XF 1.5 Forum emails bouncing back from Hotmail/Outlook.com (Nimbus)

[Ingenious]

All of a sudden after many years of trouble free use, all of my members with Hotmail/MSN/Outlook email addresses are bouncing back forum notification emails. It looks like Hotmail is either saying some part of my mail service is on a block list or has been determined to be "spammy". Nimbus say they have checked my server IP and it's not blacklisted anywhere (though I just realised I don't use the built in sendmail, I use a proper email account set up at Nimbus, wonder if they checked that, I'll ask).

said: 550 SC-001
    (COL004-MC5F3) Unfortunately, messages from xxx.xx.xxx.xx 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. (in reply to MAIL
    FROM command)

First question really is to ask if anyone else here has suddenly had an issue with Hotmail, or is it just me?

Second question is to ask for suggestions on alternative email services I might use to send out forum emails, is there anything that's more Hotmail friendly?

Anything else worth trying?

I know this happens a lot, but it's so sudden after no problems, so wondering if anyone else is affected?

 

[Xon]

You can also use Hotmail/outlook.com/live.com's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) and the Junk Mail Reporting Program (JMRP) to be notified when your server has been detected sending spam/junk. This helps detect when users are sending your email to the junk/spam folder.

I think the notifications should be automatically parseable, so it may be possible to automatically sent users to 'email bounced' if it is detected that are marking as spam your emails.

 

[TPerry]

You can also use Hotmail/outlook.com/live.com's Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) and the Junk Mail Reporting Program (JMRP) to be notified when your server has been detected sending spam/junk. This helps detect when users are sending your email to the junk/spam folder.

Not if you are on an OVH server (SoYouStart, etc) - as the IP lookups all refer back to them for the contact information and none utilize your DNS MX record for the IP itself. Apparently you have to "own" the IP's yourself. Of course, it may have to do with the way that OVH does their IP allocation(s).

 

[Xon]

Not if you are on an OVH server (SoYouStart, etc) - as the IP lookups all refer back to them for the contact information and none utilize your DNS MX record for the IP itself. Apparently you have to "own" the IP's yourself. Of course, it may have to do with the way that OVH does their IP allocation(s).

View attachment 117951

You need to setup Reverse DNS (aka PTR records) properly, that proves you "own" those IPs. This is inline with good mail server practices that you should own the rDNS (aka ptr) for the mail server.

Linode, and Digital Ocean allow you to setup the rDNS for VMs you control.

 

[TPerry]

You need to setup Reverse DNS (aka PTR records) properly, that proves you "own" those IPs.

Uhh.. not!



Like I said, I think with OVH it has to do with their addressing schematics. Something with their FailOver IP setup pretty sure.

 

[Xon]

Try individual IPs rather than ranges so it'll do the rDNS lookup rather than the other checks it does.

 

[TPerry]

Try individual IPs rather than ranges so it'll do the rDNS lookup rather than the other checks it does.

Like this?
As you can see from the above, the rDNS is already set at at twowheeldemon.com.

I screwed with it for a while before (I end up having to contact them for mitigation) and got tired and decided to just be like .
I think it worked with Quadranet though - but I've slept a few times since then.
It's specific (I'm pretty sure) to the OVH setup. That's why I mentioned it since a lot of people use SYS/OVH/KimSufi servers.

 

[Xon]

Like this?
As you can see from the above, the rDNS is already set at at twowheeldemon.com.

I screwed with it for a while before (I end up having to contact them for mitigation) and got tired and decided to just be like .
I think it worked with Quadranet though - but I've slept a few times since then.
It's specific (I'm pretty sure) to the OVH setup. That's why I mentioned it since a lot of people use SYS/OVH/KimSufi servers.


View attachment 117959

Yes, that'll let you signup with an email address you control (abuse@twowheeldemon.com). Well assume you have setup email for that address, beware of the SPAAM from having that email address

 

[TPerry]

Yeah, I forgot that I have those forwarded... that's one of the domains that has a free Google Apps on it. My others all meet requirements for postmaster/abuse/spam etc. Weird that you have to do it for individual IP's and not the block. Oh well. Mine don't bounce as it is now that I have them mitigated - but I guess I can sign 'em up anyways.