Email Hosting FAQs: Answers to Common Questions, Part 4

a) Bounced email: “Sender verification failed”

The mail server checks if all incoming sender mail domains are real and have a valid server to prevent spam. If the sender’s server or email address is unavailable, the email is rejected. If the recipient mail server cannot find the MX record for the sender’s mail domain, the verification process fails. The receiving mail server checks if all sender messages are valid and if the sender can receive the email. If the sender is valid, the mail administrator may need to check their DNS settings. For any questions, please contact us online or by phone.

b) Why are messages sent to mailing list members rejected ?

Mail server rejections can occur due to the recipient’s mail server detecting the sender’s IP address as the sender’s, leading to messages being sent to mailing list members. This can happen due to authentication requirements, SPF checks, or other reasons. To avoid rejections, keep mailing list members within the same domain and disable the “Require SMTP authentication” option in MSPControl for mailing lists. For any questions, please contact us online or by phone.

c) Why emails fall into the junk/spam category ?

1. Badly reputable IP address: The sender’s email-sending IP address is deemed unreliable due to a history of spam, potentially from other users on the same server or network.

2. An email contains too many links: Emails with excessive links are likely to be filtered into the spam folder.

3. Spam trigger words: Email content with spam words like “order” and “winner” can trigger a spam filtering mechanism and be detected as spam.

4. Suspicious email attachments: An antivirus application may flag an email as spam if it detects a suspicious attachment in a message.

Users can prevent email filtering by disabling automatic filtering, adding sender addresses to safe sender lists, ensuring a reputable mail server IP, and avoiding spam-inducing words in their email application.

d) Email configuration recommendations

POP3 and IMAP are commonly used email retrieval protocols. POP3 downloads and deletes email content to optimize your mailbox. IMAP synchronizes email across multiple devices, but configuring too many devices with the same account is not recommended. Instead, use a ticketing system for multiple users accessing the same email account. The ticketing system allows for better management of user inquiries and a clear display of all email responses.

e)  IP addresses blocked by Autoban

Autoban is a Windows-based mail server security feature that blocks IP addresses that perform brute-force login attempts, preventing hackers from accessing email users’ passwords. Blocking an IP address can cause issues for all email users connected to the same network.

Automatic bans can block legitimate email users for various reasons, including:

• Invalid username: The email software or mobile device is not configured with the correct username.
• Invalid password: The device is configured with an incorrect or expired email password.

To avoid an automatic ban, you can take the following actions:

• Make sure you have the correct username configured in the email software or mobile device you are using. The username should always be your full email address.
• Ensure that all devices have the correct passwords configured, and check if the current password is valid by logging into your webmail.

If you suspect you’ve been automatically banned, you can check and unblock by following the provided link. If your IP address appears red, it indicates a server block.