Metrocast email problems - FYI

[SteveA]

If you have your email with Metrocast, (all of Metrocast, not just the Lakes Region), your emails to most Domains, (Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail,Gmail.. etc) are being blocked and rejected.

I noticed the problem when some folks told me they didn't receieve emails I had sent to them. I'm not a "techie" , but I've been told by Metrocast, that the problem is that someone with a metrocast domain has been producing tons of SPAM. According to Metrocast, they have blacklisted and are rejecting any and all metrocast email traffic.

When I spoke with metrocast, they confirmed that the blocking was happening and suggested I create a new email account with Yahoo, AOL, Outlook, Gmail or Hotmail.

They also told me that they have no way of fixing the problem because those other companies (domains) have simply shut off metrocast.

[upthesaukee]

We have a metrocast email on our desktop that is used extensively, mainly by my wife, but also by me. Her use also involves contacting business contacts as well as personal contact, so I found this post most disconcerting.

The first thing I did was send an email from our metrocast account to my yahoo account, and to my gmail account.

Both went through quickly right to my inbox.

Wonder if the Metrocast person was misinformed, or the victim of an urban legend / hoax that we all see on the internet these days.

Or perhaps I am lucky that it went through...From my end, no problem, and my wife is getting replies to her emails over the last few days with no apparent problems.

Nothing personal, Steve, but I am wondering... perhaps others can check it out as well.

Dave

[Slickcraft]

I have a gmail account as well as my Metrocast account. I just sent a test email from the Metrocast account to my gmail account which went through in about 2 seconds (my phone sang). A reply back also went right through.

Looks like gmail is blocking some but not any and all.

[BroadHopper]

Why would you want multi email addresses. I have two email address with AOL. AT&T, COMCAST, VERIZON, FAIRPOINT, METROCAST were ISP providers at some point in my life. I choose not to have ISP addresses because I want to be consistent. I recently work with a client who has multiple ISP email addresses and he would like to keep things simple. It is not easy.

Why do I have two addresses? One I give to my relatives and close friends, and one to everyone else. I check my personal often and the other, well it takes a while to weed through the spams.

[Slickcraft]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

Why would you want multi email addresses. I have two email address with AOL. AT&T, COMCAST, VERIZON, FAIRPOINT, METROCAST were ISP providers at some point in my life. I choose not to have ISP addresses because I want to be consistent. I recently work with a client who has multiple ISP email addresses and he would like to keep things simple. It is not easy.

Why do I have two addresses? One I give to my relatives and close friends, and one to everyone else. I check my personal often and the other, well it takes a while to weed through the spams.

Similar reason for two: The gmail easily integrates with my android phone for contact with friends and family. Metrocast for all the rest.

[SteveA]

I resent the message after reading your posts and retried the e-mail.
It looks like it went through this time. (so far)

Here is what I was getting for 2 days. (I x'ed out the persons name in the email)

The original message was received at Tue, 23 Jul 2013 15:00:30 GMT
from d-69-161-73-112.cpe.metrocast.net [69.161.73.112]

----- The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----

(reason: 550 OU-002 (COL0-MC1-F47) Unfortunately, messages from 65.175.128.136 weren't sent. Please contact y...ock list. You can also refer your provider to http://mail.live.com/mail/troubleshooting.aspx#errors.)

----- Transcript of session follows -----
... while talking to mx2.hotmail.com.:
>>> MAIL From: SIZE=357768
<<< 550 OU-002 (COL0-MC1-F47) Unfortunately, messages from 65.175.128.136 weren't sent. Please contact your Internet service provider since part of their network is on our block list. You can also refer your provider to http://mail.live.com/mail/troubleshooting.aspx#errors.
554 5.0.0 Service unavailable


Metrocast told me that they were talking to gmail, hotmail, AOL etc because they had "shut off" all email from any metrocast account to their account holders, because someone was spamming using a series of metrocast email account.

