Warning: Verizon Email Is Unreliable

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 14 Feb 2006 2:04 pm

Please note that if you use a Verizon.net email account, you will NOT receive any notifications from the Forum server. Verizon blocks all email from the Steel Guitar Forum. I don't know why.

If you change your email to Verizon, get a free Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail account to use for your Forum correspondence. Don't try to switch your Forum profile over to your Verizon email account, because your Forum password will never get through to you at verizon.net.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

Mike Weirauch · Post by **Mike Weirauch** » 14 Feb 2006 3:40 pm

I have verizon and I always get emails from you but I have you in my address book so that may be why.

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 14 Feb 2006 6:12 pm

I don't know why

Did you send in your $5.00 registration fee?

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 15 Feb 2006 5:15 pm

I received this late yesterday, after I found a link to their "whitelist" page: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>From: whitelist@verizononline.net
To: quasar@b0b.com
CC:
Subject: RE: Whitelist Request for IP Address 208.201.236.18
Date: Tue, 14 Feb 2006 16:53:49 -0600

Thank you for contacting Verizon Online Security.

After a thorough investigation of your issue, Verizon Online Security
has determined that normal e-mail delivery should be restored within
72 hrs.

Sincerely,

Verizon Online Security http://www2.verizon.net/policies <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> So maybe it will work now.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 15 Feb 2006 6:26 pm

I kinda figured the Verizon CEO was a banjo fan!

John Daugherty · Post by **John Daugherty** » 16 Feb 2006 6:38 am

-----------------------------------------
"I kinda figured the Verizon CEO was a banjo fan!"
-------------------------------------------

HAHAHA, must be Jennings. He loves the "banger" players.

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www.phelpscountychoppers.com/steelguitar

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 16 Feb 2006 10:31 am

FWIW, I sent out the monthly club meeting notes this morning and ALL the Verizon addressees were "deferred" and not delivered. Whether it's just a local e-mail server issue or larger???

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 1 Jul 2006 6:17 pm

This is still an issue. Verizon members do not receive topic notifications or their Forum password. If you change the email address in your profile to a Verizon address, you'll have to email me to get your new password.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 1 Jul 2006 6:21 pm

They claim they're not blocking it: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>From: whitelist@verizononline.net
To: quasar@b0b.com
CC:
Subject: RE: Whitelist Request for IP Address 208.201.236.18 (NOT BLOCKED)
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 22:35:12 -0500

Thank you for contacting Verizon Online Security. After
investigation, Verizon Online Security has determined that the
request you submitted is not being blocked.

Either the IP you submitted was not the sending server or another
issue may exist.

Also please note: If the error message you or the person trying to
contact you receives is not a 550 error that has a link to http://www.verizon.net/whitelist then you have another issue.

Please double check the IP address you submitted and if an error is
found you can resubmit the request via the webform at http://www.verizon.net/whitelist or whitelist.net email address for
further investigation.

Sincerely,

Verizon Online Abuse http://www2.verizon.net/policies
abuse@verizon.net
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 7 Aug 2006 8:55 am

We are still blocked at Verizon.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 7 Aug 2006 10:08 am

b0b;
Could you send me a list of the IP addresses used by the SGF Email Server? Also, please send me an email from that server so I can look at the headers. Maybe we can figure out what Verizon doesn't like in SGF email to their system.

Wiz

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 8 Aug 2006 6:44 pm

I had the server send you your username and password. That email will have all of the header information you need.

The server's IP address is 208.201.236.18.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 8 Aug 2006 7:16 pm

Now I understand why you sent that email. Please disregard my reply to it.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 8 Aug 2006 7:47 pm

Ok, I am running tests against the IP of the email server for the SGF. Here are some of the results, with more to be posted in this reply, as they arrive.

Spam Database lookup on DNSStuff: 268 of 270 showed "not listed" and the last 2 were non-responsive (out of order?).

Not listed at SpamHaus, SpamCop, Spews or SORBS.

A Reverse DNS Lookup produced a positive result, but with an error for a missing A record. This could impact interaction with some email systems and trigger message blocking software when they run a R-DNS. This should be looked into.

There is nothing obvious in the headers that would trigger a filter. The only other possible explanation, aside from the missing A Record, is the Subject and/or Body html or text contents.

This is based on the IP from which you sent your email message to me tonight.

