BT Broadband + EMail

[Djinni]

Ok,

ISP:
BTyahoo (used to be BTInternet)

Hardware and other specs:
BT Total Broadband Option 3
3 Laptops,
2 PC's

Problem:

Every couple of days we are unable to send email via the bt smtp server. This has been an ongoing problem for a long time now. However when using any 3rd party SMTP server we had nearly 100% availability, and never experienced any issues. The problem came when BT locked us into using their SMTP service. I have tested this on multiple machines and BT have now sent us a grand total of 16 Routers right from the original BTHomeHub all the way up to the new BTHub 3.

My question is short of using a webmail service all the time (which is a real pain, because most of us have more than 1 email address from more than 1 domain.) What options do I have to either use a 3rd party SMTP server or force BT into actually providing the service they are requiring us to use?

[Deleted]

I need a little more information, but you say that BT have locked you into using their SMTP, but do you know how that's been done? i.e, have they blocked SMTP port 25? If that's the case then there may be an easy way to fix it.

[Deleted]

He's saying you have to specify BT for the SMTP if using outlook etc.

I haven't had any trouble, I'm on infinity with the Openreach modem and the BT Homehub 3 as well. Have you tried contacting them?

[Deleted]

He's saying you have to specify BT for the SMTP if using outlook etc.

I haven't had any trouble, I'm on infinity with the Openreach modem and the BT Homehub 3 as well. Have you tried contacting them?

I understand that, as the ISP that I work for has the same policy. But if it's simply a case that they have blocked third party SMTP servers over port 25 then in most cases you can set outlook to use port 587 and circumvent that restriction and use whichever outgoing server that you like.

[Deleted]

I understand that, as the ISP that I work for has the same policy. But if it's simply a case that they have blocked third party SMTP servers over port 25 then in most cases you can set outlook to use port 587 and circumvent that restriction and use whichever outgoing server that you like.

This is true but often problematic. Working as an IT Engineer, we saw the same problem with Eircom in ireland refusing to allow our companies cloud hosting and filtering service SMTP access over 25, or a range of other ports. Again I think the best bet is to contact BT directly and arrange to speak to a 2nd line tech.

[Djinni]

They dont actually "block" the third party service using port blocking, (I think) In any case my machine i've just brought home can still use the 3rd party service becuase its just a "guest" machine... I presume treated like a roaming laptop, for which BT must have determined that the machine is new to the location and haven't blocked me out yet. But after about 10-15 emails I think BT will block my outgoing emails and require me to verify my email account using btyahoo.com/verify

---------- Post added 2012-06-21 at 06:48 PM ----------

Have you tried contacting them?

Yeah :P and they keep sending us new routers which doesn't actually fix the problem.

[Djinni]

Small update.
Rang them again today, guy came on did their usual, changed the password and basically re-initialised the account with the server to get it working again. The guy then explains to me that there is nothing wrong with my client side machines, there is an issue with the server... and that it can only support 3 devices connecting to it at a time otherwise they all get rejected and prompted for a password again. (Leaving out the whole issue of there only being 1 machine even turned on most of the time.)

I couldn't quite believe my ears and if I hadn't heard it for myself I would have said dad was exaggerating again.


Anyone please. A thought?

[Deleted]

HAve you disabled that cloud sharing crap built into BT home hubs?...

It might be that someone else with BT internet is connecting to your router without realising and causing the 3 device limit to be hit.

[Djinni]

I've tried doing this a number of times, but it seems that once your signed up to it there's no way to cancel it.
I still can't wrap my head around how there can possibly be such a low limit from such a large company.