[RESOLVED] My Winsock method vs Outlook Express

[jmsrickland]

I created a very simple Winsock app that uses SMTP protocol commands to send an email to my Yahoo email account. No problem whatsoever. I get the email in my Yahoo email inbox.

Now, if I use Outlook Express to send an email to my Yahoo inbox it wont work. Outlook Express returns an error message like this:

The connection to the server has failed. Protocol: SMTP. Port 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

How can that be? If a very simple Winsock app can do it then why can't a sophisticated app like OE do it? It doesn't make any sense.

There are no usernames or passwords involved. Also, my Winsock app sends the SMTP to my regular email server to be sent on to my Yahoo email and so should OE but OE can't get it done. I don't even see where OE is even trying to connect to the Yahoo email server.

I ran a packet sniffer on my Winsock app and I can see the SMTP stuff going both ways (sent and received) but when I run the packet sniffer using OE I don't see anything; no SMTP data is being sent or received

How do most people send email to [email protected]? What do they use? For some reason OE just can't do it.

Is there something I need to do to OE, like configure it or something to allow email to Yahoo?

[dilettante]

... Also, my Winsock app sends the SMTP to my regular email server to be sent on to my Yahoo email...

What do you mean by "my regular email server" though?

Remember, most commercial email services are not dumb enough to allow themselves to be used as open relays. They only accept mail that appears to have come through the SMTP network.

You are not supposed to try to connect directly to a destination email server under normal circumstances. Email is more complicated than people think: there are may types of servers involved, and SMTP is merely a transfer protocol. Most of the code samples running around loose for "SMTP via Winsock" are crap, with any number of warts and limitations.

OE will work fine if properly configured with your email account information. Free Yahoo accounts do not offer SMTP/POP3 access.

[jmsrickland]

What do you mean by "my regular email server" though?

I thought everyone has a regular email server

All the email I get comes from my regular email server and all the email I send goes to my regular email server. How else?

How do you send email if you don't have a regular email server? (I don't mean going to some email account you may have like yahoo or something else like that). To send email don't you need a server to do this?

[jmsrickland]

Remember, most commercial email services are not dumb enough to allow themselves to be used as open relays. They only accept mail that appears to have come through the SMTP network.

Well, that's what I'm doing

[jmsrickland]

You are not supposed to try to connect directly to a destination email server under normal circumstances.

Why not? I do it all the time. I do it when I use Outlook Express and I do it whrn I use my own Winsock application.

If by destination you mean the final stopping point then I do not do that. I didn't even know you can do that. When I use OE or my own the SMTP is first sent to Verizon and they send it onward. Isn't that how it works for all who use a email client on their PC?

[jmsrickland]

Free Yahoo accounts do not offer SMTP/POP3 access.

Maybe not but all I know is that when I use my Winsock app it sends SMTP out. Now maybe when this gets to Verizon they chanage it to something else but in any case the email gets there

[dilettante]

Ok, you mean your ISP's email server.

To use OE you should set up your account profile with your Verizon info. Then when it sends a message to a Yahoo address, the message goes to Verizon, who relays it to the mail network, which relays it to Yahoo.

When you use your Winsock code you are supposed to do this the same way. You are not supposed to send email directly to the recipient's mail server, and most are supposed to reject any such attempt.

SMTP was originally only meant to be used by mail servers to relay mail to each other. Only later was it also used to connect offline clients (MUAs) to their "post office" (MTA). How email works (MTA, MDA, MUA) gives a very simplified overview.

What you are doing isn't kosher. When it works you're just lucky. Mail server operators don't like it because it eats more server resources and is subject to abuse.

[westconn1]

i have no problem sending emails to yahoo addresses, from outlook express with no special settings, through my isp mail server

[jmsrickland]

To use OE you should set up your account profile with your Verizon info. Then when it sends a message to a Yahoo address, the message goes to Verizon, who relays it to the mail network, which relays it to Yahoo.

That was done a long time ago. Nothing has changed. I already know that the message goes from OE to Verizon to the final destination. I stated that in posts 1 and 5


When you use your Winsock code you are supposed to do this the same way.

I am. I already stated that


You are not supposed to send email directly to the recipient's mail server, and most are supposed to reject any such attempt.[/B]

I'm not. I already stated that


What you are doing isn't kosher.

You are not reading what I am saying


So far, you have only offered your advice on what and what not to do but have offered no help in my problem.

[jmsrickland]

i have no problem sending emails to yahoo addresses, from outlook express with no special settings, through my isp mail server

Me neither until just yesterday. Now I find out I can't send email to anywhere. I know it's not Verizon because OE works just fine on my other computer but not this one.

[dilettante]

About the only thing left might be that you haven't told OE to send the mail yet. There are menu selections to do this or you can sync on startup.

Your outgoing messages should be visible in the Outbox of OE.

But it is clear you need PC help, there is no VB6 question here.

[jmsrickland]

About the only thing left might be that you haven't told OE to send the mail yet.

If that were the case then I would not have received the error message I got. However, when I type a message and press Send I pretty much think that is telling OE to send the mail.


Your outgoing messages should be visible in the Outbox of OE.

Yes, it is still there because OE cant send it out.

When I started this thread I didn't know I had problems sending all mail; just to yahoo. But in the last few minutes I found out I couldn't send any mail to anywhere. I can receive mail but not send it through OE.

It is probably a computer problem.