smtp server requires authorization

[informixguy]

I searched the faq and can't find this exact question

I recently switched ISP providers (bad move) from RECOL to SBC/YAHOO. RECOL did not require authentication to use thier SMTP server. I have a Solaris 8 box that runs our business. I have a series of scripts that execute every day that extract critical update information out of an Informix database on that box, pipe it to sendmail and mail it to FedEx personnel all over the country. I was able, through enormous amounts of trial and error, to get sendmail.cf set up so that it was working fine with RECOL.

SBC/YAHOO requires me to authenticate myself before I can use smtp.sbcglobal.yahoo.com to send mail.

I have absolutely no idea where to begin.

This is killing my business.

Note that I have been editing the sendmail.cf by hand, not using the macro package.

*ANY* suggestions or help greatly appreciated.

 

[BitFuzzy]

This isn't that un-common in fact you should be more upset with your old provider running their email servers as an open relay.

By doing so Yahoo and others (including our network) prevent would-be-spammers from sending mail through their network as you@yourdomain 'unless' they have the proper credentials.

I'm not sure of exactly what Yahoo requires, but in most cases (smtp_auth, pop-before-smtp etc) only requires you check your mail before you're alowed to send. This will open a window where you can send messages freely for a pre-determined period of time before you'll need to check your mail (authenticate) again.

a simple fetchmail script running every 20 min or so as a cron job should (in most cases) do the trick.

 

[informixguy]

Thanks for the reply.

My problem was actually mis-stated. The real problem was the guy that set up sendmail (uh, me) had a fundamental misunderstanding about how sendmail works. I thought I *HAD* to specify a "smarthost" in the sendmail.cf file. When someone explained to me that sendmail works as it's own SMTP server and I didn't need to specify a smarthost, I simply commented out the smarthost configuration parameter and everything is working fine.

Thanks again.

 

[c2builder]

BitFuzzy,
Your "fetchmail script on cron" was to automatically send email ? or automatically redo the authentication?

thanks

 

[BitFuzzy]

c2builder.

Fetchmail won't send mail, it retreives messages via pop3
using it would satisfy authentication requirements for the above question *IF* that had been the problem