University network blocks mail.app

A local university that I once attended would let you receive mail via imap/SSL, but you had to port forward an smtp port through ssh when you were off campus in order to send mail through them, e.g. ssh ‑L25252:universityMailServerName:25 user@universitySSHserverName. Then in Mail's preferences, select smtp server localhost port 25252 and imap or pop server universityMailServerName with SSL and port 993 (imapS) or 995 (popS). The smtp port 25252 could be anything as long as it matched in the ssh command and Mail's prefs. Perhaps you could try that instead of declaring a proxy port.

Hello,

You are in a catch 22 -- the SOCKS Proxy is a setting that is known to prevent receipt of emails via Mail. It is one thing that is checked when not receiving mail.

Ernie



Message was edited by: Ernie Stamper

Not sure if I can help, as it seems the path would be to find a way to connect to the school's network normally. What were you told as to why you had to use this method of connecting?

Ernie

Universities are hot targets for internal and external attackers, so don't be surprised if the firewall rules are rigid. It's unlikely that they'd be blocking IMAP or POP and more likely that they're blocking IPs or domains. You could check if your mail server is blacklisted. What about other students, do they have the same problem?

Also, are you using your personal laptop? Universities tend to be separated into several networks. If you connect from a different university network does it work? It may just be the admin on the current network you're on that's blacklisting or preventing incoming mail.

that's why I was suggesting you do away with the socks proxy (no ‑D in my example login command) and try it the tunneled port way instead.

Folks,
I just wanted to chime in and say THANK YOU to Ernie! I work for a very large company in the Middle East with a VERY, very robust firewall. Suddenly last Fall my Mail program stopped working on my G5 and MacBook Pro, but was OK with my iPod Touch and my laptop worked anytime I was outside of the firewall. I even pinged the ports to make sure they weren't blocked (using Terminal). Since September, 2008 until today, I could not solve the issue. Then I read this thread, saw the comment about the SOCKS Proxy. I "unticked" the SOCKS proxy box and like MAGIC, Mail is working perfectly again.

Our IT group certainly blocks a myriad of URL's, but my experience backs up the previous comment about leaving the email ports open.

Good luck..and thanks again!
Bob

As I asked before, are any of your classmates having the same problems as you? Did you ask the university if this is normal?

There's a balance between security and convenience. You want to use the network because it's more secure, but you're upset that their firewall blocks everything (hence why it's more secure). Ask them if this is their policy, and if it is, then there's nothing you can do about it.