[2005] ASPX Sending Email [Doesnt sent to Hotmail] ??

[some1uk03]

Hello,

I just did an .aspx site which consists of just 1 textbox and a button.

It sends an email. The whole thing is working except it doesnt for some reason deliver emails to Hotmail accounts!!

It works with yahoo, gmail but not hotmail...

Any reason for this?

[gep13]

Hello,

I am experiencing the same issue as yourself!

Are you sending the mail through your own mail server, or are you using your ISP/domain host?

The research that I have done so far seems to suggest a couple of reasons why the mail is getting blocked.

1. Lack of a PTR (or reverse look up for your domain)
2. Lack of an SPF Record. Seemingly Hotmail started blocked mail that did not have a valid SPF Record sometime in 2004.
3. If you are using your own mail server, then it is announcing itself with the wrong domain, and hotmails mail server are blocking based on that.

You may want to try dnsreport to see if that highlights any errors with your set up. Just type your domain name in the first box.

I know I have a couple of errors from this report, which i am working on correcting.

I will let you know if I find anything, and if you find something, i would appreciate if you could let me know!

Thanks

Gary

[some1uk03]

Thanx for the reply there. The mail sent is from my mail server.

I did the test, but nothing wrong. All seems OK.

However, something just came to my head.

In another project of mine, i used the same code to send an email without any problems and used the following email.

info@mysite.com

So i think this is either due to hotmail blocking or thinking the email is spam maybe, because my email is from:

noreply@mysite.com

I think hotmail doesnt like the noreply name.

[gep13]

Hello again,

I am not sure if that would cause it or not. I have tried to send email to hotmail using various different accounts from my mailserver, and none of them seem to get through.

The mail seems to send ok, with no error messages, but it just never reaches there.

Can you verify that mail from [email protected] reaches hotmail?

Would it be possible for you to post the sending code you are using to see how it differs from mine?

Thanks!

Gary

[some1uk03]

Hi there,

Just did a test with the [email protected] and NO. that doesnt go through to hotmail either!!

It must be something with hotmail since other email sites have no problems..

Google and Yahoo are fine.

[gep13]

That is what i thought.

It would appear that Hotmail have implemented a more stringent mail filter than other's.

In the report that was generated from DNSReports, you said that you had no errors. Can you confirm that this is the case? I currently have a error with regard to lack of SPF Record, and that is what I am currently looking into, but my current Domain Host does not allow the addition of an SPF Record, and I am going to move to another Domain host that does, but if you are saying that you don't have any errors, and it still doesn't work, then maybe it is not worth me moving!

Thanks

[some1uk03]

Using the Mail Test.. i get:

[Successful connect: Got a good response [250 Ok]] (took 0.797 seconds)

and the DNS Report all good except 1 red..stating:

Missing (stealth) nameservers

and also a few yellows:

including.. the SPF record is in yellow too.

What is SPF anyway. It says hotmail implemented this in 2004.

[gep13]

Hello,

From what I understand, an SPF Record, or Sender Poilcy Framework, is a method by which you can clearly define everything about your mail server, as a method to prevent mail forgery. Receiving Mail Servers can then interogate this record and check to make sure that the mail is coming from where it should be.

It is implemented as a TXT Record in your DNS Zone File. You can find out more information about it here.

It is sort of good that you are getting that message as well, means me might be on the right lines!!

[some1uk03]

yea im just reading their FAQ.

What is the price for using the spf service?

First of all, spf is not a service. It is a specification of how domain owners can publish their policy regarding the use of their domains in email traffic and a specification of how receiving mail servers should interpret this policy. It is an open standard, and thus free to use for everyone. Publishing spf records is done in your own DNS by you or your ISP or IT department. Checking for spf records on incoming mail is available as a free add-on for most main-stream mail servers like sendmail, postfix and others (with the exception of most proprietary mail servers). Many proprietary servers support SPF or have add-ons that are available. Contact your vendor for more information. See the Implementations page for more details.

Seems like we just have to contact our webhost and tell them to look in this SPF Record stuff..

The thing is if i use our own mail system provided by the webhost, then the message gets sent.

Only when sent through VB ASPX is when all this hold up happens!

And im starting to get the picture why. This whoe SPF thing checks the IP which the mail is supposed to come from depending on your DNS settings.

And since we are using VB i beliave it thinks the mail is not from the actual webhost!!

Im gona email my webhost and ask now.

[gep13]

Hello,

I am not sure that what you have said is quite right.

When you send the mail through VB, to your mail server, you are using your Mail Server to relay the message, in the same way that your webhost would relay the message using their mail server.

The difference, is that when you use your mail server, Hotmail is looking to your IP Address for an SPF record, rather than you webhost (which more than likely has an SPF Record).

What you need to do, if you have access to your DNS Zone file, is to add a TXT Record, you can create the record using this wizard.

Can you let me know if this resolves the issue? As i said, i am in the process of moving my domains to a new domain host so I can get more control over my DNS Records

[some1uk03]

I dont think i have access to my DNS Zone. I just sent out an email to my webhost and waiting for reply. Ill wait till tomorrow for their reply.

[gep13]

Nice one! Well, i am away to go to bed, getting a bit late.

I will keep you posted with any developments.

Thanks for your help.

[gep13]

Hello again,

I have just added an SPF Record to my DNS Zone file, and the emails are still not going through!! The only thing that I have got left to try is to make my mail server announce itself as the same address in my PTR (Reverse look up). At the minute, my mail server announces itself as walkingtheworld.co.uk and my PTR Record is mail.walkingtheworld.co.uk.

The only problem with this is that mail sent through a POP Connection in Outlook, through the same mail server to Hotmail gets there fine, it is only when i try and do it through code that it doesn't work. So i am concerned that there is something in the code that is missing, i.e. a mail header, that is stopping it from getting through, but I honestly have got no idea what this could be??!?!

Any idea??

Thanks

Gary

[some1uk03]

Hello,

Im still waiting for an answer from my webhost.

As far as what you are saying.. I have no idea.

But actually it can be something to do with the Header!

[gep13]

Hello

I am not going to have a chance to look at this tonight, but I will!

What I am going to do is compare the mail headers for a message from my Outlook Account, and one from a mail generated from my code and see if there is any glaring differences. If that does not shed any light on this then I don't know where else to look!!

I don't know if anyone else can help?

Thanks

Gary

[some1uk03]

Hello,

Long time since last responded, but anyway here is the update:

Having made contact with my webhost, they actually said that its a problem with Hotmail, because they seem to have blocked mails coming from my webhost. So cant really do much!

They said they are in contact with Hotmail stuff to resolve this issue.

[Troy Mac]

You are correct it is HotMail you need to use a registered mail SMTP server... I had to change to use my PSP comcast in order for people using Myway or hotmail to get the emails. I investigated this months ago and this is what I found out...

[gep13]

Troy Mac, can you maybe elaborate a little more on what it is that you need to do to get this working?

Thanks!!

[Troy Mac]

Not sure why I never got notified about your question gep13 but what I did is in my code i put smtpserver = mycomcast smtp mail i.e.(mail.comcast.net) or what ever you use for your ISP mail