Mail Server on Time Warner Residential

Hey everyone,

I'm currently attempting to setup a simple pop mail server at my house using Win Server 2k3 R2. I only have a Time Warner Residential connection, and am having problems with the mail server connection. When I run a report via dnsstuff.com everything checks out as far as A records, MX, etc...but it fails at connecting to the server. I am able to send and receive mail inside my internal network, but can't send/receive to other domains. Is this because Time Warner is blocking me from running a mail server? I've called there and talked with three different people and each one of them never really sounded very sure of themselves. I'm basically trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong, or if it is in fact TW. Thanks for the input!

EDIT:
If I change the SMTP to smtp-server.neb.rr.com I can send out, which I figured. I'm guessing they are blocking port 25 from everyone unless you're using their SMTP address. Same must be for 110, right?

<stick in the mud>
What you're trying to do is almost guaranteed to be against the ISP's terms of service..
</stick in the mud>

Now, that being said....

Most ISPs block port 25 and 80 incoming and port 25 outbound are only allowed to the ISP's mail servers..

For example, nobody will be able to connect to your server on port 25, and you can't send email from your server on port 25 unless it goes to time warner's server first.

One way around this it to setup a smarthost outside your home network. You can usually configure them to send mail to you on a port other than 25.

Otherwise, your only option will be to upgrade to a business service.

Riley

Yeah Port 80 incoming is open. I've been running a web server for years...port 25 is another story as is with most ISP's, you are right. I just wanted someone on here to verify that. I've probably been violating the ISP terms of service forever...oh well, I've never received any warnings. Thanks!

I used to be on Time Warner home before switching to TWC business class. Their TOS from when I asked stated that you were able to run web services from your house for personal use, however they do block port 25, they claimed that this was to keep from viruses turning home computer's into spam bots.

I just put my domain mail with google apps until I got RR business class.

I'm pretty sure getting your reverse DNS records to work properly on their consumer service is going to be next to impossible.

Nocturnal said:

I'm pretty sure getting your reverse DNS records to work properly on their consumer service is going to be next to impossible.

Click to expand...

That's a good point too..

You're best bet would be to sign up for postini or some other spam filtering service and use them to relay your incoming (and possibly outgoing) email on a different port. They also provide mail spooling in case your Internet connection goes down, etc.

Riley

Wow I never thought you can run any webservers/mail servers on RR Residential line because I thought it was against there TOS on this but I guess you learn something new everyday.

Try to open port 587 on your mail server and also see if TWC blocks 587 if not then use that port.

No go on the 587. All around fail here. Just need to upgrade to Biz Class if I want to run a mail server. POP3 is basically junk anyways, but I just thought I'd give it a shot since some of my clients are still using that. Thanks for all the help and input everyone.

You can change the outgoing port to anything if you wanted to it doesnt have to be on 25 or 587.

I ran a mail server just fine from road runner residential... I even asked on the phone while I was trying to get a static ip, I told em why I wanted it, they said I can't have a static on residential but said it was ok for my server stuff...

But yea... it ran just fine sent just fine, hotmail, and yahoo blocked the email cause it's a residential IP. To others that are not on mail services like that it worked tho.

At the time I was thinking of switching to business class, but at this point I didn't see the reason for it.

I've ran one before on road runner residential as well without issue.