One more thing is that your email server's IP claims to belong to b0b.com, but instead it resolves to your hosting provider's domain name. I don't know if this could cause the filters to trigger or not.

Lastly, you share your IP with 13 other registered domains.

Has Verizon supplied you with a test address to send to to see if a filter is triggered?

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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 8 Aug 2006 8:04 pm

I read the information on the whitelist form on Verizon.net and at the bottom it asks you to check yes or no to this very important question: "Do you have SPF Records?"

I Googled that question and arrived at a discussion on WMW where I read this:
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
have you ever received a bounced email that states the recipients server rejected the message due to an spf Policy (Sender Policy Framework)? Well, I learned something today that may cause that bounced email.
< snip >
If you are sending to AOL and/or Earthlink accounts, you will need to have spf records in place if you expect your emails to end up at their final destinations.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
From the tone of that question on the Verizon Whitelist form I am going to assume they they have implemented a SPF enforcement policy and that may be why your emails to Verizon customers are getting bounced.

There is a really indepth discussion about SPF Policies and email blocking in this extensive thread on WMW.

Information about setting up a SPF Policy is located here: http://new.openspf.org/FAQ

Toolss to create and test SPF Policies are found here: http://new.openspf.org/Tools

I hope this helps.

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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage.
Learn about current computer virus and security threats here.
Read Wiz's Blog for security news and update notices

[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 08 August 2006 at 09:08 PM.]

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 9 Aug 2006 5:56 am

Thanks, Wiz. I have to work today, but I'll look into this tomorrow.

I always thought SPF was a sunblock rating.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 9 Aug 2006 1:58 pm

I always thought SPF was a sunblock rating.

Apparently it is also a mailblock rating!

Wiz

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 9 Aug 2006 7:20 pm

Okay, it appears that SPF policies are installed into DNS records. Register.com controls my DNS. I've emailed them asking for their help in fixing this.

The only official MX record set up in DNS for b0b.com points to register.com because that's where I get my mail (I subscribe to their WebMail service). I can see how the header might look forged to anyone cross-referencing it with DNS. Most ISPs don't go to all that trouble. Maybe just adding another MX record would fix the problem, but an SPF policy seems like a more robust solution.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog[This message was edited by b0b on 09 August 2006 at 08:21 PM.]

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 9 Aug 2006 8:59 pm

I guess that's why you keep me around b0b. I get to do all the unearthing work!

Wiz[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 09 August 2006 at 09:59 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 10 Aug 2006 6:26 am

Register.com's reply: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Dear Bob Lee,

Thank you for contacting Register.com.

This email is in response to the ionquiry associated with your domain name "b0b.com".

We understand that you wish to add SPF policy to your DNS record.

Please note that currently our servers do not support SPF policy. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

However, we may offer it in the future, so please feel free to check back periodically.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Maybe just adding an MX record would do the trick. I'll try that.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b2005.gif" width="78 height="78">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6) My Blog

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 10 Aug 2006 6:33 am

Okay, I've added an MX record for central.b0b.com (the server's actual name). DNS takes a couple of days to propogate.

Is there a Verizon user here who would like to volunteer to test it?

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 10 Aug 2006 9:10 am

After reading this I may be able to pass the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrators test. Talk about something deep in the docs...
This Sender Policy Framework... Is this how ISP's are gonna limit in and out traffic in order to show preferences to particular web content providers?
[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 10 August 2006 at 10:13 AM.]

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 10 Aug 2006 12:19 pm

No, it's an email routing policy statement.

None of this has anything to do with Microsoft. My server runs Unix. The DNS record tells the world that b0b.com and steelguitarforum.com are located at 201.206.236.18. SPF is attached to the DNS record to provide extra information to servers that have a vested interest in the details of email routing.

My DNS records are all maintained by Register.com. Register.com isn't supporting SPF yet; it's a fairly recent protocol.

The MX portion of the DNS record provides some very basic email routing information. That's what I changed today.

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<img align=left src="http://b0b.com/b0bxicon.gif" border="0"> Bobby Lee
-b0b- quasar@b0b.com 
System Administrator 
My Blog

Blake Hawkins · Post by **Blake Hawkins** » 11 Aug 2006 7:36 pm

Bob,
If you are still having trouble with Verizon.net e mail, you can use me as a test.

blakeh622@verizon.net

Blake

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Aug 2006 9:30 pm

Ok, Blake. The Forum server just sent you an email. Did you receive it?