Eudora or others Free Agent users...
==> E-MAIL ON AOL:
It is nextly expected for email a compatibility with IMAP4 protocol but
the date is always unknown.
If you wish to use your AOL email from any compatible POP/POP3 software
messengers, this is a list of AOL/POP3 gateways:
- Well known software is ENETBOT
- You can use too the freeware EPROMPTER
and the shareware WEB2POP from JMASOFTWARE.
The only softwares fully compatible with AOL are:
- Claris Emailer under Macintosh,
- Netscape 6 (who use his own IMAP protocol).
==> THE SMTP ON AOL:
* AOL version 1 to 5 and AOL6 without L2TP regularly reroutes connexions to
SMTP ports to force his customers to use his own SMTP servers whatever the
SMTP you are configured in your email software messengers.
Installing L2TP on AOL6 ? it's very easy ! you must only delete
GLOBAL.ORG file in AOL directory and reboot your PC ;)
For your information, when you use AOL SMTP servers, it indicates your AOL
login on header messages.
*** I have AOL7 or AOL8, What can i do ?
You can choose whatever ISP or e-mail providers you want... a few e-mail
providers purpose an SMTP server who is open to AOL users... More informations
in the "The mail" chapter below on this FAQ.
****************************************************************************
WARNING !!! DO NOT USE PRIVATE SMTP SERVERS SUCH AS ARGOSOFT, POSTCASTSERVER,
SENDMAIL, POSTFIX, FOXMAIL (with "Mail Express" function) and more and more...
because AOL (since August 2002) and several ISP rejects mails posted with
this kind of softwares...
In other words to simplify, you must use the SMTP server of your ISP
to send a mail to an AOL user...
FYI for AOL, messages can be either "550 ACCESS DENIED" or an error
begins by:
"550-The IP address you are using to connect to AOL is either open to"
"550-the free relaying of e-mail, is serving as an open proxy, or is a"
"550-dynamic (residential) IP address. AOL cannot accept further e-mail"
....blahblahblah...
Confirmation for AOL messages can be seen at
http://www.wisshost.com/support/faq.htm#Error:%20550%20Access%20denied.
****************************************************************************
*** How to bypass this rerouting ???
1) Use anonymous software but several "blackist" of open relays SMTP servers
adding these proxys addresses to her lists because some spammers use this
kind of services to spam !
2) Use ENETBOT software (www.enetbot.com) only for posting your messages.
3) Use e-mails providers who purpose SMTP server on a different port than
classical port 25 as:
www.softhome.net (port 25000)
eo.yifan.net (port 1025)
RUNBOX (port 26) (VERY BAD COMMERCIAL AND TECHNICAL SERVICE !!!)
MAILSNARE.NET (port 26 or 2525)
FASTMAIL.FM (port 26 or 465)
GEEKMAIL (port 2525)
VFEMAIL.NET (port 587)
GMAIL (port 587)
A list of IMAP services who include alternate SMTP informations
Try too if your ISP give you access to the port 587 (SMTP AUTH) or to the
port 465 (SSL connexion)...
VFEMAIL.NET (port 465)
GMAIL (port 465)
==> NEWSGROUPS ON AOL:
As indicated in the top of this chapter, AOL doesn't purpose news server
compatible with Outlook Express and Free Agent... even Netscape 6 (bought by
AOL) isn't compatible with it !!!
Alternate method to free access to newsgroups is using free open nntp server
available on http://www.nntpeng.willemijns.com
==> LAST INFORMATIONS ABOUT AOL for users who have rerouted SMTP connexions
WARNING !!! AOL SMTP servers can lost your messages !!! French users
reported me with serious tests that AOL have lost many messages in November
2001... if i was you, i'll use e-mail provider who use another port than
25 (see top of this AOL chapter).
==> MORE INFORMATIONS ABOUT AOL:
* IMAP/IMAP4 could be IMAP.MAIL.AOL.COM or 205.188.157.100 .Only one user
indicate me they worked with the last version of Outlook Express
WARNING: Only a few server messengers stops messages posted since AOL.
See http://www.uottawa.ca/services/ccs/blocked/subnets.html
* FAQ about mail on AOL available on http://members.aol.com/adamkb/aol/mailfaq/
* A very interesting link on http://www.emailman.com/aol/
* Wingate could be compatible with AOL, change the value 255.255.255.0
or 255.255.255.255 to 255.255.0.0 .You can test this function with other
free sharing software.
* Actually (2/25/2001), MAILROAM software is not compatible with AOL.
