Localhost smtp server

[blonborg]

As you said, the IP address is in the message header, as well as the authentication information, ie. -

Authentication-Results: ... smtp.user=xyz@smtpserver.com; auth=pass (LOGIN)

But, it's not visable in the to/from in Outlook, etc. - you have to view the details of the message to find it.

Originally Posted by buggyboy

is there nothing in the email content to indicate the credentials used to access the smtp server? Obviously the isp, server, and others could see the originating ip addess, but is that all?

It's been awhile since I used Thunderbird, but all I did was change the the SMTP server, username, and password in Outlook, etc.

[buggyboy]

Google apps is setup and working now, so i'm just learning a bit now.
I've started a thread over at thunderbirds mozillazine.

I just setup a test account in thunderbird with the details
get email from = (valid email box)
send email from = (not vaild)
use smtp = aim email smtp server (came with another webmail)

the email generated an error saying that the smtp server refused the connection because my from email address wasn't a valid user.

I'm not sure how one would go about persuading the smtp server that am me (auth as user pass "pass") and i want to send an email with a header from address of "david@ehcbc.org".

I'll post my results if i can get an understanding of this email world.
thanks,

[buggyboy]

I've started a thread over at mozillazine to work on this.
since i've got google apps up and running it's a moot point, but now i'm curious.

i created a test account
receive from = (valid account)
send as = (not valid)
send using aim.smtp server (i have a few accounts there)

I found no way to specify login details to give the smtp and then specify different info for the headers.
e.g. smtp login as ing email as

When sending the test email...the smtp server threw up an error saying wasn't a valid user at aim.com.

i'm at a loss to figure out how to get around that.

If i figure out what is what, i'll post back here.

thanks for your help.

[andrewc2]

I'm confused why you aren't using the Google Apps interface which is just like Gmail? And if you want to use thunderbird just connect using IMAP

[buggyboy]

I am doing exactly that now.
and it's working fine.

now I'm just trying to learn about email protocols.
my thread at mozillazine is trying to find out how to authenticate to a smtp server (say aim.com, or yahoo) and then pass forward an email with a from header different than the smtp login username.

the reason for this is if, like me, others have setup simple email forwarding with their domain host who doesn't provide free email services. if i'm successful, it would allow people to send email from without the delay in setting up google apps. (takes about 1 day to get working).

[greg4god]

I was about to recommend the google apps to a church, but mentioned it was like using gmail. The question came up if they have to use the threaded style (default gmail) mail listing, or can have the inbox just list each e-mail separate like they are used to seeing in Outlook.

Is this a setting that can be set? I'll admit, the only use I have of Gmail is for the account needed for my Droid.

Thanks.

[buggyboy]

As far as I can tell the google apps for domains is the same gmail engine...so threaded mail for everyone.

I too would rather have a normal inbox.

[waynehoskins]

As much of an ordeal as this has been, it almost seems like it would be easier to run your own mail server on the public interwebs and having that be the mail exchanger for your domain.

[buggyboy]

With google apps up and running the ordeal is over. Now I'm just trying to wrap my head around the protocols involved.

I've had several people say that authenticating to the smtp server is a separate process from creating email headers..but up to now I've not been able to separate the two.

My research confirms that before the rise of spam, "legitimate email spoofing" was commonly used by traveling businessmen to send mail from addresses at remote offices. Since the open relays closed, this pretty much died.

Now all the info on the internet (and that ain't much) preaches the same sermon of using telnet to communicate to smtp servers. most of the instructions on this are dated around 2005.

these days it seems that before anything else happens you need to login to the smtp server with valid credentials. (given that I have such credentials at aim.com, gmail, etc, I might be able to do that...that is, if they allow telnet connections at all.) the next bit is where email headers and content is created using telnet. (again, this may be possible).

but so far I have found no way to do this inside an email client.
one guide did a run through using outlook, but I'm using thunderbird.

I'm still curious at this point, though i suspect another few days will have me completely sick of the whole mess.

[blonborg]

Telnet can be used for testing connections to SMTP servers. Rather than trying to connect on port 23 (telnet), one specifies port 25 (smtp) on the comand line. For example: telnet smtp.server.com 25 I even used it about 2 weeks to test a connection.

Originally Posted by buggyboy

Now all the info on the internet (and that ain't much) preaches the same sermon of using telnet to communicate to smtp servers. most of the instructions on this are dated around 2005.

Open relays, are servers (usually misconfigured), that allow one to send email on behalf of that server, without authentication.

[buggyboy]

gmail now allows transparent "From" for other owned email addresses, but only if those other emails have smtp servers. http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/0...s-without.html

the "on behalf of" nonsense is mandated by industry standards. is a smtp server is sending an email that is "From" a domain other than it's own, the on behalf of message is required.



I gave telnet a shot to see if my problem is only in thunderbird, or larger than that.
Using the windows xp telnet command...o smtp.aim.com 587...i do get a reply from the smtp server. (YAY) same happens targeting the gmail server.

Using the auth login command i can login if i input the base64 version of my username and password.

the aim.com smtp server looks like it prohibits all "from" addresses except the one owned by the user you log in as.
so login as and you can only send email from"dave@aim.com"

similar at gmail, they replace whatever you input with your user's address.

so both of those smtp servers seem locked down.

I'm thinking all smtp server will have this restriction as an anti spam measure.

i think i'm done with this. I'm getting a bit leery of ip blocks and such due to failed auths and such. I totally understand the reasoning behind the restrictions, but a part of me is sad that fences are popping up all over the plains of the internet.

ah well.

to anyone looking to solve this problem in the future, don't bother.
get google apps, or pay for email hosting services.
the pain level of trying to work around this is insane.

shalom