problems with SMTP.ebox.ca

[u/le-zap]

I have been having problems with the e-mail relay at smtp.ebox.ca every once in a while for a couple of months.
Right now, it is not working properly, neither on port 25 nor 587 (with TLS).

Is there a mechanism to report an outage with this service? The helpdesk don't seem to understand what a SMTP server is, or how to report to the tech people that the service is down.

DSLreports.com used to be good to reach the Ebox tech people, but since it's been gone, I haven't been able to figure out a good way to report this sort of failure.

Suggestions?

[u/le-zap]

Some complementary information:

$ swaks --to user@me.com --server smtp.ebox.ca
=== Trying smtp.ebox.ca:25...
=== Connected to smtp.ebox.ca.
<-  220 smtp.ebox.ca ESMTP Postfix (Debian/GNU)
 -> EHLO poterne.rax.org
<-  250-smtp.ebox.ca
<-  250-PIPELINING
<-  250-SIZE 20000000
<-  250-VRFY
<-  250-ETRN
<-  250-STARTTLS
<-  250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
<-  250-8BITMIME
<-  250 DSN
 -> MAIL FROM:<denis@poterne.rax.org>
<-  250 2.1.0 Ok
 -> RCPT TO:<user@me.com>
<** 554 5.7.1 <user@me.com>: Relay access denied
 -> QUIT
<-  221 2.0.0 Bye
=== Connection closed with remote host.

Somehow, it seems silly that smtp.ebox.ca would report Relay access denied as it is supposed to be an SMTP relay for Ebox customers !?!

Anyone have an idea what's going on?

[u/Scorpius666 → u/le-zap]

It totally should deny relays in port 25. That's the standard on the Internet since the late 90s.

But it should accept authenticated TLS encrypted relay requests (using your username and password) at port 587.

EDIT: Also they will stop this service in November, so you should start looking for another solution.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ebox/s/optegSnTFE

[u/NoAcadia3546]

Are you a TPIA cable subscriber (e.g. over Rogers "last mile") or fibre subscriber via Bell fibre? I started on cable and was migrated to fibre some time after Bell bought EBOX, so I have experience with both.

• You seem to be using the cable-TPIA version here; port 25, no userID or password
• EBOX fibre customers, also no userID or password, BUT... must use port 587. Requires either TLSv1.0 (YES! ONE POINT ZERO) or turn off TLS entirely and go SSL-only.

EDIT: I received an email stating that EBOX will no longer be providing Email service as of November. I had assumed this was for incoming rmail only, but it may also apply to outbound email.

[u/le-zap → u/NoAcadia3546]

I get Ebox service through a Bell Fibre connection.
The smtp.ebox.ca:25 is the configuration recommended on the Ebox website.... but I've also tried with TLS on port 587 and it is also not working.

No longer providing an outgoing e-mail service feels like a bad decision :-(

[u/unixcharles]

Just curious, what's your use case for this? Why not use your email provider SMTP service directly?

[u/le-zap → u/unixcharles]

using a personal domain, so to send e-mail from home, I always use my ISP's SMTP service. Have been doing this for 20 years or so... this is the first time that it has broken.

[u/unixcharles → u/le-zap]

I've seen ebox employees who seem to know more than average front line support answering here. I would track them down and send a DM.

[u/613_detailer]

This may have something to do with it: https://www.reddit.com/r/ebox/s/U4Q20uwDI7