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Overcoming MAPS Reverse-Lookup Oppression?
ArghBlarg asks: "Imagine the following scenario: you're the volunteer admin for a small, non-profit site for a few local artists and musicians. You run your web site and SMTP server out of your laundry room, via cable broadband. The broadband provider doesn't mind, as you only get a few hits a day; you keep your system secure and were only rooted once, over 4 years ago (hey, it happens). Your site has never, ever (to your knowledge) relayed spam. On the whole you've been an exemplary netizen. One day, some email you send bounces because your ISP's entire netblock has been placed on the MAPS DUL. True, your server's IP isn't technically static (though it hasn't changed in 12 months); because your domain is embedded within the broadband provider's larger IP block, reverse lookups don't give your domain name, rather that of the provider (with a huge number prefixed as the hostname). Hence you're considered a rogue SMTP node and blocked by MAPS. I've emailed MAPS but they won't agree to whitelist me. I have a proper MX record for my SMTP server, under my domain name. What can I do? Is there any way to make my legitimate domain take precedence in reverse-lookups, so I don't show up as being part of a spam-friendly network?"
"Please don't bother suggesting that I ask my provider to give me a static IP outside the affected block -- they won't, not without upgrading to a MUCH more expensive package which gives me no benefit for a small-traffic server like this.
What have you done to get your domain, running on a pseudo-static IP, out from under the thumb of the spam block lists? While I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the MAPS people and others like them to stamp out the vermin that are spammers, our domain has become collateral damage in the war!"
What have you done to get your domain, running on a pseudo-static IP, out from under the thumb of the spam block lists? While I wholeheartedly support the efforts of the MAPS people and others like them to stamp out the vermin that are spammers, our domain has become collateral damage in the war!"
Why not run email and webhosting separately? Email could always be run through a provider (Flames Burn seems to be focusing on helping independent musicians). Yes, you're small and non-profit but I'm sure your time could be better used than dealing with hassles like these. Pay for the hosting, then spend your time on other stuff for this organization. From the looks of it, and the needs you have, this may be a simpler solution. Of course, I'm not supremely technically versed, and it sort of goes against the hacker mentality leaving this problem unsolved...
That's my EUR 0.016414 anyways.
Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.
Please don't bother suggesting that I ask my provider to give me a static IP outside the affected block -- they won't, not without upgrading to a MUCH more expensive package which gives me no benefit for a small-traffic server like this.
Then you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. You are using a residential class line for business class use. MAPS is right to block residential lines because of all the zombie relay servers that virus writers are including in their payloads now.
Either pay for a business class connection, or use the SMTP server your provider gives you.
It's not the "open internet" that you'd like to see. Live within the limitations this simple, dumb network provides.
Besides, do you honestly expect MAPS to whitelist a dynamic IP? MAPS is not the problem, PEBKAC.
-Adam
I had to waste alot of time with ORBS because my company's upstream provider had a larger netblock that we were a part of blacklisted. The people I emailed were quite obnoxious and rude, despite the fact that our servers were secure and never relayed a thing.
And for what? I still see a ton of spam, despite the fact that my ISP uses MAPS.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and enemy of growth. -JFK
Go sign up for an account with one of the inexpensive web hosts out there. For a few dollars per month you can point your web site's MX record thataway and run your email through their SMTP.
... that only large businesses should be allowed to run mail servers that can send e-mail.
Glad to see so many people here who are interested in maintaining a free system.
-Rusty
You never know...
Absolutely NOBODY is preventing this guy from running whatever server he wants to.
Some people are, however, exercising their own rights to refuse to accept communications from him, for a reason that may or may not be reasonable, valid, or useful.
Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
But then how the hell are hobbyists supposed to survive next to large commercial entities?
The MAPS DUL is a list of IP's that are not supposed to be running mail servers, usually according to the people who actually own those IP addresses. Most dynamic IP's should be on it, as would any static IP's whose owners (the ISP who gives you your IP) told MAPS that yes, they are not supposed to run servers.
Don't like it? Exercise your free market rights and buy your service from somebody else.
In this life, if you want a thing, you pay for that thing. TANSTAAFL. There are providers who'll gladly sell you service and let you run mail servers all you like. And those won't be listed on the MAPS DUL because the ISP is who confirms which of their netblocks should go on the DUL.
If you're running a mailserver on a connection that you have a contract that says you cannot do that, then I don't see that you have cause for bitching here.
Oh, wait. I forgot. The Internet died a long time ago.
The Internet did not die. It just ceased to be the sole domain of hobbyists and tinkerers and a bunch of bastards (spammers/scammers/other people in general) moved in. This is the expected reaction to those bastards.
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
What exactly constitutes a "full on mail hub" and someone "pretending to be a full on mail hub", and who are you to make that distinction?
A full on mail hub is somebody running a mail server on a connection where they are contractually allowed to run a mail server on that connection.
Nobody gets onto the MAPS DUL (dial up list) that easily. You have to be a netblock that has dynamic IP's (meaning that you can't receive mail anyway, as your IP could change) or has static IP's but has had your ISP confirm to MAPS that yes, your block is not allowed to run a mail server.
You pay for what you get. If you pay for a service that says "no mail servers" and then go an run a mail server, well, you get your ass blocked. You're operating outside your contract already, you're got no real right to bitch about this one.
Want to run a mail server? Buy your connection from someone that allows you to do so.
The internet ain't free, bub. You pay for your connection. In many cases, you can pay less if you use that connection for less. This is standard market economics at work. Most people don't use their connections for everything they can squeeze out of them, and so they get a bargain from their supplier. By trying to get that bargain while exceeding those limitations (in this case, not running a mail server is likely *explicitly* stated in your contract with the ISP), you're essentially being a jackass.
- Give a man a fire and he's warm for a day, but set him on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.