[X4U] Darn Comcast

[Linda]

On 10/6/08 8:46 AM, wilkinw wrote:

> 2.66, Intel Duo Core Xeon 8 gig memory, 4 - 1 terabyte drives, X.5.5.
> 
> I really feel embarrassed about this and should know this. Got an
> email from Comcast stating that they have blocked port 25 for spam. I
> don't spam, the only other users of my computer is my wife who only
> uses yahoo email. So I know that Mac Mail uses port 25. How would this
> happen? Also even though Comcast states that they have blocked port 25
> it still seems like me emails are going out. I sent a test email to my
> daughter and my work email and they went thru. Any help would be
> appreciated. I tried to check if you can change the ports in mail but
> don't see any options, Wayne.

It was probably a form letter rather than a letter directed directly at you,
even though it may have been addressed to you -- there's software that will
insert names into a data field that will make every letter appear to be
personally written.

Many ISPs block port 25. When I was with Charter Pipeline, they did this
four years ago. Emails will still go out for a while, to give you a chance
to fix the settings in your email programs, but one day they will mostly
stop. :) At least, if comcast is anything like the other ISPs I've used.

<http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/mail_app/> Scroll down to Sep. 29,
2008.

<http://training.uit.tufts.edu/pdftips/SMTPPortChange.pdf>

<http://forums.macosxhints.com/archive/index.php/t-58792.html>

You can also look at Google's Gmail setup page, which has screenshots and
covers changing the port from 25 to something else. The key will be for
comcast to tell you what port to use instead of 25!