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POP3 server trouble, Comcast won't help!

Discussion in 'General Internet' started by shadowhawk, 2004/03/18.

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  1. 2004/03/18
    shadowhawk

    shadowhawk Inactive Thread Starter

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    OK this is irritating and shows just how much these **** ISPs care about their customers. I use MailWasher to screen my email before I download it and The Bat for my actual email client.

    Lately on one of my addresses I've been getting these errors that the POP3 server doesn't conform to the POP3 account on MailWasher. The Bat gives me an error saying, "Connection to host broken (last commands sent were TOP 1 0, TOP 2 0 ". If I log onto Comcast's webmail I'm able to check it there.

    Once I delete the spam messages, the address functions normally again. This leads me to believe that for some reason, the POP3 server doesn't know how to handle these spam emails and keeps everything from downloading.

    My other Comcast addresses work fine. I emailed Comcast about it and they refused to help because I'm not using the supported software, ie Outlook Express. Well pardon me for not wanting to get a virus!!!

    I mean honestly, what can I do about it when it's on their end and they won't even look at it? ARGH! :mad:

    edit: This guy I met online told me that some of these new spams are designed specifically to work with Outlook and OE in that when you view/open them, they execute a script and automatically reply to the sender, even if you don't reply to the email. These spams will mess up if they're accessed on a non-OE client like MailWasher or The Bat. How low is that?!!
     
    Last edited: 2004/03/19
    shadowhawk,
    #1
  2. 2004/03/19
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    Did the guy on line mention that if you have all the M$ updates you're probably safe?

    Have you considered using Concast's online email?
     
    Steve R Jones,
    #2


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  4. 2004/03/19
    Zander

    Zander Geek Member Alumni

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    If I were you I'd set up OE and give it a try. If it too fails then you can call them and see if they can help you out. Chances are, if you solve the problem there, you'll also solve the problem with your other email program. If OE works then you probably should contact tech support for The Bat as it's more likely a problem with the program itself (or at least it's part of the problem).

    Perhaps your ISP doesn't have anybody who knows anything about your email program. Even if the problem is a combo of them and your program, it's kind of tough for them to help you out with something they no nothing about.
     
    Zander,
    #3
  5. 2004/03/19
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    Possibles causes:

    1. Your smtp setting for each mail account must use the same smtp address because likely that your isp does not allow relaying, thus you can never use the 'bounce' feature.

    2. Even if you don't have mailwasher config'd to bounce messages back to senders, it is possible that the isp detects 'potential to relay' and the result is errors. See below:

    http://www.mailwasher.net/faq.php

    Q. What do the 'Advanced bouncing options' mean?
    A. The 'Use remote SMTP servers only' is ticked by default.

    Use remote SMTP server only : the system performs an MX DNS look-up on the hostname of the destination e-mail address. If the MX look-up fails, the bounce is aborted. For each MX record returned, the system attempts to send the message directly to that SMTP server. If any server returns a permanent failure code (5xx), the bounce is aborted.
    Use local SMTP server only: the system sends a bounce message through the SMTP server specified in the account options.
    Use remote SMTP server with local fallback: The system performs a remote SMTP send as described above. If there are MX servers present but none were available to connect to, the system performs a local SMTP send instead. If there are MX servers present and all of them return a temporary error code (4xx), the system performs a local SMTP send. Otherwise the bounce is aborted.

    As a rule, most broadband isps now prevent relaying of messages. This is because a hacked broadband connection can be used to send spam and viruses. And most broadband isps disallow web servers, mail servers and ftp servers for residential accounts. Disabling relaying at the headend prevents such abuse.
     
    Last edited: 2004/03/19
    TonyT,
    #4
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