Sending mail from a non-Plusnet connection - SMTP authentication

[#1]

If you wanted to send email from your laptop but you weren't on your Plusnet connection (perhaps you're at a relative's or a wifi coffee shop for example), you'd need to set up your email program to log into the SMTP server with your account username and password - we refer to that as SMTP authentication.  You probably know this - but how many of you actually do it?
If you do use SMTP authentication I'd be keen to hear what your experiences are generally like.  Have you had any problems setting it up?  Have you noticed any different behaviour between the main email client software? eg. Outlook, Outlook Express, Live Mail etc.  Did you leave it set up like that and use it when both on or off the Plusnet network?
All feedback most gratefully appreciated.
Thanks.

[#2]

I use SMTP Authentication  on my Netbook with Thunderbird as the email client. No problems setting it up, and Its left on permanently.

[#3]

I an using this on I think BT, could not send via outlook express, but using Thunderbird and IMAP it goes straight through, and looking at the recieved headers, the only reference is PN  note pierre is not my PN username

Quote

envelope-to: sue@pierre.me.uk Delivery-date: Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:01:39 +0100 Received: from [212.159.7.39] (helo=mx.ptn-ipin04.plus.net)   by inmx14.plus.net with esmtp (PlusNet MXCore v2.00) id 1QSZcp-0001k1-3K   for sue@pierre.me.uk; Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:01:39 +0100 Received-SPF: None identity=pra; client-ip=84.92.1.97;   receiver=mx.ptn-ipin04.plus.net;   envelope-from="mr@pierre.me.uk";   x-sender="mr@pierre.me.uk";   x-conformance=sidf_compatible Received-SPF: None identity=mailfrom; client-ip=84.92.1.97;   receiver=mx.ptn-ipin04.plus.net;   envelope-from="mr@pierre.me.uk";   x-sender="mr@pierre.me.uk";   x-conformance=sidf_compatible Received-SPF: None identity=helo; client-ip=84.92.1.97;   receiver=mx.ptn-ipin04.plus.net;   envelope-from="mr@pierre.me.uk";   x-sender="postmaster@relay.ptn-ipout02.plus.net";   x-conformance=sidf_compatible X-SBRS: 5.3 X-SLBL-Result: SAFE-LISTED X-IronPort-AV: E=McAfee;i="5400,1158,6366"; a="200452823" X-IronPort-AV: E=Sophos;i="4.65,315,1304290800";   d="scan'208";a="200452823" Received: from mx.ironport.plus.net (HELO relay.ptn-ipout02.plus.net) ([84.92.1.97])   by mx.ptn-ipin04.plus.net with ESMTP; 03 Jun 2011 20:01:34 +0100 X-SLBL-Result: SAFE-LISTED Received: from outmx07.plus.net ([84.93.230.235])   by relay.ptn-ipout02.plus.net with ESMTP; 03 Jun 2011 20:01:34 +0100 Received: from [86.141.215.160] (helo=[10.0.0.17]) by outmx07.plus.net with esmtpa (Exim) id 1QSZcj-00045w-Pm for sue@pierre.me.uk; Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:01:33 +0100 Message-ID: <4DE92FA1.9040104@pierre.me.uk> Date: Fri, 03 Jun 2011 20:01:53 +0100 From: mr <mr@pierre.me.uk> User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 (X11/20071031) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: sue@pierre.me.uk Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: testing the line just a test

[#4]

The obvious comment is that it has to be the account username and password and not the mailbox username and password it is being used in conjunction with. Having to tell someone else your main account details if they have a mailbox on your account (e.g. parents have to give their main account details to their teenage children if their children want to use their mailboxes away from home)  is stupid, the fact that it is being used on another network and has to be sent in plain text as you don't support any security or encryption makes it quite ridiculous!

[#5]

maybe but it does work, I have sent e-mails this week and got replies to a) the BBC and b) to stepson, both from different PN sub accounts

[#6]

My laptop spends time connected via other networks, and I use authentication to send using MS Outlook. I leave it on all the time, though don't send many messages from that computer when at home. I didn't have any problems setting it up, and no problems using it. I have tried authentication using Thunderbird on my desktop, on a PN connection in this case. Again no problems, though I removed the settings after checking since they are not needed on that machine.
In my case I'm using my own account so having to use the account credentials is not a problem. However sending in plain text does concern me and I have avoided using email (reading and responding) on occasion for this reason. Really it's time secure transmission was made available.

[#7]

Thanks folks. Completely understand your concerns about sending passwords in plain text and for this reason would recommend using webmail over https when using a public wifi network. For those of you you who do use our SMTP authentication on networks other than Plusnet I would still like to hear how you're using it and if you've ever had any problems.  Thanks.

[#8]

We use Autherticated SMTP extensively for our staff travelling around the world. It seems to work just fine.
We totally agree about the stupidity of having to use the primary account./password for this service. We actually bought another account (the cheapest account PlusNet do) and only use it for authenticaled SMTP. Maybe that's Plusnet's strategy, to make us all buy a second account!

[#9]

Quote from: PeterJ

Completely understand your concerns about sending passwords in plain text and for this reason would recommend using webmail over https when using a public wifi network.

I'd rather watch paint dry - it's quicker!

[#10]

I use it when in other offices or when using a customer's connection. Seems to work without problems.
I now use Three when mobile. They refuse connections using the common smtp ports to anything but their own server, so I don't use an authenticated connection to relay.plus.net as much as I did. I use Thunderbird & it's very easy to toggle between different smtp servers, so it's not really a problem.

[#11]

Quote from: jelv

Quote from: PeterJ Completely understand your concerns about sending passwords in plain text and for this reason would recommend using webmail over https when using a public wifi network. I'd rather watch paint dry - it's quicker!

Another option would be to set up a mailbox so you pass the mailbox password rather than the account one.  Did you know by the way, that can authenticate against the SMTP server using the username+mailbox and the mailbox password credentials?

[#12]

No I didn't know that because we've been told many times by the Plusnet staff on here that it had to be the main account login and password.
When did it change?
Why wasn't the change announced?

[#13]

I think PeterJ has just announced it.
This is news to me, and the set-up guide for Thunderbird (haven't looked at others) still says the account username and password have to be used.
I wonder if it was rolled out last night?

[#14]

I've just tried it and he's right , it works!.
As previous comments , when was that rolled out ?

[#15]

Quote from: PeterJ

Thanks folks. Completely understand your concerns about sending passwords in plain text and for this reason would recommend using webmail over https when using a public wifi network. For those of you you who do use our SMTP authentication on networks other than Plusnet I would still like to hear how you're using it and if you've ever had any problems.  Thanks.

doesnt appear to have been ther earlier this month
Been using Thunderbird and IMAP all over the UK for several years, that works OK for me without the main account ID