Xtra users be prepared for more e-mail troubles
The word in our Geekzone forums is that Xtra is changing how it handles e-mail, again. And this page confirms those changes from 18 March.
Hoiw does this change affect you? If you are using Xtra for your e-mails and always send e-mails from an address that ends on @xtra.co.nz then nothing changes.
If you are using Xtra to send e-mails with address that end in something different thn @xtra.co.nz then keep reading.
Whenever someone sends an e-mail, a SMTP server is used to relay the message to other servers for distribution.
In most cases, ISPs allow access to their SMTP servers to users on their own network, or to authenticated users if coming for other networks.
But SMTP servers do not require the "FROM" field in the message to be exactly the user's e-mail address.
This means that once a user successfully authenticate with the SMTP server it is possible to send e-mails as someone else. And this can be a problem. People can just authenticate to a SMTP server and impersonate someone else. Or use it for spam purposes.
To eliminate ths problem Xtra has decided (or was it Yahoo! who decided this?) that a "validation" is required to confirm that the e-mail address you are using to send a message is actually yours.
It's simple to do it, just follow these instructions.
Even though it's simple to do it, I can imagine a lot of people will be caught on this. I just hope their help desk this time is preared to provide people with the correct answers.
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Comment by Andrew Green, on 12-Mar-2008 11:37
I don't have a problem with the change. At least they are allowing access by all your email addresses (unlike some other ISPs) and have done something to stop potential hijacking of your address
Comment by tonyhughes, on 12-Mar-2008 12:09
Thanks Alastair. I was going to say that its common for webmail services to require authorisation of a different email address before sending as that address, but that there would be no reasonable way of getting around this if you are an IMAP/POP user.
I use xtras SMTP to send mail from all sorts of accounts, and I wouldnt want to have to authorise them all through webmail first (i have set the bubble up, but I do not use it).
I have my own domains, but use xtras smtp as a relay server. I do have other options, I have opted out of port25 blocking, and have 3 smtp servers on my lan (some are there and work as part of other systems), and I have 2 smtp servers in the states on shared servers that I can authenticate to if required (completely bypassing XTRAs mail system.
Comment by Dio Gratia, on 12-Mar-2008 12:29
I wouldn't bet the port 25 mail server will remain available. You'd think the purpose of this is to eliminate spam originating from (or injected into) the Xtra network. It should cut down spam somewhat.
Comment by sarcus, on 12-Mar-2008 18:35
Yikes, looks like some down time ahead. The best & worst time to ring the help desk is in the early hours of the morning, Why? At that time its easy to get through, problem is you get a contracted phone answerer from India or Pakistan and you are tired and crotchety ....
Comment by matthewcoombe, on 14-Mar-2008 00:56
I spoke with XTRA's complex helpdesk today and they advised that as of the 18th of March smtp.xtra.co.nz will continue to accept SMTP relay's without authentication but only for valid @xtra.co.nz email addresses.
If your domain name & pop3 account is with another provider then you will have to register & verify each address and also switch to send.xtra.co.nz as smtp.xtra.co.nz does not accept authentication or ssl.
We have a about 100 machines spread out over 50 to 60 sites that now need to have their smtp servers changed to enable each user to send email from the 18th..
For a communications company Telecom does not do a very good job of communicating with their customers and provide adequate notice to plan and implement these changes.
Time to get unbundled and move to Orcon and get some real customer service.
Comment by markymark1, on 18-Mar-2008 18:36
Comment by matthewcoombe, on 13-MAR-2008 23:56
I spoke with XTRA's complex helpdesk today and they advised that as of the 18th of March smtp.xtra.co.nz will continue to accept SMTP relay's without authentication but only for valid @xtra.co.nz email addresses.
This is not correct - SMTP.xtra.co.nz gateway is unaffected by the change on the 18th. The smtp.xtra.co.nz continues to send to all email addresses including @xtra.co.nz addresses (for new @xtra.co.nz addresses added after the YahooXtra launch they must use the new secure send.xtra.co.nz settings, rather than the smtp.xtra.co.nz settings on port 25 as they will not work)
The change is to apply verification required to 15% of send.xtra.co.nz.
This allows users who have not verified non-xtra.co.nz email addresses to continue to use the new send.xtra.co.nz from their email programs. Over the following weeks this will be increased for send.xtra.co.nz only.
Comment by Dean Spittle, on 10-Apr-2008 10:08
Also a catch to watch for... make sure that your e-mail outgoing account is exactly as you have setup in Bubble, ie - it's case sensitive and if you have any difference between the two it rejects. eg xxx.co.nz in bubble, must be xxx.co.nz in your mail client - not XXX.co.nz
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Comment by Alastair Porter, on 12-Mar-2008 11:28
What the Xtra help site doesn't say is that you can change your SMTP server back to smtp.xtra.co.nz (no auth, no SSL). This server seems to be run by Xtra, rather than Yahoo, and doesn't require you to add any extra email accounts.
I encountered this problem about a month ago, and changing SMTP servers fixed it.