All Outgoing Emails Blocked by 'Spamhaus.org'...

[Pintoguy]

I recently discovered that all my outgoing emails are being blocked by a website called 'Spamhaus.org'.  Have any of you had this happen?  It turns out that my IPS address has been placed on their 'Policy Block List' (PBL).

I don't know how this happened and I don't know what the fix is. I went to the Spamhaus.org website and followed their directions for resetting my SMTP authorization but nothing worked.  Can anyone tell me what's going on here and how to rectify this issue? I have never seen or heard of this before and it's really starting to drive me up the wall!

Many thanks...

[Nighthawk · Accepted solution]

Does it list your IP address or Telus'? If yours, that means that either the previous person who had that IP address, or possibly something on your network, has sent out a fair number of spam emails. All it takes is some malware for the latter. 

Now the PBL should not be preventing you from sending emails unless your email settings are off according to the PBL FAQ.

Double check your mail settings on your end and make sure they match the ones suggested by Telus:

For the Outgoing server settings, enter the following information:

• SMTP server: smtp.telus.net
• Security type: SSL
• Port: 1025
• Require sign-in: checked
• Username: your telus.net email address
• Password: your telus.net email password

[Pintoguy]

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@Nighthawk wrote:

Does it list your IP address or Telus'? If yours, that means that either the previous person who had that IP address, or possibly something on your network, has sent out a fair number of spam emails. All it takes is some malware for the latter. 

Now the PBL should not be preventing you from sending emails unless your email settings are off according to the PBL FAQ.

Double check your mail settings on your end and make sure they match the ones suggested by Telus:

Thanks for the reply. It's most appreciated.

Yes, the 'Spamhaus.org' website shows my IP address as being on a 'Policy Block List'.  I've already followed the instructions the website gave about "Turning On" my SMTP  authorization but that didn't resolve the issue.  I've been using the same 'Outgoing Mail' setting for the past 18 years and I am hesitant to change them without talking to Telus first.  I read on-line that only your ISP can remove my IP address from the 'Spamhaus' PBL...

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[NFtoBC]

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@Pintoguy wrote:

I've been using the same 'Outgoing Mail' setting for the past 18 years and I am hesitant to change them without talking to Telus first.  I read on-line that only your ISP can remove my IP address from the 'Spamhaus' PBL...

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 Telus has changed its SMTP services considerably over the past 18 years, the major change being from a non-secured login to a secured one. Following @Nighthawk's suggestion, should ensure you are using an authenticated login to,the SMTP server, and address the Spamhaus issue.

[Pintoguy]

Actually I have just gotten off the phone with Telus support. Telus is telling me that the problem that I am experiencing with my outgoing emails being blocked has nothing to do with 'Spamhaus.org'. Telus tells me that the problem is due to a Telus server that has gone down. Apparently it will be down for an undetermined period of time. Why I am getting an error message citing the problem being with 'Spamhaus.org' I have no idea...

[NFtoBC]

That explanation makes little sense to me!  My Telus email works fine, I just tested it. If a server in the pool is causing problems, traffic should be routed to / through another server, not bounced!

On further review, Spamhaus seems an ISP-level service, rather than a personal one, so I, too, am confused that you receive notifications.

[Pintoguy]

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@NFtoBC wrote:

That explanation makes little sense to me!  My Telus email works fine, I just tested hit. If a server in the pool is causing problems, traffic should be routed to / through another server, not bounced!

On further review, Spamhaus seems an ISP-level service, rather than a personal one, so I, too, am confused that you receive notifications.

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Yes, I agree that this doesn't make any sense.  For now, I'll assume that Telus isn't lying to me and I've give it another day or two.  If the sever issue isn't sorted out by then, I'll try changing the Outgoing mail sever settings as was previously suggested.  The tech rep that I spoke with at Telus told me that he's heard of the 'Spamhaus' issue before, but he assured me that that isn't my problem.  Is it a mistake to assume that Telus knows what they're talking about?  I ask this question sincerely because they transferred my call four times to four different techs before I got someone who knew what I was talking about...

[NFtoBC]

Of curiosity, what are your current settings?

[Pintoguy]

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@NFtoBC wrote:

Of curiosity, what are your current settings?

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Outgoing SMTP: mail telusplanet.net

Server Requires Authentication: not checked

Outgoing mail (SMTP): port 25

Note that I had already experimented by changing the settings IAW instructions given on the 'Spamhaus.org' website.  That didn't resolve the issue.  I find it strange that these settings would have just suddenly stopped working properly after 18 years.  I would like to think that if my problem was with my settings the Telus Support Tech would have mentioned it.  What do you guys think about Telus Support?  Do they know what they're doing???

[Nighthawk]

Do they know what they're doing? Not always. Really depends who you get.

Telusplanet was discontinued many years ago. I would highly recommend updating your settings to the current ones. 

[Pintoguy]

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@Nighthawk wrote:

Do they know what they're doing? Not always. Really depends who you get.

Telusplanet was discontinued many years ago. I would highly recommend updating your settings to the current ones. 

Thanks to Nighthawk and to all who replied!  You've all been most helpful.  I took your advice Nighthawk and changed my settings as per your recommendation.  That resolved the issue and everything works fine now!

I guess Telus Tech Support cannot be trusted.  Why wouldn't they have mentioned my Outgoing mail server settings???

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[Nighthawk]

They were likely focusing too much on the issue being outside your computer. (Spamhaus or mail server itself)

[NFtoBC]

They may also have assumed you were using up to date credentials.

[Pintoguy]

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@NFtoBC wrote:
They may also have assumed you were using up to date credentials.

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Yes, that was likely the case.  I had assumed that they would already know what settings I was using. I guess I was incorrect in assuming that. I am now wondering if they were telling the truth about a server being down.  They were telling me that a server was down and that there was no way of knowing when it would be back up.  This really doesn't sound to be on the level.  I am now thinking that they were likely trying to give me an answer that would make me go away and that the issue would eventually resolve itself...

[NFtoBC]

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@Pintoguy wrote:
I had assumed that they would already know what settings I was using. I guess I was incorrect in assuming that. 

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No, the settings you use reside on your computer only, and not on their system.

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@Pintoguy wrote:
and that the issue would eventually resolve itself...

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Which it did.

Happy to learn that your email is working now.