[Just Sold]

We are in Meredith and getting internet through a wireless router that is connected to Metrocast and I have had many e-mails not come through from personal and other sources over the last week and a half. I was having my Comcast e-mails forwarded to my MS Outlook as I do at home. I had my nephew re-send an important e-mail and it never came through when I was using my MS Outlook email. My MS Outlook would tell me I had 5 e-mails and only 1 would come through. This happened more than once. So I believe the e-mails were blocked or something like that while being connected through Metrocast. I have switched back to using only my Comcast account and no Outlook and everything is fine.

[SteveA]

I have 5 with Metrocast (the most they allow)

1 for family and friends

1 for shopping ( so when they insist on an e-mail address, I restrict the "crap" to that one account)

1 for work accounts

2 for forum type sites I'm on a lot of photography and wildlife (not that kind of wildlife! the animal kind of wildlife.. humm.. when you're in a hole... stop digging! ))

[bclaker]

I am also on Metrocast, but use Windows Mail. My wife and I are both on the same wireless router and she uses Windows Hotmail. My messages to her were rejected a couple days ago. I haven't tried today.

I am also fed up with the TV locking up. It has been happening since the beginning of the year. We had a lock up four times in a row last week and Monday it locked up for over half an hour. Very annioying when you are watching something interesting.

I've called Metrocast a number of times and they keep saying they are checking into it.

[upthesaukee]

The only problem I have had is in sending out broadcast emails for the Masonic Lodge I belong to. When I send out the monthly notice, I often will have an error message that says "metrocast was unavailable for too long" or words to that effect.

As far as multiple accounts, we have our metrocast account which we have had from the start.

I opened up a yahoo account that we used for the email contact when we bought something on line, or for a contact on a site like this one.

When I got my new laptop, and I had my new Android, I too opened up a gmail account to that I could access it from either device.

Which brings us to the point...which my wife and I ask a lot...what did we do before email and cell phones (answer is snail mail and pay phones).

[Merrymeeting]

As of mid-last-week, I've been having problems sending emails to some people. As above, messages are rejected with error stating that metrocast is on their block list. This is ridiculous for a large scale ISP. They better fix this soon or I'll be moving all of my business.

[DRH]

I'm a Metrocast customer too and I sent three emails to a friend @msn.com last Tuesday. All three came back saying traffic from my domain was being rejected. I haven't had any problem sending email to people at other ISPs though.

[no-engine]

If one has a domain, make your address something like whomever@domain, spouse@domain, etc.

First step is go in to the host's account settings & preferences or whatever its called. Set to forward the email to your ONE address with your ISP.
We do not need to advertise that we use metrocast, fairpoint, verizon, aol, or whatever!

If you needed to change ISP, there will be no need to notify anyone! We all have changed ISPs for many reasons.

Most domain sites, the hosts, will allow several accounts in the original minimal fees, such as spouse, one child, another child, etc.! If you need more (such as employee), you can likely pay for more; big businesses do this and each has password to access their email.

[IslandRadio]

The only thing to watch with respect to having your own domain, is if you use the Metrocast email server(s).

Generally, block lists are by IP address and not by the domain, which means the email (SMTP) server(s) would be blocked regardless of the originating domain name. I have seen some domain based block lists, but this usually also involves other checks at the server such as SPF records, etc. to verify the domain, since names can be easily faked and used by anyone. The domain of the sending SMTP server is usually checked by doing a reverse lookup on the IP, and then a corresponding forward lookup (blah, blah, blah )

The way block lists are handled varies quite a bit depending on the spam blocking software in use at the receiving end, and the policies the company has in place with respect to what does and does not end up on a block list.

Some entities will block entire groups of IP addresses belonging to an organization, others will only block the individual offending IP. Some places spend a LOT of money on email filtering, but most use simpler solutions.

[SteveA]

I spoke with a person at Metrocast Corporate. ( A PR Guy) I told him that in my opinion they were setting themselves up for a major legal problem if they didn't find a way to notify people that the e-mail they thought they had sent, didn't get sent. Worst is the email that you never get because other senders won't send/forward e-mail to metrocast accounts.

