Cannot send emails from non Plusnet email account

[#1]

For two years I've always been able to send any emails from my btconnect.com email address (and family btconnect.com addresses)  when I'm using Outlook Express from my laptop connected to my Plusnet broadband line.  This week for some reason I can't, though I can still send emails from my Plusnet email address.  I get the following error message (I've substituted xxxxx for my userneme in copying the error message and also substitued nnn for the last 3 digits of my current Plusnet IP address but I'm happy to give this to Plusnet support if requested).  If I connect to an open wireless connection accessible from my location I can send from these email adresses without probelm suggesting that this is a Plusnet issue.  I'm using smtp.btconnect.com for my outgong server for my btconnect.com emails and the problem persists with and without outgoing server authentication ticked.
An unknown error has occurred. Account: 'xxxxx@btconnect.com', Server: 'smtp.btconnect.com', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '554 Mail from 31.185.128.nnn refused, see RBL server rbl.btconnect.com', Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 554, Error Number: 0x800CCC6F
There was a thread on this topic in November with reports of problems from several users (though not specifically regarding btconnect.com domain) but the resolution was unclear.
Can someone please help?

[#2]

It could be because you've been allocated an IP in the range 31.185.128.x which sometimes seems to be regarded as not in the UK.
You could try disconnecting from Plusnet, waiting a few seconds then connecting again to see if you are allocated an IP from a different range., then try again. Note that this does *not* require a re-sync with the exchange.
If that fixes the problem please comment to that effect here. Plusnet staff would need to raise the problem with BT.

[#3]

Thanks for your help, I took up your suggestion and have sent several test emails and all have been successful so that does seem to have fixed it.  I now have an IP address in range 87.115.88.nnn.  I hope someone from Plusnet support reads this forum so some action can be taken.  This would also account for users in the November thread finding that the problem was intermittent.  As Plusnet is owned by BT lets hope they can talk to each other and get it fixed.  If it helps someone the full IP address that didnt work is 31.185.128.157.
adie:quote

[#4]

Ah, now I couldn't browse last Thursday, when the network came back up & I hopped & I landed on Gateway 195.166.130.100   IP address at the time was 31.185.224.136

[#5]

That's unrelated.
There are some Geographically based services (ie iPlayer) which are taking a bit of time to realise that our IP range is actually UK based.
It doesn't prevent browsing though.

[#6]

So are you saying my Btconnect email issue (which was apparently fixed by changing my Plusnet IP addtess) could have been related to this issue with your IP range?
jim:quote

[#7]

It's almost certainly related to the IP you were assigned Peter.

An unknown error has occurred. Account: 'xxxxx@btconnect.com', Server: 'smtp.btconnect.com', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '554 Mail from 31.185.128.nnn refused, see RBL server rbl.btconnect.com', Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 554, Error Number: 0x800CCC6F

That is an SMTP response from BT's outgoing mail server. It basically says, "we're not accepting email from your IP address because it's on a custom blacklist that we use to block spammers". It's a tad draconian as an RBL check would normally be done on the server that hands the message over to BT i.e. ours, rather than the IP address of your actual machine/router. The reason the IP address is on BT's lists is like spraxyt says, because they think it originates from outside of the UK. I'll see if I can get that sorted ...

[#8]

Quote from: Jameseh

That's unrelated.

It might not have been, had there been some general issue/fault with those range of IP addresses, but in this case, I do take your point.