Urgent: Fiona having problems sending email

[sam]

Hi Chris, Fiona is having problems sending email. I have checked the quota in the web interface and she is not over her quota.

She initially sent this:

The message could not be sent because the server rejected the sender's email address. The sender's email address was 'fionaward@…'.

---

Subject 'Re: filming'
Server Error: 550
Server Response: 550 Access denied - Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1)
Server: 'mail.transitionnetwork.org'
Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x800CCC78
Protocol: SMTP
Port: 26
Secure(SSL): No

---

Which looked to me like the email had been sent and rejected by the receiving server.

So I sent this to Fiona:

On 24 June 2014 16:11, Sam Rossiter <samintransition@…> wrote:
Hi Fiona I'll take a look now. It could have been rejected for a number of reasons. There's no keywords in the email that might trigger a spam rejection? Or have you Cc'd a large number of people?

As a workaround until we get to the bottom of it is it something a collegue could forward? Or does it have to come from you?

Thanks

Sam

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Fiona replied:

Hi Sam
I don;t think it's that email, as there are 13 that won't send frm my outbox even if I remove this email - same problem with the next one!
Thanks Fiona

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Chris I'm not working until next Tuesday, so I was wondering if you could pick this up and liase with Fiona? fionawardttt [AT] googlemail.com

Thanks

Sam

[chris]

The email servers are provided by United Communications Limited, I don't have anything to do with them.

dig mx transitionnetwork.org +short
  5 mx2.spamfiltering.com.
  0 mx1.spamfiltering.com.
whois spamfiltering.com | grep Registrant
  Registry Registrant ID: 
  Registrant Name: UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
  Registrant Organization: SPAMFILTERING.COM
  Registrant Street: PO BOX 937
  Registrant City: HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
  Registrant State/Province: HERTS.
  Registrant Postal Code: HP1 2XN
  Registrant Country: GB
  Registrant Phone: +44.08700116547
  Registrant Phone Ext: 
  Registrant Fax: +44.08700116548
  Registrant Fax Ext:
  Registrant Email: ADMIN@XSSL.NET

But I sent the following to Fiona and copied it to you:

The problem appears to be that your computer doesn't have a valid HELO
name, this is generally generated from your computer name, it needs to
be a fully qualified domain name, ie something.something but it doesn't
have to resolve. For example you could name your computer fiona.ward.tt
and it should solve this problem.

I'd also suggest you switch from sending unencrypted email on port 26
(which is odd it's generally 25) to TLS SMTP email on port 587 or 465
(not sure which United uses, it might be either of both of these).

However, before I sent that she had solved the problem:

I just googled the error and was advised to tick the 'my server requires
authentication' box, and hey presto, it works again all ok!

Not sure what changed but this fixed it

I sent this follow up:

This fixed it because mail.transitionnetwork.org server checks the HELO
for unauthenticated SMTP email but not for authenticated email.

If you did have a valid HELO then you would have probably got a
'Relaying Denied' error, see:

• ​https://www.unitedsupport.co.uk/fusion/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/7/1/when-trying-to-send-email-it-says-relaying-denied

It would still be worth trying to change your settings so use TLS on
port 587 or 465 rather then sending unencrypted email on port 26.

For future reference the mail servers are run by United:

dig mail.transitionnetwork.org +short
  212.113.133.235
dig -x 212.113.133.235 +short
  stingray.xssl.net.
whois xssl.net | grep Registrant
  Registry Registrant ID:
  Registrant Name: SIMON WALLIS
  Registrant Organization: UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
  Registrant Street: C/O UNITED COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED
  Registrant Street: PO BOX 937
  Registrant City: HEMEL HEMPSTEAD
  Registrant State/Province:
  Registrant Postal Code: HP1 2XN
  Registrant Country: GB
  Registrant Phone: +44.08456432011
  Registrant Phone Ext:
  Registrant Fax: +44.02089298096
  Registrant Fax Ext:
  Registrant Email: ADMIN@XSSL.NET

I'll create a wiki page with this info on for future reference.

There are some United email tutorials here but they require Flash:

• ​https://www.unitedsupport.co.uk/fusion/index.php?/Knowledgebase/List/Index/1/email-tutorials

I have created a wiki page, wiki:TransitionNetworkEmail

[chris]

Incidental the emails I copied to Sam were rejected:

A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:

  samrossiter@transitionnetwork.org
    Mailbox quota exceeded

[ed]

thanks chris