[zcaveman]

I agree with everything you said. I forgot to mention to Embarq that I get the error using Comcast's webmail also and my IP address should not be a factor. However, I do wonder if Comcast is passing along our real IP address somehow. I have checked an entry and I am within a range of addresses that are blocked. And yes, I am dynamic also. But I did telecommunications work in my past life and I have seen the IP address almost always stay the same. Maybe that is why the block is for a range because you will always stay within that range. I will check on that when I do the online chat.

I will do a chat this morning with Comcast to try and get to the bottom of our problem. If you are on send me your IP address. Do a PM if you want so I don't have to keep checking back.

I asked Embarq why they were the only ISP to lock my mail and they said that it was based on what servers subscribe to what blacklists.

I am blocked on 13 on 124 with 5 timing out. And of those 13, 9 are from the same company (SORBS).

Z

[zcaveman]

Update: Did a chat with Comcast about the blacklist. Went and filled out a Block List Removal request for Comcast. Unfortunately my IP address is are not on a Comcast blocked list. Went back to Comcast chat and finally got the problem escalated to a Senior Agent. Response in 72 hours. Been here before and never got a response. But this time I wrote down the ticket number.

No one can seem to understand the problem or give me any info on all of the pieces.

Back when I was doing this, if I was the one to get this call, I would have run with it until I got a resolution and had the problem resolved.

I might go back to the Blacklist site. There was a link to ask to be removed from the blacklist. it might be worth a try.

Sorry I did not have better news.

Z

[Cassie325]

I am not sure if this is a helpful note or just more bad news...but when we are here visiting we bring our laptops. We have comcast here...and roadrunner up north....so the roadrunner is set up in our outlook.....we too were sending emails and found out weeks later that none of them ever went through. Although they were in our sent box...and everything looked fine...it never was really sent. We are convinced it had something to do with Comcast...however they said nothing was wrong.
Just wanted to add my two cents in......

[Muncle]

Z -- Couldn't agree more about Comcast tech non-reaction. "Back in the day" this was the kind of thing we lived for. A problem that was unique, that didn't make sense, that just couldn't be, was such a great change from the tedium of routine that you really enjoyed them. Everybody got involved and they were often solved after work in a bar when 3 or 4 people who were stumped were trying to explain the problem to someone new. Suddenly someone would yell " :edit: " , grab a bar napkin, and start writing. Now the reaction seems to be "Well, it leaves our port, so it's not our fault."

[rjrex]

MUNCLE:::Your last post brought smiles...Having more than 35 years in large scale computers, software design and development, I know my best work started on the back of bar napkins.
Now most problem resolutions are written off as "distant end"

[Golf-Tinker]

Mariab

You must change your default mail choice when switching between ISPs. The local ISP sees an originating address different from its local use and thinks you trying to relay a spam message. Go to outlook help for instructions.

[Hancle704]

Had a similar problem with my email being blocked and after several calls to Comcast,I was directed to their Security Dept. Was informed that they had somehow figured that because I was sending OE email with attachments to mutiple addresses using BCC's that somehow I was sending viruses. Despite my assurance that I did daily updates and scanned system for viruses weekly and all incoming and outgoing emails were being checked for viruses with the "free" McAfee Antivirus software provided by Comcast, they decided to block my outgoind emails.

I was then advised that there was a one click fix for the problem and it follows.

Third-Party Mail Client Users (Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.)
If you use Outlook Express, the steps we have taken to protect the Comcast network will not allow you to send email until you apply a simple one click fix available at http://www.comcastsupport.com/alternateport. While this will restore your ability to send mail it is still important to remove any possible viruses from your computer. This can be done by using the FREE McAfee Antivirus and Firewall software available from Comcast on the Comcast Security Channel .

This fixed the problem and I have since removed their free anti-virus softwre and installed AVG.

You may wish to consider the "one click fix".

[Cassie325]

Thank you...but I did try everything and called Comcast...they could care less....thankfully my work email works no matter where I am....YEAH....but my personal one does not work at all through comcast....once we move here perm....we will have to change email address'....for now thankfully we can access "webmail".

Thanks for your thoughts!!

Originally Posted by Golf-Tinker

Mariab

You must change your default mail choice when switching between ISPs. The local ISP sees an originating address different from its local use and thinks you trying to relay a spam message. Go to outlook help for instructions.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by Hancle704

Had a similar problem with my email being blocked and after several calls to Comcast,I was directed to their Security Dept. Was informed that they had somehow figured that because I was sending OE email with attachments to mutiple addresses using BCC's that somehow I was sending viruses. Despite my assurance that I did daily updates and scanned system for viruses weekly and all incoming and outgoing emails were being checked for viruses with the "free" McAfee Antivirus software provided by Comcast, they decided to block my outgoind emails.

I was then advised that there was a one click fix for the problem and it follows.

Third-Party Mail Client Users (Outlook, Outlook Express, etc.)
If you use Outlook Express, the steps we have taken to protect the Comcast network will not allow you to send email until you apply a simple one click fix available at http://www.comcastsupport.com/alternateport. While this will restore your ability to send mail it is still important to remove any possible viruses from your computer. This can be done by using the FREE McAfee Antivirus and Firewall software available from Comcast on the Comcast Security Channel .

This fixed the problem and I have since removed their free anti-virus softwre and installed AVG.

You may wish to consider the "one click fix".

