If you are using AOL and your host doesn't allow SMTP, please fill in the below blanks...

Pop: your domain name
Smtp: ???

And what else needs to be done to get your mail working?


Thanks

I don't think AOL has SMTP servers which they give you.

Try contacting their handy dandy support about it. Just wave a banana in front of them if they aren't talking much. ;) okay okay, that was just mean. But half the time I get someone on there that I have to explain the problem and possible solution to (note: solutions given are for their end, not something I can do). You may need to get some kind of webmail account at hotmail or another place.

when i was with AOL I noticed some fairly strange stuff going on with SMTP, AOL do indeed have SMTP servers, these servers take control of any comms over SMTP, port 25 requests are relayed to the SMTP servers of AOL, any smtp server you request regardless of location will be relayed to AOL's SMTP servers.


example:

I telnet to mail.mydomain.com port 25
hit connect, and notice what it connects to, its not the right SMTP server, its AOL's SMTP server!!

its because of the way AOL works, the way its network is setup, i have described this before to people on here i a previous thread, I just dont seem to be able to place the thread at this time.

Hi,

You are indeed correct, its a setup which I call (probably wrongly) 'transparent proxying', where they divert all connections going out on port 25 to their smtp servers.


Several UK ISP's now also do this. The only way around it is to use a nonstandard port also for smtp, We use 250, in addition to 25, and it works perfectly.

HTH,

Regards,

Tony Lucas

:D and the answer is ...

Dump AOL, or persuade your hosting company to open a non standard port for you to smtp through.

Sorry I couldnt be of more help...

Regards,

Tony.

dylan wants to know cuz his hosting don't provide smtp and he has lots of aol members who ask for smtp (i think)