port 25 or 587 for mail

Question

port 25 or 587 for mail

My MACs had been set to use port 25 for mail. On a recent trip the MacBook wouldn't send email on port 25 and "help" suggested trying port 587. Port 587 worked fine in that hotel. I'm back home and wonder if I should go back to 25, or just leave it on 587? In lay terms, is there and benefit in one over the other?

Craig

iMac G5 20" 1.8gig BT, MacBook, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Oct 8, 2007 2:07 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 8, 2007 2:24 PM in response to Craig Michelson

Whichever works. There is a suggestion (proposed standard) that would reserve 25 for SMTP between mail servers and 585 for delivery to mail servers, so if your mail server will accept delivery on 585 use that.

AK

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Answer 2

b3av1s

Level 4

1,010 points

Oct 8, 2007 2:37 PM in response to Craig Michelson

Craig,

I would leave it on port 587 if it works there. Port 587 has optional encryption support and port 25 is heavily used by spammers.

It's possible that the hotel you were in blocked port 25.

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Answer 3

Oct 8, 2007 6:09 PM in response to b3av1s

OK, so no need to go back to port 25. I just added "AnchorFree's Hotspot Shield" VPN and it seems to require port 587, so I'll stay with 587.

Craig

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Answer 4

lenn5

Level 4

2,537 points

Oct 14, 2007 6:35 PM in response to Austin Kinsella1

After reading an article about public wi-fi hotspots i tried the free app that MacWorld suggested to secure my PB when accessing open wi-fi hotspots. It's called Hotspot Shield. When you launch the app it immediately launches Safari and goes to the Hotspot Shield web page where you can click on a button to turn it on. My question is, does this app just created a secure VPN for your browser or does it secure your entire PB like Apple Mail and everything else that goes over the wireless hotspot?

thx

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Answer 5

Oct 15, 2007 3:57 AM in response to lenn5

As I understand it it sets up a secure tunnel between your browser and Anchor Free's server, so any traffic from and to the browser is encrypted, and hence safe from sniffers in the listening range of the wifi hub you are accessing. If you use other applications (Mail!) their traffic will not be encrypted.

But I am just going on a quick browse through few web pages - I have not tried it, nor read its documentation.

AK

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Answer 6

Oct 15, 2007 4:10 AM in response to Craig Michelson

If you've thought about encrypting your email, why not use SSL?

All you have to do is set Tx to port 465 and Rx to port 995. I'm surprised no one else knew this.

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Answer 7

Oct 15, 2007 7:21 AM in response to Quantumstate

It depends on the mail server you are delivering to/retrieving from. If they are not supporting SSL, and on those ports, connection attempts to those ports will fail.

AK

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Answer 8

lenn5

Level 4

2,537 points

Oct 15, 2007 9:50 AM in response to Quantumstate

Unfortunately Time Warner's Road Runner broadband doesn't support SSL. Hard to believe one of the nations largest providers lacks this feature.

lenn

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Answer 9

lenn5

Level 4

2,537 points

Oct 16, 2007 5:53 PM in response to Craig Michelson

According to the Hotspot Shield web page the free Hotspot Shield product creates a VPN for all your internet traffic, not just your web browser. Easy to use and no monthly fees. Can't beat that!

This is what they posted on their web page:
*Auto encrypts and protects inbound/outbound Internet traffic (email, IM, VoIP, browsing, etc).*

lenn

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