topic Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus in Mobile Broadband

Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

WilliamDalley — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:18:08 GMT

Hello,

Recently I converted my homes broadband to a 4G mobile broadband package.

Since moving over three weeks ago I have experienced on multiple occasions my public IP address being blocked by Spamhaus spam email filtering. This has meant I am unable to send emails on my network from Outlook. When trying to send an email I receive the bounce back

"Server error: '554 5.7.1 Service unavailable; Client host [---.---.---.---] blocked using sbl.spamhaus.org; https://www.spamhaus.org/sbl/query/SBLCSS'"

If I restart my 4G router to receive a new public IP address I am able to then able to successfully send emails.

Although I have this solution, having to restart my network to be able to send emails is very annoying! Why does it appear lots of EE public IP addresses are blocked by spam email protection services..? This nuisance is ruining the service and I am thinking of returning to traditional landline broadband. I did contact EE 'technical' support by phone but they told me they don't "offer all that dynamic IPs and addresses and stuff"... when I tried to explain the situation.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

XRaySpeX — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:54:01 GMT

Previous users of that public IP have been suspected of spamming. All you can do is restart your router to hope to get a clean IP.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

RogerZT — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 18:19:00 GMT

Looking carefully at the wording by Spamhaus it appears that EE have placed all their address ranges in the Spamhaus filter as being unable to post direct to the internet. This is not incorrect in itself and not unreasonable.

What appears to be happening is that rogue email systems are incorrectly applying the filter and blocking all emails from the address range not just those which are being sent direct. I did persuade one organisation to sort themselves out but it took a lot of pressure by a personal acquaintance but this is now happening so often that the only practical solution is for EE to make some technical changes.

I've just spoken to someone from EE's first line support who didn't understand what I was saying and was unable to escalate the call. I fear that this may have to be escalated as a formal complaint.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

Kirigaya_Kazuto — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 19:29:13 GMT

Have you tried running through a VPN? See if that gets around this block. I mean a full VPN, not just a browser extension

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

XRaySpeX — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 19:57:14 GMT

@RogerZT wrote:

Looking carefully at the wording by Spamhaus it appears that EE have placed all their address ranges in the Spamhaus filter as being unable to post direct to the internet.

Then explain how I, with an EE public IP, can always send emails & have never been blocked.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

RogerZT — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 21:06:13 GMT

Because you are not sending your emails to a third party provider using SMTP.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

XRaySpeX — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 21:43:34 GMT

Aren't I? Most of us do!

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

grsdev — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:34:31 GMT

Because you're not sending direct-to-MX but through your ISP or another e-mail delivery service, maybe?

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

grsdev — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:36:58 GMT

Are you sending direct-to-MX by any chance?

If so, that's your problem right there. An IP address assigned to a 4G router is a dynamic address "belonging" to an end-user who shouldn't be relaying mail directly to the recipient's MX.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

XRaySpeX — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:38:19 GMT

@grsdev : Yes, that's what I do as I said.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

grsdev — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:45:25 GMT

@XRaySpeX ...which is why you're able to send e-mail from a mobile connection with no trouble.

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

XRaySpeX — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:53:10 GMT

@grsdev : Yes, but is there any reason why the OP is not doing similar & not your obscure method, particularly as he is using OL to send, which deals in SMTPs?

Re: Public IP Address Blocked by Spamhaus

grsdev — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:01:57 GMT

If OP was using their provider's SMTP service, the IP address showing as being blocked would be that of the provider's outbound relay, not OP's own IP address, because the provider's outbound relay would be the one attempting to relay the e-mail to the recipient's MX.

SMTP is an application protocol. What's in question here is the routing of e-mail, not the application protocol used to transmit e-mail from one relay to another.