topic Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working in Email

My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:35:29 GMT

As of around 3pm today any emails sent to me at my domain are no longer received. A test email to me @ mydomain gets

550 Plusnet: REJECTED: Relay not permitted

originally plusnet hosted my domain, then they stopped so I had to arrange an alternative

For 10 or more years, until 3pm, today plusnet received emails sent to my domain

Now Plusnet no longer associate my domain with my plusnet account, so any emails are rejected once they get to plusnet

I have telephoned support, but the support agent says they cannot help (had a long conversation but as domains are a sort of legacy item the telephone support have no knowledge base to assist).

A complete disaster for me as all my emails come via my domain name

Mike

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

MisterW — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 18:44:34 GMT

originally plusnet hosted my domain, then they stopped so I had to arrange an alternative

if your domain is hosted elsewhere, then that's where your email will be going. Were you then forwarding it to your Plusnet email ?

If you put your domain into mxtoolbox https://mxtoolbox.com/ what does it say the Mx records are set to ?

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

Townman — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:26:00 GMT

550 Plusnet: REJECTED: Relay not permitted

Sounds like an off network attempt to connect to Plusnet’s SMTP server without authentication credentials.

Which email brand (there’s lots of them under the Plusnet banner).

Are you on a Plusnet broadband connection ?

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:18:31 GMT

The MX record points to plusnet.

Plusnet have been receiving the emails and feeding them into our mailboxes for the last 10 or more years. This does require a record at plusnet that they will accept emails for our domain. If that record is deleted, then they will not accept the emails, and as the server will be set to refuse to act as a relay, thus the sender gets the error message. What I need is someone at Plusnet to re-establish the fact that they will receive emails for my domain.

Back in the good old days it was simple, plusnet acted as the registrar for the DNS records, then two years ago I had to move the DNS over to another registrar as Plusnet no longer offered that service. Plusnet remained as the email service provider, and was good for the last two years, until today

Thanks

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 22:25:25 GMT

Yes on plusnet broadband. Authentication is good, I can send emails to the native plusnet email account, (name @ account.plus.com

It is simple, the plusnet needs a record to state that it is able to accept emails that are addressed to our domain

That record existed until 3pm today

Now it doesn't, so the plusnet server doesn;t accept the email, and will not relay it, so sends an error message back to the sender

Thanks

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:20:29 GMT

I was promised a phone call from a manager - that hasn't happened. Seems that Plusnet have no intent to support customers with regard to what are now regarded as legacy products.

Last year we moved house, Plusnet made an error and turned off our internet and phone one month before we moved, and refused to reconnect, explaining that they can no longer supply phone service, so they couldn't fix their error. Earlier last year they messed up when I wanted to move my domain registrar from plusnet to another provider. Now they have screwed up my email, and again have no intent of providing customer support, my only route is to find another email provider. After 9 years with plusnet it is now time to find another provider for my internet connection.

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

bobpullen — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 21:30:13 GMT

What are the name servers set to for your domain?

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:16:12 GMT

My domain was originally provided free by Plusnet

I moved it out to Google (now with Squarespace) 2 years ago as the user interface to administer the domain was not fit for purpose and I needed to set SPF and DMARC

The MX record pointed to 10 mx.core.plus.net

All working with the new DNS registrar for last 2 years

As stated, the mail server at Plusnet must be authorised to accept mail for my domain, otherwise it will relay it, or reject it

One further clue to the problem, I had a few mail clients that used a user name mike@mydomain.co.uk, at the point when the problem occurred these clients lost access to the mail server with incorrect authentication. The clients using mike@myaccountname.plus.com continued to access the mail server

So it is very clear that my domain name had been dropped from my account (either a clean up exercise by an admin, as I no longer held the registration via Plusnet, or?)

All history now, yesterday I set up an account with hostinger, email all working, and I am free to move internet provider without any concern about Plusnet and emails.

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 08:29:21 GMT

Forgot to add - name servers - set to the google name servers

ns-cloud-b1.googledomains.com

ns-cloud-b2.googledomains.com

ns-cloud-b3.googledomains.com

ns-cloud-b4.googledomains.com

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

bobpullen — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:16:23 GMT

In which case, it sounds like you've been inadvertently benefiting from an unsupported setup 😕

Historically, Plusnet have allowed mail hosting for third party domains where: -

1. The domain registrar is Plusnet
2. The domain registrar is not Plusnet, however the authoritative name servers for the domain are pointed to Plusnet, and Plusnet look after DNS records for the domain.

What has never been officially supported is what you are doing i.e. hosting DNS outside of Plusnet and pointing the MX records back to the Plusnet mail servers.

What should have happened (and seemingly didn't) is that the zone records for your domain should have been removed when you transferred the domain away. I'm guessing they weren't, which is what has allowed for the continuation of service.

I wonder if somebody has been doing some tidying up of the data recently 🤔

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

Townman — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:48:35 GMT

@bobpullen - take a look in the SU discussions.

Re: My domain name associated with my account - no longer working

mikejohnsmith — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 17:20:11 GMT

When I moved the domain registration there was no advice provided with regard to support of third party hosted domains. Also no advice that someone had 'cleaned up' and deleted the reference to my domain.

Nine years ago the company was much different to today, and no advice was provided regarding potential issues if I moved the domain registration away.

Also the support desk isn't provided with the information regarding support (or lack of) for domains where the DNS is hosted outside of Plusnet.

Thanks for you answer

Mike