Comcast & Port 587

[Jabbo]

Well after several years of using port 25 for Comcast email my laptop
suddenly stopped sending out mail. After a little tinkering I realized
that if I used port 587 for outgoing mail all is well. Thank God I'm a
computer novice or otherwise this could have taken days to figure out
because there was no warning about this.

My question is why did this occur on just my laptop and not my PC?
They both are on the same router and I'm pretty diligent with keeping
Windows updated, spyware sweeps, virus definitions, etc. What controls
this process of disabling port 25 for outgoing mail? I would doubt if
Comcast could even see or reach my laptop. You'd think that such a
change would be widespread or at the least force me to use port 587 on
both of my computers. I should point out that one pc uses Vista while
the other is running XP.

 

[Dave]

The ports in question are on the Comcast email server, not on your PC.
You can still use port 25 on the computer at home, because it is presumably
connected to Comcast's network.
Your laptop is a portable device, and can connect to other non-Comcast
networks (wireless I presume).
If your laptop is connected to another network, Comcast won't permit your
computer to access the email servers using port 25. You must use port 587
and you must prove to Comcast that you are a valid customer via
authentication.
If you are using your laptop at home, and cannot use port 25, then you
better check your network, because you are possibly connected to a
neighbor's network.

 

[Jabbo]

The ports in question are on the Comcast email server, not on your PC.
You can still use port 25 on the computer at home, because it is presumably
connected to Comcast's network.
Your laptop is a portable device, and can connect to other non-Comcast
networks (wireless I presume).
If your laptop is connected to another network, Comcast won't permit your
computer to access the email servers using port 25. You must use port 587
and you must prove to Comcast that you are a valid customer via
authentication.
If you are using your laptop at home, and cannot use port 25, then you
better check your network, because you are possibly connected to a
neighbor's network.

Thanks Dave. I am using my laptop at home via the same network and
router as my PC which is why I wondered how the heck could the PC
still be using port 25 for email when I can't via the laptop.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

I have no idea why the switch to port 587 was required on your
laptop but not on your desktop. We know Comcast has been phasing
this change in, but they have no way of distinguishing between two
computers that are on the same Internet connection. Does the
laptop check a different Comcast mail account?

 

[Jabbo]

I have no idea why the switch to port 587 was required on your
laptop but not on your desktop. We know Comcast has been phasing
this change in, but they have no way of distinguishing between two
computers that are on the same Internet connection. Does the
laptop check a different Comcast mail account?

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)






- Show quoted text -

Gary you may be onto something there. I only use the laptop for my
email while my wife and daughter use the pc (all comcast accounts).
I'll have to test this and get back to you.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Yes, I think Comcast is phasing this in by mail account.
It is the only logical explanation.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

I have no idea why the switch to port 587 was required on your
laptop but not on your desktop. We know Comcast has been phasing
this change in, but they have no way of distinguishing between two
computers that are on the same Internet connection. Does the
laptop check a different Comcast mail account?

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)






- Show quoted text -

Gary you may be onto something there. I only use the laptop for my
email while my wife and daughter use the pc (all comcast accounts).
I'll have to test this and get back to you.

 

[Jabbo]

Yes, I think Comcast is phasing this in by mail account.
It is the only logical explanation.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)





Gary you may be onto something there. I only use the laptop for my
email while my wife and daughter use the pc (all comcast accounts).
I'll have to test this and get back to you.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well I've tested my account on the pc and I can send just fine using
port 25. Curiosity is getting the better of me here.

 

[Gary VanderMolen]

Well, I give up trying to make sense of it.
Accept it for what it is.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)

Yes, I think Comcast is phasing this in by mail account.
It is the only logical explanation.

--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)





Gary you may be onto something there. I only use the laptop for my
email while my wife and daughter use the pc (all comcast accounts).
I'll have to test this and get back to you.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Well I've tested my account on the pc and I can send just fine using
port 25. Curiosity is getting the better of me here.