Outbound SMTP Port 25 blocked - what is the correct process to remove block

[mm35173]

I'm assisting a customer of mine who has AT&T Business DSL (not U-Verse).

They have an application which must connect to a particular SMTP server, www2.ecrsoft.com, on port 25.

I've verified that they can connect to an AT&T SMTP server, but not www2.ecrsoft.com, from the same machine:

# ATT example

[root@host ~]$ telnet smtp.att.yahoo.com 25
Trying 98.138.31.74...
Connected to smtp.att.yahoo.com (98.138.31.74).
Escape character is '^]'.
220 smtp107.sbc.mail.ne1.yahoo.com ESMTP
^]
telnet> quit

# third party example

[root@host ~]$ telnet www2.ecrsoft.com
Trying 98.129.60.139...
telnet: connect to address 98.129.60.139: Connection timed out
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host: Connection timed out

I verified that I can connect to this mail server from three non-AT&T ISP's. Without a doubt, AT&T is blocking it.

I called AT&T tech support in a three-way call with this DSL account holder. The AT&T technician, Cameishia, had zero understanding of how SMTP actually works. She insisted that AT&T does not block port 25 for any business customers. I offered to e-mail her proof that there was in fact a problem, but she insisted that there was nothing they could do to help.

What is the correct business process for an AT&T Business DSL customer to actually get the port unblocked?

[spirus60]

If you are an AT&T DSL user like me here are the steps to get outbond email to your SMTP port 25.  I'm an Outlook 2007 user so you may need to adjust to fit your email program.

1. you'll need to know your AT&T email address and password.  We're on the old sbcglobal.net system but you'll need to be able to login to an AT&T email account wherever that is.

2. On the att.net site you'll log in to your AT&T email account and select Email.  In my case, I get routed over to a frame that is branded AT&T and Powered By Yahoo.

3. On the email page you'll select Options and then More Options which for me are located (in small font) in the upper right hand quadrant under Powered By Yahoo.

4. On the More Options page select Accounts from the left hand side set of options

5. On the Accounts page select Add Account

6. On the Add Account page you'll need to enter your email information and server credentials for the system that you're trying to access

7. On the Add Accounts page you'll also need to select Show Advanced Options and select SSL in the box on the extended screen.

8. Suprisingly there's not a SAVE button so I click on the new account name (newly positioned to the left of the information you've just entered) and select "OK" in the dialogue box to save the data

9. You'll soon receive an email to your non-AT&T email address to verify the account (it's titled "Verify this email address").  Select and verify you're account and you're done with this step.

That's it for the AT&T side of the equation.

In Outlook I followed these steps.

1. On the Outlook menu I selected Tools -> Account Settings (up will pop all of your configured email accounts)

2. I selected the mailbox I'm trying to use and select Change (up pops a Change Email Account box)

3. On the Change Email Account you'll need to enter smtp.att.yahoo.com as your outgoing SMTP server (this will very depending on where you're getting your service - I'm in a DSL program that was a partnership between SBC and Yahoo hence the att.yahoo.com).  I suspect that you'll need to replace "yahoo" with bellsouth or whoever is listed in your @ domain but I really don't know the details.

4. Select More Settings and then Outgoing Server where you will enter your AT&T email address and password (the same one you used to access your email above - mine ends in @sbcglobal.net)

5. Select the Advanced tab and change your Outgoing Server to port 465 and select SSL for the type of encryption on the outgoing port

6. Select OK

7. Select Next and then Finish

So once you've validated this email from AT&T you're in service. 

Piece of cake!

[laurinovbs]

Did you ever get any kind of reply to this?  I've just spent I don't know how long on chat, the phone and chat again with AT&T to have the Port 25 block removed and got nothing but frustration.  It's a simple thing to unblock it yet it seems ATT customer service/tech service can't make it happen.  I'm to the point of tears!  I can't do my job because of this!  Would be nice if ATT would respond.