Replacing Mailgun with Plusnet SMTP

[#1]

I self-host a couple of travel blogs for myself and my wife using Ghost blog. One component of these is an SMTP mailer just to mail password verification links. 

Ghost's documentation here explains how to set this up using Mailgun as the SMTP mail server https://docs.ghost.org/concepts/config/ (scroll down almost half-way)

When I set the blogs up this worked fine and was a simple and easy solution. However, recently my wife forgot her password and when trying to get a reset email received the following message

Failed to send email. Reason: Invalid greeting from server - 554 p3plibsmtp03-04.prod.phx3.secureserver.net bizsmtp IB106. Connection refused. 84.92.xx.yyy is listed on the Policy Block List (PBL).  <http://www.spamhaus.org/query/ip/84.92.xx.yyy> Please visit http://www.spamhaus.org/pbl/ for more information.. 

It looks like Plusnet has set up some spam blocking measures to only allow mailing from a Plusnet server. I don't have a Plusnet email. 

Any thoughts on what I need to set up my blog emergency forgot-password mailer?

[#2]

To avoid the policy block on e-mails from dynamic IP addresses you can either send outgoing e-mail via plusnet's SMTP server, or get a static IP address. If you send e-mails  as if they are from your Plusnet address you will have to go via their server as they now publish SPF records.

[#3]

Thanks for the fast response.

I do already have a static IP but am still getting this message. 

Any hints on how to go via the Plusnet server - I don't have any Plusnet mail accounts.

[#4]

Have a read of this  Like you I don't (very rarely) use my plusnet email address. But saying that, I don't send my emails via plusnet's servers and they get sent quite happily. I use the servers associated with my email addresses. I also have a static address and when I enter my IP address on that website, it says it isn't listed. Are you sure you have a static address?

As it says in the blurb 'unauthenticated email sent from this IP address should be sent out only via the designated outbound mail server allocated to Plusnet Plc customers'. One way round the problem is sign up for a PN email address and go from there. But I would question why your static address is listed - if it is a static address. I'd also modify your post and get rid of that IP address, if it is yours.

[#5]

Thanks - that link looks like what I need - I'll have a play later.

I did pay for a Static IP when I joined Plusnet - if I go to my account Addon details I see:

Your static IP details

Current Status: You are now using a static IP address

Static IP: 84.92.xx.yyy
Netmask:   255.255.255.255

Thanks - forgot my IP was on view in that message

[#6]

The warning about only using the designated outbound mail servers is only applicable for Plusnet e-mail addresses - if you are sending e-mail from other domains then it doesn't apply. The SPF records for a domain tell receiving MTAs what IP addresses may send e-mail from that domain, and they can/should treat mail from any other addresses as spam.

The problem here though looks as if the address is classed as dynamic not static, and MTAs should treat all unauthenticated e-mail from dynamic addresses as spam.

[#7]

OK - BIG RED FACE 

I just spotted a config error in the server - annoyingly it was the sort of error that passed all the config checks and allowed the server to continue, normally errors cause a failure. Why the error of a bad mail config gives that error rather than simply "Can't send" I don't know but that's what led me off on a wild goose chase.

Apologies corringham and idonno for wasting your time.

Although the static IP anomaly is weird.