E-Mail and Xfinity Connect Help

[TerriB]

I have several friends on Cox.net ISP and they stopped getting email from me around Jan 2010. I am not having this issue with any other ISP.  I use  Win XP and Outlook 2003 , no one uses my PC except me and no software has been changed. I also tried it using Outlook Express and still could not reach my Cox.net friends. Now here is the weird part. I can reach them using Smartzone  Webmail. My best friend thats on Cox called Cox support and explained what is going on and Cox said nothing was getting to their server from me and to call Comcast as it was on my end. I did some testing to make sure that I was correct about what was happening and then I called Comcast today. After checking my email set up and verifying that it is correct Comcast said it has to be on Cox's end and I think so too BUT am soooooo confused as to the difference in the 'path' that my email travels when I use Outlook vs when I use Smartzone Webmail and the Comcast agent could not help me.

Anyone have any clue why Webmail works to Cox but Outlook/Outlook Express doesn't? I am weary already of going to Webmail every time I want to send to my friends on Cox

Thanks

TerriB

[Joel]

It sounds like Cox is blocking either your IP address or a range of Comcast IP addresses which yours happens to fall in. I'll notify an Admin and have the Email team look into this for you.

[TerriB]

Joel,

That would be wonderful. I agree that something is being blocked or blacklisted at Cox.

You got me thinkilng so I  googled  'cox blocking IP address' and WOW....got to Blocked Removal Center at Spamhaus and  entered my IP  and its listed in the PBL. Cox also seems to have an issue with server port #25 and I do not use it.

Here is what the PBL  says but my Outlook is set up 100% correct and verified by Comcast tech

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Outbound Email Policy of Comcast for this IP range:

Email sent by Comcast subscribers using a mail program such as Outlook Express are required to send the email through Comcast. To insure your mail program is properly configured, please visit http://www.comcast.net/help/faq/index.jsp?faq=Email117481. If you are a Comcast Commercial Services customer and need support, please contact support_biz@cable.comcast.com

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Removal Procedure

Removal of IP addresses within this range from the PBL is not allowed by the netblock owner's policy.

About The PBL

The Spamhaus Policy Block List ("PBL") is an international anti-spam system maintained by The Spamhaus Project in conjunction with Internet Service Providers and is used by Internet networks to enforce inbound email policies. The PBL database lists end-user IP address ranges which should not be delivering unauthenticated email to any mail server except those provided for specifically for that customer's use. The PBL lists only IP addresses (not domains or email addresses).
 

Message Edited by TerriB on 02-17-2010 01:47 PM

[Barmar]

There's nothing unusual about being listed on the PBL, all Comcast residential IPs should be in there. As the explanation says, those IPs shouldn't be sending mail directly to other providers, they should go through their provider's SMTP server, which you are. That blacklist should only be used as a filter on direct connections, not the originating IP of relayed mail. If Cox is using it for the latter, they're really messed up.

You may be listed on other blacklists, though, which is why Cox is blocking you. 

[TerriB]

Lesson learned. Well darn it...and here I thought I was 'special'.....lol.

Soooooo...how do I find out about other blacklists that might be causing Cox to block my IP? I have never sent spam and am 'a. retentive'  about keeping my email and my PC CLEAN.

I am not being blocked by any other domain that I correspond with and there are dozens of them.

Terri

Message Edited by TerriB on 02-17-2010 01:04 PM

[RobW_AA]

Hi Terri,

I believe I have found the issue.

Cox might be filtering out your messages since your IP is listed on CSI.

If you go to the following link, and request a reputation reset it should fix the problem:

http://csi.cloudmark.com/reset-request/?ip=76.114.251.129

In the mean time, I am checking the logs to ensure Cox is accepting these message attempts.

Thanks,

Rob W

Comcast Email Engineering

[TerriB]

Update. I have filled out the request on Cloudmark. I have never sent spam in my life.