He said the problem was "massive" (his word) and Metrocast was working on getting the problem solved.

[webmaster]

The last time I checked Metrocast had one of the strangest email systems I've ever run across. They will not allow you to use any other outgoing mail server than theirs. If you bring your laptop on vacation and get connected through Metrocast at your hotel, your existing outgoing (SMTP) mail server won't work. You have to use theirs, or use web based email (like Gmail, etc.).

Then you run into the next strange thing: their outgoing mail server does not require any authentication (no username or password). As long as you are connected to their network you can use their mail server without a login. While everyone else is taking action to secure their mail servers they leave theirs wide open from within their network.

This seems crazy to me. Picture this: you take your laptop to a coffee shop or library that has free wifi through a Metrocast connection. You change your outgoing mail server to smtp.metrocast.net and crank out spam or other anonymous emails. You don't need a Metrocast account or any login if you are on their network.

There may be other ISP's doing it this way but I've never seen one. It seems like they should allow you to use your own mail servers and only allow authenticated users to use theirs.

Maybe this is how they got blacklisted.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by webmaster

The last time I checked Metrocast had one of the strangest email systems I've ever run across. They will not allow you to use any other outgoing mail server than theirs. If you bring your laptop on vacation and get connected through Metrocast at your hotel, your existing outgoing (SMTP) mail server won't work. You have to use theirs, or use web based email (like Gmail, etc.).

It's not like that anymore... I've had Metrocast for a few years, and have always run my own mail servers. I've never had a problem with outgoing mail getting snarfed by Metrocast servers in the way.

I don't use unencrypted SMTP though, so that might be part of why I don't run into issues.

[webmaster]

Originally Posted by brk-lnt

It's not like that anymore... I've had Metrocast for a few years, and have always run my own mail servers. I've never had a problem with outgoing mail getting snarfed by Metrocast servers in the way.

I haven't tried that in a few years so I'm glad they fixed that.

However, their SMTP server still can be used without authentication. I send email alerts from the WeirsCAM's router through smtp.metrocast.com without any authentication.

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by webmaster

However, their SMTP server still can be used without authentication.

That's the part that probably got them blacklisted. You almost have to go out of your way these days to setup a mail server that DOESN'T default to requiring auth.

[songkrai]

Originally Posted by SteveA

I have 5 with Metrocast (the most they allow)

1 for family and friends

1 for shopping ( so when they insist on an e-mail address, I restrict the "crap" to that one account)

1 for work accounts

2 for forum type sites I'm on a lot of photography and wildlife (not that kind of wildlife! the animal kind of wildlife.. humm.. when you're in a hole... stop digging! ))

I'm like Steve except:

I scatter mine.
AOL for personal email.
Gmail.
Yahoo.
Hotmail/Outlook.

Time Warner is my broadband/internet.
Don't use Time/Warner for email although I do have one.

Never use my personal email for anything but family/friends therefore almost zero spam.

Have had AOL for 10 years and is by far the best and easiest to use.
Do not wish to open a debate about email types.

[Jeanzb1]

No sooner had I started this thread yesterday morning, when now all of a sudden I'm aware of emails not going through! (We live in a lakefront cottage with Metrocast as renters and are now buying a home and wondering what to do about cable TV and internet.) I know of three separate emails that show up in my "sent box" as having been sent, yet three different recipients claim to have never received my messages. One of them was a very important message to our realtor down in Florida who is handling the sale of our condo. How on earth can we trust Metrocast if this is the situation? I am very concerned about this!

[Merrymeeting]

FWIW, it seems to have been fixed for me. Emails that were bounced or not getting through to Hotmail, Outlook, and other ISP's now seem to be going through. It does appear that Metrocast is working to fix this.

[no-engine]

For several weeks my mail does not go out, using my dot me account or dot mac and the server. A friend from Boston commented maybe an Apple temporary issue.

