Let down bt Plusnet again

[#1]

I run a personal email server, and have done for years. However recently someone at Plusnet has been adding blocks of IP addresses to DNSBL lists without doing any checks first. On two occasions in the last couple of months I've has my outward mail bounced because of this. The first occasion was fairly easy to rectify directly with Spamhaus, however the latest incident has highlighted to me how inept the Plusnet support is.  

On checking my IP address on SORBS i see the following...

Newest NoServers listings for: 80.229.###.### (Limited to a maximum of 30)
Current status of 80.229.###.### is Listed
Seen/Created Time	Host/Netblock	Short Description/Identifier	Select
18:10:46 12 Aug 2019 GMT-04	80.229.152.0/22	551506136-1048576 [Added via Net Manager...
14:25:47 06 Aug 2019 GMT-04	80.229.0.0/16	551067794-1048576 [Added via Net Manager...
Note: Newer listings will override older ones, if you see red listings at the top you are listed, regardless of any green listings below.
You have immutable entries, changing an immutable entry is not possible via this interface. An administrator of your ISP is needed to change the entry (even SORBS staff cannot help!)

SORBS inform me that this data was added by the someone at Plusnet and must be removed by them.  Plusnet 'Support' have been useless.   The first chap I spoke to told me that my email server had definitely been hacked and that is why I was on the list.  I pointed out that this was not a spam/hacked list but an ISP generated block of 1024 IP addresses that have been blocked.  Then I asked him for evidence of the hack, he refused to elaborate. I pointed out that none of my server or firewall logs showed any unsolicited logins or unexpected traffic.  He then admitted he unable to help but would raise a ticket.

This led to a further few days wait with no email, Only to be told that 'we cannot remove immutable blocks'.

So either SORBS are lying to me or Plusnet is. 

[#2]

Hi @frogfoot 

I've been in touch with our INFOPS support team who provided the reply on your account. 

I've again been told that we are unable to remove the blocks from our side, and suggest that you use us as a smart host as this is proven to prevent the blocks occurring. 

I'm sorry I've been unable to provide further assistance or information than that you already received in the ticket reply. 

Kind Regards, 

MoR
 
 

[#3]

Moderator's note by Dick (Strat) Duplicate post removed.

[#4]

Do you have a static IP address? The blocks you mentioned appear to be listed as dynamic, and many blacklists block those by default as they assume that legitimate traffic will use the ISP's smart host.

Even with a static IP, you may also need  reverse-DNS and SPF records set up for it to avoid blacklists.

[#5]

Yes, I do have a static IP,  reverse DNS ptr record is set to correctly point back to my domains mail server,  MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC DNS entries are all correct,  The email server has been working fine for years, however due to Plusnet recently adding my fixed IP to a list of dynamic IP's It is now broken.  SORBS have told me yet again that  Plusnet are the only ones who can remove my IP from the blocklist, they cannot do it.  Plusnet tell me they can't, so who to believe.  It doesn't matter anymore as I'm in the process of migrating to a provider with a reputation for being a bit more helpful.

[#6]

Good luck with the new ISP. I have run my own mail server for years too, but I haven't had a problem with Plusnet's static IP being wrongly listed. I do however have a L2TP connection to another ISP which gives me static IPv4 and IPV6 addresses, so I have a backup route via 4G.

With Plusnet is it a case of you get what you pay for. They are a budget priced ISP, and have product features accordingly.