I use the alternate port (587) as a normal action and use authentication. No help. I am curious as to how youmanaged to get to someone from the Security department. I was told they were off limits to us peons.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by mariab

I am not sure if this is a helpful note or just more bad news...but when we are here visiting we bring our laptops. We have comcast here...and roadrunner up north....so the roadrunner is set up in our outlook.....we too were sending emails and found out weeks later that none of them ever went through. Although they were in our sent box...and everything looked fine...it never was really sent. We are convinced it had something to do with Comcast...however they said nothing was wrong.
Just wanted to add my two cents in......

Were they in your Sent box or your Outbox? Sent means they are gone. Outbox means that they have not been sent due to connectivity or or another problem. I have to agree with Golf-tinker. The setup is different for Comcast than Roadrunner.

[zcaveman]

Just a clarification for all of you that want to help. Our problem is not a configuration problem. It is not a setting. It is a conflict between Comcast and Embarq. For the past few months we never received a notification that our emails were failing. Starting this week we are getting rejects so that means that someone has heard us. Unfortunately I believe the reject is coming from Embarq and is not being formatted to the proper protocols (RFI-message format) so it is impossible to decipher the message. Comcast points us to Embarq and Embarq points us back to Comcast.

As mentioned in one of the above posts, neither side will take it upon themselves to assist us with the problem. In my day, you got the call you fixed the problem no matter how many favors you had to call in. You had your slips and they had theirs so you broke even. I am still trying to get to the "right" person.

I did have one Comcast problem and it was "Oh I see" and the problem got fixed. I guess he got fired for competence.

We are dealing with low level techies that only work on email and are following the script in front of them. I have finally been kicked up to a "Senior Agent". Hopefully he is better but with past experience I am no further than when I started. When I call in next week with the ticket number, I know the first response Will be "So you cannot talk to an Embarqmail customer?".

Serenity Now!! Serenity Now!! Costanza's father in Seinfeld.

Z

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by rjrex

MUNCLE:::Your last post brought smiles...Having more than 35 years in large scale computers, software design and development, I know my best work started on the back of bar napkins.
Now most problem resolutions are written off as "distant end"

Sorry but had to comment to this one also. Besides the bar napkins (that were sometimes hard to decipher the next day), I also kept a pad and pencil on the nightstand in case I had a flash of brilliance when sleeping. These were some of my best development ideas. Along with the ones on the 35 minute drive to and from work.

I thnk that we were possessed back in the day. As I moved closer to retirement, I never saw that fire in those that followed. Maybe different where you were.

Z

[Hancle704]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

I use the alternate port (587) as a normal action and use authentication. No help. I am curious as to how youmanaged to get to someone from the Security department. I was told they were off limits to us peons.

After getting a usual, "let's check your settings".I called back and insisted on speaking to a supervisor or someone who knew what they were talking about. It was only then, that I was told that there was nothing wrong with my settings, but my outgoing emails were being blocked because of suspicion that a virus was being sent. I asked for specifics about their suspicion and none were given. I said that they would have to give me an answer and or, a solution as I was using the antivirus software they provided and was trying to send photos and important documents to family members. I was then told to hold on and I would be transferred to someone in their Security Dept. Naturally after a long wait, I received an announcement that The Department was closed. I left a message for a callback, which I finally received several days later. I again called Tech Support relayed what had happened, gave the ref. # and was told I would receive an email with instructions on what was required to fix the problem. The fix was the link I included in last post. Right after doing what was found at that link, my email started to flow again. When I finally received the callback from Security dept. the problem had been fixed.

I am convinced that if you have the time and are willing to call Comcast over and over, eventually you get to speak with someone who has the answers. This might only be one person at Comcast, but there is someone.

In fairness, I will report that each call was answered by someone who seemed to be located in the US, unlike my recent experiences calling AT&T and HP for Customer Service or Tech Support.

I had personal experience before retiring with many of AT&T's and several HP Call Centers and I believe I can tell when I am speaking with someone in a center located outside of the USA.

I recently asked an AT&T Customer Service Rep what call center he was located at, and was told that Company Policy prohibited him from giving out that information. But that's a topic for another day about outsourcing of jobs that could be done in the USA if........

[Muncle]

Hancle, were you having the same problem as Z and me? That is, could you send mail normally to any user on any ISP except those on embarqmail.com? Also, both of us tried to send the mail from Outlook Express and Comcast's webmail site with the same result. Until recently, we got no notification of failed mail. It just disappeared. Now apparently we are getting a failed mail msg.

Does this describe your problems that were solved with the patch?


Thanx,
Muncle

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by Muncle

Hancle, were you having the same problem as Z and me? That is, could you send mail normally to any user on any ISP except those on embarqmail.com? Also, both of us tried to send the mail from Outlook Express and Comcast's webmail site with the same result. Until recently, we got no notification of failed mail. It just disappeared. Now apparently we are getting a failed mail msg.

Does this describe your problems that were solved with the patch?


Thanx,
Muncle

The patch consists of using port 587 instead on 25 for outgoing mail. As if this morning, I have been blocked by Comcast for sending SPAM. Actually I was sending out the Woodworkers Meeting note. I got an email from the Comcast Security Assurance to apply the patch which is nothing more than setting up a new Outlook Express email account with 587 as the outgoing port.

I sent a note to Comcast and they had me call the 800 number. They wanted to switch me to port 587. I told her I have been using 587 for months now. Now I have to call Comcast Security Assurance (on a Saturday!!) to get back online.

Fortunately I have a villages.net account I can use until I am back in service.

Still waiting to hear from the special agent.