You wanted last time/date I tried to send email to Cox.. it was today at 11:38 AM.

You had me chasing you from forum to forum. Whew...thought I had lost it for a minute.

I  will give you the detailed info you wanted via the IM if you would still track Cox for me and I will fill out that form too.

Terri

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RobW_AA wrote:

Hi Terri,

I believe I have found the issue.

Cox might be filtering out your messages since your IP is listed on CSI.

If you go to the following link, and request a reputation reset it should fix the problem:

http://csi.cloudmark.com/reset-request/?ip=76.114.251.129

In the mean time, I am checking the logs to ensure Cox is accepting these message attempts.

Thanks,

Rob W

Comcast Email Engineering

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Message Edited by TerriB on 02-17-2010 01:46 PM

[RobW_AA]

Hi Terri,

Since you only have one email address on the account, no need to PM me with the address (I have it)

I have searched for the past 7 days for all of your outbound emails to Cox.net (both from Smartzone and your email client) and ALL of them were accepted.

There is a chance that since that IP was on CSI, they were dropping it.

After CSI resets the IP, test.  If still no luck, I'll reach out to Cox on your behalf.

Thanks,

Rob W

Comcast

[TerriB]

That is just plain weird but happy that they were accepted by Comcast.

I gave my good friends on Cox some more  ammo including my IP so they could call Cox again and below is what  I got back. I replied via smartzone of course and told them that I am not on a secure SSL and use 110 and 587 ports. Used to be on 25 but Comcast said to change it  a couple of years ago to 587 and agent verified that this morning when I called. I also read that Cox had 'banned' 25 a few years ago so this is quite a mess. Please give me a sanity check that I am on the right port! 

CSI said I will not get notification that they have 'fixed' it and that they find out I am a spammer they will take action. I guess I just keep emailing cox until someone tells me they got mail from me? GOODNESS!

You have no idea how grateful I am for your help.

Terri

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 Terri,

I  have spoken with Cox and they suggested that you may have your settings on a secure SSL.
Cox uses port 110 in and 25 out.
Go to account settings /e-mail or properties/change and you should be in the advanced settings with the use secure settings box marked. Chance are you are sending in port
995 and out 465.
This would send any message you sent into cyber space. Change the setting to unsecured.
 

Message Edited by TerriB on 02-17-2010 02:11 PM

[Barmar]

The port you use to send to the Comcast SMTP server is irrelevant to Cox. Whoever sent you that information is confused, they thought you were a Cox customer having trouble sending/receiving mail.

[TerriB]

Rob......here is the latest:

Got the following reply from Cloudmark last night and I have sent email to my cox friends and they got the email!!!  Would you please explain what I should really ask Comcast to do for me so this does not happen again? Identifying me as a spammer  and flagging my reputation is not acceptable.

Terri Benton,

Thank you for contacting Cloudmark.

I have reset the reputation of this IP, so you should see delivery improve shortly. Please note, however, that this IP has dynamic reverse DNS (rDNS).
Many ISPs will not accept mail from IPs that are not statically assigned, and dynamic rDNS will affect your Cloudmark reputation score in the future as well as your reputation with most ISPs and DNSbls.

If you have a static IP address with generic rDNS, you may wish to talk to your service provider to see if they will assign you rDNS that more clearly identifies you as responsible for the IP address. If you're sending mail from a dynamic IP address (as will usually be the case with consumer-level broadband and dialup), you may want to investigate 'smart-hosting' or sending your outbound mail through your ISPs primary outbound mail servers.

Kindest regards,

xxxxx

Cloudmark Customer Support

========

Also got this back from my trouble ticket to Cox postmaster and I provided him what he asked for:

To assist you, I need a little more information:
1) TO/FROM email addresses of a blocked message
2) DATE/TIME of that blocked message
3) What is your outbound smtp server set to (this should have been one of the settings you went over with Comcast)

Thanks,
xxxxx

Cox Communications

=============================

QUOTE:

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RobW_AA wrote:

Hi Terri,

I believe I have found the issue.

