Cable Forum - E.mail Server Changes

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E.mail Server Changes

Ok yet another warning and head's up.

In the very near future dont have an exact time scale yet

The NTL mailservers will block access from an e.mail client if your incomming and outgoing server addresses are set as IP addresses and not pop or smtp.

Re: E.mail Server Changes

No idea of time scale I take it?

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angua

No idea of time scale I take it?

Not yet but I am working on it ;)

Re: E.mail Server Changes

hence why people have had emails telling them to change the mail server addresses to pop.ntlworld.com and smtp.ntlworld.com instead of using the ip addresses.

why does this cause a problem anyway :shrug:

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris W

Something to do with the spam filter's.

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Doesn't affect me anyway just asking for others information.

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverick

Something to do with the spam filter's.

The Beginner's Guide to Spam Filters was missing that page, so NTL just decided to get everyone to use the server names instead?

:D

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverick

The NTL mailservers will block access from an e.mail client if your incomming and outgoing server addresses are set as IP addresses and not pop or smtp.

Well.. not exactly. A new mail platform was put in place a while back, new servers with new IP addresses. The server names have been updated to point to these new IP addresses. The old servers were still running last I checked (although I don't think they are receiving any new mail) but at some point they will be taken offline. Anyone trying to connect to the servers using the old IP addresses will find they no longer work, since there will be nothing for them to connect to. There's nothing to stop you connecting to the new servers by the new IP addresses, but using the server names means you don't need to worry about any future changes.
For reference, this is the email being sent out to people detected connecting via the old IP address:

Quote:

Hi

Our records indicate that you are accessing your ntlworld email via a method that will not be supported in the near future.

To continue receiving your mail, you will need to change your settings in Outlook Express.

We are currently undertaking a large programme of work to block spam and viruses on our email service, in order to make it more secure and to provide all our customers with an improved service in the future. We have noticed that you are collecting your e-mail in a way that will be blocked in the near future to provide added security.

You need to change your incoming mail settings from the IP address (a list of numbers, e...g. 62.162.256.50) to the server name "pop.ntlworld.com".

The IP address numbers may have been given to you in the past by our technical support team as a temporary solution to an email problem. However you now need to change back and use pop.ntlworld.com.

If you use Outlook Express to collect your e-mail you simply need to follow the instructions below to correct your settings.

Open "Outlook Express"
Go to the "Tools" on the Top Menu Bar
Then click on "Accounts"

This will take you to the account selection screen. You should find an ntlworld email account listed. If you have more than one ntlworld email address, you will need to check the account settings for each one.

You can remove any unwanted accounts by clicking once with your left mouse button, and then clicking on remove.</FONT>
To check your account settings:

Click on your ntlworld email account once, then click on the "properties" button.
Now click on the “Servers” tab

Here is where you need to make your correction, you need to ensure the Incoming mail (POP3) is set to pop.ntlworld.com. The setting for Outgoing mail(SMTP) should already be set to smtp.ntlworld.com. </FONT>You must then savethe settings by clicking Apply and then to exit the account properties click OK.

You will now have returned to the Internet Accounts screen where you can repeat the process for any other accounts if applicable. Once you have done this, to back to the main screen Close.

You have now completed the change required to continue using your ntlworld email. If you require any further information on your ntlworld settings please visit www.ntlworld.com/help.. If you experience any difficulty when making these changes then please contact technical support who will be happy to assist you making this change.

Kind regards

Jeff
ntl Technical Support Bureau

Re: E.mail Server Changes

The block on connecting to the mail server's via ip will go live Monday the 15th.

Re: E.mail Server Changes

I'm loving the "The IP address numbers may have been given to you in the past by our technical support team as a temporary solution to an email problem" - read, "Our staff bodged it to get you off the phone, you whinging *******" :D

Re: E.mail Server Changes

They can't 'block' connecting via IP without blocking connection totally, I'm pretty sure they'll just be turning off the old IP addresses so they will no longer work.

Re: E.mail Server Changes

Exactly the IP addresses that these users are currently using map to servers that are to be switched off - so when they are nothing to talk to, like dialing a disconnected phone number.
The fix as stated is to use the DNS server name.
Other ISPs have done similar things before.