zen.spamhaus.org - does it work ?

[driansmith]

I am a complete novice at this, I am here because the server I have (with about 120 accounts on it) suddenly decided it was going to stop a large number of emails coming through to the email accounts and returned them with statements like
"550-"JunkMail rejected - mail-we0-f180.google.com [74.125.82.180]:41398"

My hosting company maintains its because the database at spamhaus suddenly has rejected them because the servers (including a google server???) appeared on its database.

Can this be true?
Sorry for being vague but my profession is marketing, not computer hardware/software.

Thanks for any help.

Regards
Ian

 

[Infopro]

Spammers have gmail accounts too.

That IP is not listed here:
/http://www.spamhaus.org/query/ip/74.125.82.180


You might want to get back in touch with your Hosting Provider on this.

Are you sure this is legit mail?

 

[driansmith]

Thanks Infopro.
I have to ask a really basic question here - so my apologies.
The IP address that is checked. is it the IP address of the computer that is sending the email or the IP address of the email server?

Regards
Ian

 

[Infopro]

The docs should be helpful to you here I think

The Spamhaus Project - Understanding DNSBL Filtering

 

[quietFinn]

Thanks Infopro.
I have to ask a really basic question here - so my apologies.
The IP address that is checked. is it the IP address of the computer that is sending the email or the IP address of the email server?

It can be either.
The mail server checks the IP address connecting to the server, and the connection can be coming from another mail server, or from a workstation.

 

[driansmith]

Infopro - thanks, good diagrams. I think I understand the essence of the system.
quietFinn - My confusion therefore is still over the IP address that might be in the database.
I am sat at my pc. I send an email using a gmail account. Does spamhaus look at the IP address of my computer (workstation??) or at the IP address of the Google server, which might be 3000 miles away?
Or am I confused?

I am referring to The Spamhaus Block List ("SBL") which is a database of IP addresses only?

Regards
Ian

 

[Infopro]

Your sending IP is listed with spamhaus. I just checked for you.

This IP range has been identified by Spamhaus as not meeting our policy for IPs permitted to deliver unauthenticated 'direct-to-mx' email to PBL users.

Important: If you are using any normal email software (such as Outlook, Entourage, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, etc.) and you are being blocked by this Spamhaus PBL listing when you try to send email, the reason is simply that you need to turn on "SMTP Authentication" in your email program settings. For help with SMTP Authentication or ways to quickly fix this problem click here.

HTH!

 

[driansmith]

Thanks Infopro - but that IP address is but one of many causing problems.

Can I ask the question again, to ensure I grasp the principles?

I am sat at my pc. I send an email using a gmail account. Does spamhaus look at the IP address of my computer (workstation??) or at the IP address of the Google server, which might be 3000 miles away?
Or am I confused?
Regards
Ian

 

[SageBrian]

I believe spamhaus just lists IPs that have been reported.
If the IP of your local PC has been shown to have been sending 'bad stuff', then THAT IP may get listed. It doesn't matter whether it was thru gmail, aol, or yahoo.

At least, that is the 'dummy' explanation that I give to myself, and it could be wrong.

 

[driansmith]

At least, that is the 'dummy' explanation that I give to myself, and it could be wrong.

Thanks SageBrian. I'm all for dummy explanations - if you are correct we will call it 'succinct' !!