=========
THE MAIL:
=========
This is the 3 methods who permits to have an email address list but in
all things, there's advantages and inconvenients:
===> FIRST METHODE:
Use a Webmail (email service available on the WEB) purposed by:
- Portals as Yahoo, Altavista, Hotmail, Iname,
GMX
* Advantages: easy use, available everywhere on the net.
* Inconvenients: obligation to stay connected to read this email.
Note you can use Webmail to POP3 gateway who transforms messages reads on
a Webmail to message readable by most known software messengers as Eudora
or Outlook Express.
The most known gateway is the French shareware WEB2POP available on
www.jmasoftware.com.
Other freewares can exist as EPROMPTER...
===> SECOND METHOD:
Use the email address created by a free ISP (rsmith@freeisp.com).
* Advantage: email could be always available with a POP3 to WEB gateway as
MAIL2WEB.
* Inconvenients: most ISP doesn't accept you can use her own SMTP server
since her concurrents.
IMPORTANT:
- Before diffusing your new email address, verify you can read your email
address since another ISP.
===> THIRD METHOD:
Use a free email provider compatible with POP3 or IMAP4 protocols (indeed
SMTP too).
Well known service are SOFTHOME or YAHOO.
English lists available on:
www.emailaddresses.com/email_pop.htm
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/E-mail/Free/POP3/Guides_and_Directories/
* Advantage: it is the method who offers a good independence level.
* Inconvenient: if the free email provider doesn't purpose SMTP server,
see SMTP chapter.
WARNING: If the email provider have his own SMTP server, verify this SMTP
server works well for you and/or this server doesn't apply "POP BEFORE SMTP"
method (see below in this FAQ).
==> FIND THE MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE...
The common disadvantage of these three methods is on every e-mail changement,
you must inform all your correspondants and indicate your new e-mail address
to all yours newsletters.
Other problem, strategic changements of email providers who can change
immediatly and radically the conditions of using their services: Several years
ago, the french portal MULTIMANIA stopped his POP3 server and forced users
to use his own new WEBMAIL (with a lot of ads :( The portal has quickly
stopped due to number of complaints :-)
To avoid of these problems, you can use a new type of service to be
most independent: use e-mail forwarder who give you a same e-mail addresse
for life by sending all e-mails received on this address to another email
of your choice...
List available on:
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/E-mail/Free/Forwarding/
http://dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Business_to_Business/Communications_and_Networking/Internet_and_World_Wide_Web/Email_Providers/Forwarding_Services/
If you want to be a little original, see NAMEPLANET
or SPEEDNAMES to have generic names domains as i.e smith.com,
baker.com, vendor.com ...etc...
Other solution, use an e-mail address (mailnews@mailurl.com) who is the
same of your Web Page (http://www.mailnews.mailurl.com)
See i.e ULIMIT, MAILURL or ALIASNAME.
English list available on:
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Commercial_Services/Forwarding/
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/WWW/Authoring/Free_Services/URL_Redirection/
* Advantage: MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE because e-mail reception addresse can be
modified all the time...
* Inconvenients:
- All the e-mail service can restrict size messages that can be an problem if
you regulary receive big files by e-mail. But, you can temporarily give your
actual addresse just the time to receive these big files...
- See mandatory SMTP chapter because you'll have some difficulty to find an
SMTP server also if you regularly change of ISP...
=========
THE SMTP:
=========
===> REMINDER: This chapter doesn't concern connexion since AOL.
Frequently users problems with SMTP servers is the configured SMTP server
in their softwares messengers (i.e smtp.earthlink.net) refuse to post your
e-mails when you change of ISP.
This problem, also known as "relay" ou "relaying" means the SMTP server
you wish to use refuse to post your e-mails because you aren't connected
to his network or the domain name of your e-mail address means you aren't
a customer of their society.
So a message posted with the address rsmith@earthlink.net will be refused
if i wish to post my message on Prodigy SMTP server since Earthlink.
For your information and if your software messenger gives you the SMTP
error numbers, it's the error number 550, 553 or 554. Examples:
550 relaying to sebastien@willemijns.com prohibited by administrator
554 dyn-213-36-15-250.ppp.libertysurf.fr : Client host rejected
Under Eudora, this type of errors is always explained by a same message:
The recipient "me@myisp.com" is not acceptable to your SMTP server... etc...
****************************************************************************
WARNING !!! AS AOL USERS, DO NOT USE PRIVATE SMTP SERVERS AS "ARGOSOFT"
because AOL (since August 2002) and several ISP rejects mails posted with
this kind of software for a majority of dial-up and DSL users !!!
