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On Thursday 15 Oct 2015 18:04:22 walt wrote: |
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> My ISP recently started offering imap email service in addition to |
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> the pop3/smtp servers they've always had, so I decided to try it. |
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> |
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> I was surprised to see that they recommend using a different smtp |
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> server name when setting up my mail client, and they even offer the |
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> option of using port 587 instead of 465 if I prefer it. |
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> |
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> Why would I use a different smtp server if I'm now using imap? I use |
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> smtp to send mail, and imap to read it, right? Why not use the same |
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> smtp server in either case? |
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> |
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> (The different server names actually resolve to the same IP address, so |
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> the distinction seems to be more theoretical than real, but the theory |
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> is what puzzles me.) |
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> |
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> Thanks. |
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Port 587 is for TLS and is the proper port to be used by MSAs as per RFC6409. |
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|
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Port 467 on the other hand is for SMTPS: vanilla SMTP at the application |
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level, but the communication to the server is still secured at the transport |
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layer with SSL. This was an IANA attempt to provide a port for secure email |
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communication pre-STARTTLS days. Today I think may be used for other |
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purposes, but I am not sure if it is TCP or UDP streaming. |
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|
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Port 25 (outgoing) is blocked by most domestic ISPs to guard against the |
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millions of pawned botnets out there filling out inboxes with spam. |
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|
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The question about a different SMTP server might have something to do with |
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your ISP adding a new SMTP mailserver to their farm and configuring it |
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properly this time as per RFC6409. Although as Alan said, they probably |
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rolled out whatever the chosen ISP package software vendor provided for them |
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without knowing much about it, or why it is configured the way it is |
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configured. |
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|
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-- |
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Regards, |
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Mick |