[TriLUG] accessing mail.trilug.org, port 993

[Dave Sorenson]

Bellsouth is blocking 25 for all new customers and those who "upgrade" 
their existing service. They are blocking inbound and outbound 25 and 
will lie to your face if you ask them about it. This started about 7-8 
months ago.  I "upgraded" to extreme and went around and around with 
them for a week before finally getting them to admit the blocking was in 
place. I  shifted to Road Runner when I moved and told Bellsouth why I 
would not be transfering the DSL to my new number when I disconnected my 
service.

I understand the need to block outbound 25, I was smart relaying out 
through their SMTP anyway. To block inbound 25 is an attempt to force 
people to pay more for their business class service. Unfortunately, they 
won't sell you business service without a business phone line, which 
they won't sell you if you don't have a "business". Believe me I tried 
to give them my money, they would not take it.

Oh, and once I figured out the blocking was in place it took me less 
than an hour to figure a way around it using a port forwarding service. 
So it is a pretty ineffectual tactic on BS's part. BTW I specifically 
told them when I signed up and before I did the upgrade that I needed to 
run a web and mail server and was given the OK if I bought the static IP 
address so they can't fall back on the "running servers is not 
permitted..." clause. It doesn't exist in my user agreement either.

Dave S.

Alan Porter wrote:

>
> Actually, Bellsouth only blocks *some* customers.  We use BS DSL
> at work and at home, and I have never seen port 25 blocked.  But
> I have a friend with BS DSL "extreme" and his is blocked.  I
> suspect that they block either:
>
>  - everyone who uses DSL extreme
>  - IP's that have given them trouble in the past
>
> Still, the issue is not port 25.  It's routing to the mail server.
>
>
> Alan
>
>