However, when I change to gmail it goes out!
Sometimes I am at friend's with metrocast; other times I am at a business with Fairpoint DSL. Seemed very strange, as I think I receive them all.

I am not aware of other options in Lakes Region!!!!

[Jeanzb1]

I called Metrocast just this morning, and they verified that indeed they are having problems. They said it is on the receiving end of the email (who thinks it is spam) and not on their sending end but that they are working on the problem, but they also said it is a widespread problem of theirs and will not be fixed anytime soon.

[Crusty]

I spent quite a few years writing Internet software and I still run an
email server for an alumni club.

First of all, email is neither sent nor received directly from a user's
device. Regardless of where you compose your email, you entrust its
delivery to an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server. This server
is often provided by your ISP (eg, Metrocast) but you can user others.
Metrocast makes this difficult to do, however.

When you "send" an email, it goes to the SMTP server, which then makes a
connection with the recipient's SMTP server. After the servers exchange
identification, your email is transfered and made available to the
recipient. If an email can't be delivered for some reason, a "bounce"
message should be returned the sender.

This design is simple and reasonably reliable. HOWEVER, there is spam
to be considered.

There are SMTP servers owned by folks who sent several million spam
emails per day. --You certainly receive some of them. To filter some
of them out, most ISP's have added software to their inbound SMTP
servers.

Filtering software examines and analyzes incoming messages, much like
anti-virus software. When a likely spam message is detected, it may be
sent to a "junk" mailbox for your review, or it may simply be deleted
(along with the occasional important email). A "bounce" message may be
generated back to the sender, but not necessarily. Finally, the
filtering software may notify one of the many network "anti-spam
services" with a report that includes the sending SMTP's network
address. This leads us to the trap that is affecting some of our
members.

When an SMTP is contacted by another SMTP server, and before any email
is accepted, the receiving server looks at the network address of the
sender. This address is compared against two lists: The "white list"
contains addresses of trusted servers that are exempt from further
scrutiny. The "black list" has addresses of known bad actors and email
is never accepted from them. If the requesting server's address is not
on either list, the address is sent to one or more of the "anti-spam
services" to see what they say. If the server appears on a spammer list,
the email is rejected or discarded.

So why, you ask, is some Metrocast email being rejected? Well, spammers
don't just rely on their own, easily blacklisted, servers. When
possible, they use legitimate servers (such as Metrocast). This can be
done directly (if the server isn't properly secured) or by
surreptitiously installing software on someone's PC that does have
legitimate access to the server. Sometimes it is a misguided business
that uses Metrocast as its ISP. In any case, sooner or later the hacked
or misused server will be reported as a spammer and other servers will
stop accepting email from it. This is probably what has happened to the
Metrocast SMTP server.

This type of block generally only lasts a short time. Once Metrocast
has secured its servers, it can request manual removal from the
black-list. If no new spam reports are made, Metrocast will
automatically fall off the black-list in a few days.

I can tell you that, right now, the Metrocast server (smpt.metrocast.net
at 65.175.128.135) is not on the Spamhaus, Spamcop, or Backscatter lists
nor on any of the about 275 other services I could check.

If you have lots of extra time on your hands, here is a website link
that will provide you with endless information that will make you long
for the days of the US mail and/or pony express.

http://spamlinks.net/filter-dnsbl-lists.htm#spamsource

[Jeanzb1]

Thank you very much, Crusty! I will read it over and over until my pea brain understands it all. I really appreciate your taking the time to post such an in-depth explanation of how email works!

[Merrymeeting]

FWIW, the issue seems to have been resolved for Metrocast, at least for now. No email rejections for some time now.

[patman]

This is likely to continue as an intermittent problem... I am not on Metrocast, but I was on the other end of this recently. Someone with a Metrocast email tried to send me something, and my mail server bounced it. Here is the info from the logs showing that my mailserver rejected it after spamcop.net blacklisted the metrocast mail server as a source of spam. (The 65.175.128.136 address is one of the metrocast mailservers.)