****************************************************************************
* Some method to avoid this problem...
======================================
Yet, some easy solutions exists to post some messages on the same SMTP
server whatever the ISP you use:
1) The SMTP server requires a login and a password to connect on it
(SMTP AUTH command)... this method seems now to be more and more used
by professionnal SMTP servers...
2) Post his messages via POP3 server (XMIT XCMD command). In this cas,
the user does not indicate any SMTP server in his software messenger...
Note this method are very rarely used :)
* The "POP BEFORE SMTP" (read his email in POP3 before posting in SMTP):
========================================================================
This method is used by a growing number of e-mails providers who aren't
an ISP: she's based to the principle that an user who post messages on a
SMTP server is supposed to have an POP3 account to read the answer of these
messages.
The used method is only the users who reads their e-mails under POP3
(with his login and his password) will be authorized to post theirs e-mails
on the SMTP server of the company (during 5 to 30 minutes in average time).
* Advantage: an SMTP server whatever the ISP you use !!!!
* Inconvenient: most known softwares messengers as Outlook Express and Eudora
do the reverse because it posts messages before checks new messages (SMTP
BEFORE POP) so these softwares aren't compatible with SMTP servers who use
POP BEFORE SMTP. See above all hints and tips to avoid this problem ;)
List of e-mails provider who are configured on POP BEFORE SMTP:
YAHOO.
English list available on http://www.iopus.com/guides/bestpopsmtp.htm
More information about this method on http://mail.cc.umanitoba.ca/drac/
SOME ADDITIONNAL INFORMATION ABOUT "POP BEFORE SMTP":
-----------------------------------------------------
==> How to know if a SMTP is configured on "POP BEFORE SMTP" ?
To inform users who maintly use software messengers "SMTP BEFORE POP" as
Outllok Express or Eudora, most of SMTP servers displays an error line as...
"553 To send mail, first check your mail with a valid POP account"
... but some e-mails providers don't precise this crucial information so
most of users thinks the proposed SMTP server is not open to their :((((
It is for this reason i advise to users who don't occur to post with an
SMTP server to check if this server hasn't be configured in POP BEFORE SMTP
by veryfing your messages BEFORE sending your messages...
==> What is the method to have a SMTP BEFORE POP software messenger
compatible with a POP BEFORE SMTP server ?
1) Windows Users can use SMTPPROXY freeware software available on
http://my.nichols.de/zenz/smtpproxy/english.htm who reads your POP3
account before let your software messenger post your e-mails in SMTP.
2) Use a "pop3 checker" who permits you to check every X minuts
if you have received some mail... the trick is to read your POP3 account
permanently to be sure to post your SMTP messages.
3) Another method purposed by the french user "baptiste@dunwich.org" for
Outlook Express and every software messengers who manage multiples e-mails
accounts.
You must create 2 accounts in the software:
- In the first account, configure your POP3 account and type a stupid SMTP
server name as "smtp.xxxxxxxxxxx.fr".
- In the second account, congigure again your POP3 account, type the real
SMTP name server and choose this account "by default".
When you will click on "send / receive", it reads the POP3 account of your
first account, don't send mail for your first account, reads again your POP3
account with your second account and send now your messages.
You have noticed by this tip the "POP BEFORE SMTP" method is respected ! ;)
==> I haven't information if "IMAP BEFORE SMTP" exist ;)
* Softwares solutions:
======================
A few software can automatically find SMTP nameserver whather the ISP you use:
- the french shareware AUTOSMTP,
- the english freeware MAILROAM,
- the shareware SMTP ROUTER (not tested).
Others softwares can change SMTP nameserver in one click, I know the freeware
AUTOROUTE SMTP) and "BUTTONS"
extension for Mozilla Thunderbird and MOBILE TCP.
* the port 25 block:
====================
Some ISP can block the port 25 (AKA's SMTP port) so you must use her
SMTP server to post your mails...
To bypass this block, you can use e-mail providers which accept SMTP connexions in others ports than number 25 port...
PUBLIC SMTP SERVERS:
====================
Do not use these kind of servers because serious servers refuses mail sent by these servers !!!
====================
PUBLIC NNTP SERVERS:
====================
Please see www.nntpeng.willemijns.com
What's New ?
============
(November 12 2004):
- AOL Add SMTP and IMAP4 SSL connexions...
Write me !
WARNING !!! I receive since a few years a lot of spams so i cannot
answer to any email who have empty subject or containing a short or classic
subject as "hello" or "please help me"