Plusnet SMTP & Gmail

[#1]

Quote from: rjc54n

Quote Wrong! Email is free - there is no reduction in the charges if you opt to not use Plusnet's email system Hmmm, I suspect if I stopped paying my subscription then my ability to use Plusnet's email facility might cease?

Wrong again!
You can ask for you account to be downgraded to a dialup PAYG which will give you continued use of your Plusnet mailboxes for as long as you continue to use them.

[#2]

What did Google say when you asked them why you couldn't use a mail server without TLS or SSL?

[#3]

Google's position seems to be that they insist on either an SSL or TLS encrypted connection for security reasons.  I can see how that can be defensible for reasons of brand protection, deliverability, anti-spam etc. (see other posts in this thread)  Personally I'd prefer the choice!
It seems that we're stuck as Gmail insist on TLS or SSL authentication with 3rd party relays whereas Plusnet choose not to support those protocols at this time (whilst offering authenticated relay without encryption).  C'est la vie I guess.
Unless some genius has discovered a work around or solution (hence the post here) my only option is probably subscribing to a 3rd party relay SMTP service.
(Hmmm, unless my domain host has an SMTP relay......) [EDIT Doh! my domain host has a relay but doesn't support TLS either!]

[#4]

Have a look here. We did have TLS enabled for a short while but as the SSL cert is self-signed at the mo we turned it off in anticipation of the problems it was likely to present. I'd like to think that SSL/TLS will be fully supported before too long...

[#5]

Quote from: Bob

I'd like to think that SSL/TLS will be fully supported before too long...

Is that PN code for "it's coming soon"... 
The fact that the facility was available but then turned off for reasons of a self-signed cert kind of indicates that supporting the service from a hardware/capacity/performance perspective is not an issue - or is this an overreaching assumption? Agreed that the self-signed cert is not good from either a security or standards perspective.
Come on, how much does a SSL cert cost these days? We don't even want an EV cert. Just something that chains up to a commercial Root will suffice!!

[#6]

Bob - thanks for the insight.  Reading between the lines, I may hold off buying a 3rd party relay account for a bit in the hope that TLS is supported soon.  Such a development would be most welcome.

[#7]

Quote from: tuppence

Come on, how much does a SSL cert cost these days? We don't even want an EV cert. Just something that chains up to a commercial Root will suffice!!

I would assume, one for each of the outbound relays, of which there are 16? 
It soon get a little more expensive when you start talking clusters, not individual machines
B.

[#8]

Wildcard cert?   Likely cheaper where multiple machines are concerned.
adie:quote

[#9]

Quote from: Bob

Have a look here. We did have TLS enabled for a short while but as the SSL cert is self-signed at the mo we turned it off in anticipation of the problems it was likely to present. I'd like to think that SSL/TLS will be fully supported before too long...

Is there any update on this?

[#10]

Sorry to say that there isn't any update at present

[#11]

Bob, you kindly tried to help me a few months ago as I complained that SquirrelMail was treacle-slow (it took 10 minutes to display the inbox on one account last week!!), and where I work I cannot access your mail servers through the firewall, otherwise I would use Thunderbird or similar. You tried, but we failed with the alternative webmail program that you had been trialling.
I just realised yesterday I could set up a Gmail account and do just as the others on this thread have tried, using Gmail as a client. And I am almost there. But you don't support Gmail's methods (secure). Grrr. So now I am stuck with Gmail's server and the rubbish "sent on behalf of" address line that another poster mentioned. I use my mail account for business and a line like that is unacceptable, so it's back to TreacleMail again unless you can help, or if there is a setting in your Squirrelmail server to stop it cacheing all messages in the inbox before displaying its contents, or unless you give us something better than Squirrelmail. Gmail also seems to check for new mail only every 30 minutes or so, and there is no option to change that - which is rubbish too.
So can I please add my name to the request for secure SMTP?
Cheers, Ian