Note the last line of the second chunk of info...it's been blocked roughly 1/3 of the time over the past month. Given that 99% is considered a low uptime number in an IT situation, 66% is abysmal.

From Tuesday:

Event: rejected rejected
User: -remote-
Domain:
Sender: xxxxx@metrocast.net
Sent Time: Oct 15, 2013 12:59:12 PM
Sender Host: proofpoint-cluster.metrocast.net
Sender IP: 65.175.128.136
Authentication: unauthorized
Spam Score:
Recipient: xxxxx
Delivery User: xxxxx
Delivery Domain: xxxxx
Delivered To:
Router: reject
Transport: **rejected**
Out Time: Oct 15, 2013 12:59:12 PM
ID: 1VW7xh-0009g4-xxx
Delivery Host: proofpoint-cluster.metrocast.net
Delivery IP: 65.175.128.136
Size: 0 bytes
Result: JunkMail rejected - proofpoint-cluster.metrocast.net [65.175.128.136]:37204 is in an RBL, see Blocked - see http://www.spamcop.net/bl.shtml?65.175.128.136

Query bl.spamcop.net - 65.175.128.136
(Help) (Trace IP) (SenderBase Lookup)

65.175.128.136 listed in bl.spamcop.net (127.0.0.2)

If there are no reports of ongoing objectionable email from this system it will be delisted automatically in approximately 13 hours.
Causes of listing

System has sent mail to SpamCop spam traps in the past week (spam traps are secret, no reports or evidence are provided by SpamCop)
SpamCop users have reported system as a source of spam less than 10 times in the past week

Additional potential problems
(these factors do not directly result in spamcop listing)

Too many delisting requests were made. Next request might be allowed after 13.8 days

Because of the above problems, express-delisting is not available
Listing History
In the past 30.3 days, it has been listed 12 times for a total of 10.9 days

[codeman671]

Originally Posted by patman

This is likely to continue as an intermittent problem... I am not on Metrocast, but I was on the other end of this recently. Someone with a Metrocast email tried to send me something, and my mail server bounced it. Here is the info from the logs showing that my mailserver rejected it after spamcop.net blacklisted the metrocast mail server as a source of spam. (The 65.175.128.136 address is one of the metrocast mailservers.)

Note the last line of the second chunk of info...it's been blocked roughly 1/3 of the time over the past month. Given that 99% is considered a low uptime number in an IT situation, 66% is abysmal.

From Tuesday:

We use Metrocast for our business internet, but our domains are hosted by Godaddy. We recently had to switch from the Metrocast outbound mail servers to a Godaddy outbound as we were blacklisted everywhere, and Metrocast could not and would not work to solve it.

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by codeman671

We use Metrocast for our business internet, but our domains are hosted by Godaddy. We recently had to switch from the Metrocast outbound mail servers to a Godaddy outbound as we were blacklisted everywhere, and Metrocast could not and would not work to solve it.

We recently move our domains to Google from Yahoo. We moved from Metrocast to Yahoo a couple of years ago. Metrocast never fix our problems, Yahoo does not seem to identify the problems and hopefully Google will solve all our problems. We also went from DSL to T1 to cable. Just recently Fairpoint installed a fiber optics trunk on our street. They sent us a promotion to change from cable to fiber optics which is cheaper, but we have a year more to go on our contract to Metrocast. I can't wait!

[TheProfessor]

Best to check what Fairpoint is offering you.

"MANCHESTER, NH (August 27, 2013) - FairPoint Communications announced today it is planning to expand and upgrade broadband Internet service in 18 towns across New Hampshire - in unserved locations or locations with low-speed access across the Granite state.In all, multiple neighborhoods in 18 towns in New Hampshire will be upgraded or see new high-speed broadband access. These towns include: Albany, Conway, Dalton, Fitzwilliam, Franklin, Greenfield, Hinsdale, Landaff, Lyme, Milan, Newbury, Pittsburg, Rindge, Spofford, Stewartstown, Troy, Tuftonboro, Walpole and Westmoreland."

LINK