[ale] DSL static IP

[Jeremy T. Bouse]

Jim Popovitch wrote:
> On Wed, 2007-07-04 at 19:10 -0400, Jeremy T. Bouse wrote:
>> Jim Popovitch wrote:
>>> On Wed, 2007-07-04 at 13:33 -0400, Jeremy T. Bouse wrote:
>>>> 	With BS/ATT not a whole lot... It's still not enough to get them to
>>>> remove the 25/tcp port block to any server but their mail servers, 
>>> 25/tcp is blocked on OUTBOUND, not inbound.  So... you CAN run your own
>>> mail server.   Just setup postfix/exim/sendmail on your box to accept
>>> inbound and use BS's upstream mail servers as your outbound "smart
>>> host".
>>>
>> 	But why then is the point? I've found that their mail servers are very
>> unreliable so the point of running my own mail server is to have a
>> reliable one.
> 
> Please define unreliable in the context of a BellSouth mail server.
> 

	In most cases having mail blocked because they've gotten themselves on
another DNS blacklist or just the message just not being delivered or
being delayed by considerable amounts of time. I don't even use them for
DNS queries because I've found their servers to have inaccurate RR sets
at times.

>>  Instead I have a Xen VPS running Postfix and have it
>> listening on several alternative ports that BS doesn't block outbound
>> and thus avoid having to use them for anything but a lease line to the
>> internet which is much easier for them to prove themselves reliable as I
>> depend on them for far much less than the average user.
> 
> I can't speak for all mail systems, but mine (and I know of a few
> others) won't talk to non-standard smtp ports.  Intentionally blocked by
> iptables.
> 
> Also, the issue still remains that a sizable percentage of mail systems
> will not accept, or silently drop, your emails since they originate from
> a known dynamic IP pool.
> 
> I applaud your desire to run your own mailserver, and I hope you
> maintain it well over time. 
> 
> -Jim P.
> 

	My system listens on 25/tcp but it also listens for inbound connections
on additional ports that BS and most networks that block ports (ie-
hotels, internet cafes, etc) so it it doesn't interfere with any
communications with other mail systems as the system is outside BS
control and I only need to alternative ports for the MUA to reach it
from networks that port block.

	As it's hosted on a static IP that is not within any dynamic IP block
your premise of being not being accepted or silently drop'd is moot. As
well by running my own mail server I can eliminated over 95% of the spam
that my email addresses receive by having full control over it. Grey
list daemons kill quite a bit just by themselves without any false
positives.