Cox might be filtering out your messages since your IP is listed on CSI.

If you go to the following link, and request a reputation reset it should fix the problem:

http://csi.cloudmark.com/reset-request/?ip=76.114.251.129

In the mean time, I am checking the logs to ensure Cox is accepting these message attempts.

Thanks,

Rob W

Comcast Email Engineering

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Edited to add quote

Message Edited by TerriB on 02-18-2010 08:45 AM

[TerriB]

Thanks...my friend on Cox may not have clearly stated the issue when he called Cox on my behalf. Its hard to relay someone else's issue. Wish I could have talked to Cox myself. I should have  set up a three way conversation but did not think about it at the time.

Terri

[RobW_AA]

Hi Terri,

I'm sorry I didn't state this in my original post regarding CSI.

To prevent your IP from having a bad reputation on CSI again ensure the following:

1.  Ensure your Firewall and Antivirus are up to date and a full scan is done on all computers

2.  If you have a wireless router, ensure it is very secure so ONLY your authorized computers may use it. 

3.  Try and leave your cable modem on at all times if possible.  This helps keep the same IP.

Per the reply from Cloudmark, it sounds like they saw spam coming from your IP address.  Since you are using Comcast's servers to send email, this indicates usually it was a virus sending out spam without your knowledge.  If you do have a wireless router, there are viruses/bots that are programmed to seek out any connection it can find and send spam.  So if your computers are 100% secure, it could have been a neighbors computer sending through your connection.

I hope this information is helpful.

Thank you,

Rob W

Comcast

[TerriB]

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RobW_AA wrote:

Hi Terri,

I'm sorry I didn't state this in my original post regarding CSI.

To prevent your IP from having a bad reputation on CSI again ensure the following:

1.  Ensure your Firewall and Antivirus are up to date and a full scan is done on all computers

2.  If you have a wireless router, ensure it is very secure so ONLY your authorized computers may use it. 

3.  Try and leave your cable modem on at all times if possible.  This helps keep the same IP.

Per the reply from Cloudmark, it sounds like they saw spam coming from your IP address.  Since you are using Comcast's servers to send email, this indicates usually it was a virus sending out spam without your knowledge.  If you do have a wireless router, there are viruses/bots that are programmed to seek out any connection it can find and send spam.  So if your computers are 100% secure, it could have been a neighbors computer sending through your connection.

I hope this information is helpful.

Thank you,

Rob W

Comcast

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Thanks. I am worried now. Help me out once again please...

I have always kept my Firewall, virus and all other security up to date and have never had a virus nor passed one along. My friends say I am one of  the only people they trust NOT to send spam/virus,etc.

While all this Cox trouble was going on and until this week I used Comcast's McAfee  Security suite which checked all email for virus,etc and  full PC scan done weekly, auto updated and warned me via pop up if something was trying to  connect to me. As you may know Comcast is moving to Norton so I switched day before yesterday. I hope its scanning email. I have not had time to fully investigate all that it does yet.

I have one desktop PC that only I use and no router or wireless.

I power down late afternoon every day but cable modem stays on 24X7 except when there is a Comcast failure which BTW happened for two days during this last snowzilla here in the Wash DC area but the Cox problem started long before that.

I have had the same IP as long as I can remember. I check it fairly often just for grins.

I live  on a private dead end road and only have one neighbor and they are on Verizon FIOS and they are not cyber savvy at all. 

Since I seem to be doing all the right things what else can I do to stop looking like I am sending spam/virus,etc? Its most disturbing to me. If I have to go thru this again it will be time to start slapping people.

You have no idea how much I appreciate all your help. Too bad that there are not people like you when I call Comcast technical support. What the heck are they for if we have to come to this forum to get help. I have learned that no matter what the subject/issue is...forums are the  best places to get help from plumbing to email.

Terri