SPF email bounce errors

I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email servers
with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF Fail)". I use my own
domain-based address in the From field and use my ISP's SMTP server for
outbound email.

Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is
intended to enable an email server to detect probable spam by checking that
the sending server matches those specified in the DNS record for the sender
address domain.

Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.

Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support contact
that most/none of the larger service providers support it.

What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?

[Running my own email server is not a preferred option]

On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 12:26:48 UTC, Frazer Jolly Goodfellow
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email servers
> with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF Fail)". I use my own
> domain-based address in the From field and use my ISP's SMTP server for
> outbound email.
>
> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is
> intended to enable an email server to detect probable spam by checking that
> the sending server matches those specified in the DNS record for the sender
> address domain.
>
> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.
>
> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support contact
> that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>
> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?

Add SPF records to your DNS. Assuming you have control over what goes in
your DNS, you can speecify your ISP's mail server(s) as valid sources of
mail from your domain. These are simple additional TXT records.
--
Bob Eager
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
a3hrb5mjm7gx$.(E-Mail Removed)
>> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email
>> servers with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF
>> Fail)". I use my own domain-based address in the From field and use
>> my ISP's SMTP server for outbound email.
>>
>> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy
>> Framework) is intended to enable an email server to detect probable
>> spam by checking that the sending server matches those specified in
>> the DNS record for the sender address domain.
>>
>> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.
>>
>> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support
>> contact that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>>
>> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?
>>
>> [Running my own email server is not a preferred option]

You will find all the help you need here.
http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html?mydomain=example.com

Chris

--
Superb hosting & domain name deals http://dn-22.co.uk
The Handyman http://www.looker.me.uk
The FlatPack Man http://www.flat-pack.info

On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 17:47:21 -0000, Joker7 wrote:

> To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
> a3hrb5mjm7gx$.(E-Mail Removed)
>>> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email
>>> servers with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF
>>> Fail)". I use my own domain-based address in the From field and use
>>> my ISP's SMTP server for outbound email.
>>>
>>> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy
>>> Framework) is intended to enable an email server to detect probable
>>> spam by checking that the sending server matches those specified in
>>> the DNS record for the sender address domain.
>>>
>>> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.
>>>
>>> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support
>>> contact that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>>>
>>> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?
>>>
>>> [Running my own email server is not a preferred option]
>
> You will find all the help you need here.
> http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html?mydomain=example.com
>
> Chris

Both your and Bob's responses imply it's simple to resolve: it looks
arcane, tricky, and fraught with maintenance problems to me.

I'm struggling to understand WTF I should jump thru hoops for these
minority email servers? I can send email to recipients on *all* of the
major email services in the UK without bounces, so who is out of step?

Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote:
> On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 17:47:21 -0000, Joker7 wrote:
>
>> To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
>> a3hrb5mjm7gx$.(E-Mail Removed)
>>>> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email
>>>> servers with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF
>>>> Fail)". I use my own domain-based address in the From field and use
>>>> my ISP's SMTP server for outbound email.
>>>>
>>>> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy
>>>> Framework) is intended to enable an email server to detect probable
>>>> spam by checking that the sending server matches those specified in
>>>> the DNS record for the sender address domain.
>>>>
>>>> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.
>>>>
>>>> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support
>>>> contact that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>>>>
>>>> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?
>>>>
>>>> [Running my own email server is not a preferred option]
>> You will find all the help you need here.
>> http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html?mydomain=example.com
>>
>> Chris
>
> Both your and Bob's responses imply it's simple to resolve: it looks
> arcane, tricky, and fraught with maintenance problems to me.
>
> I'm struggling to understand WTF I should jump thru hoops for these
> minority email servers? I can send email to recipients on *all* of the
> major email services in the UK without bounces, so who is out of step?
>
>
The person who cares enough to fix his setup.

"Frazer Jolly Goodfellow" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:w9ogtumkbwsy$.109sd0pdz3yh$.(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 17:47:21 -0000, Joker7 wrote:
>
>> To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
>> a3hrb5mjm7gx$.(E-Mail Removed)
>>>> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of email
>>>> servers with an error of something like "Sender is forged (SPF
>>>> Fail)". I use my own domain-based address in the From field and use
>>>> my ISP's SMTP server for outbound email.
>>>>
>>>> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy
>>>> Framework) is intended to enable an email server to detect probable
>>>> spam by checking that the sending server matches those specified in
>>>> the DNS record for the sender address domain.
>>>>
>>>> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest neither.
>>>>
>>>> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support
>>>> contact that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>>>>
>>>> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?
>>>>
>>>> [Running my own email server is not a preferred option]
>>
>> You will find all the help you need here.
>> http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html?mydomain=example.com
>>
>> Chris
>
> Both your and Bob's responses imply it's simple to resolve: it looks
> arcane, tricky, and fraught with maintenance problems to me.
>
> I'm struggling to understand WTF I should jump thru hoops for these
> minority email servers? I can send email to recipients on *all* of the
> major email services in the UK without bounces, so who is out of step?

I have some clients who are in the financial services industry - they and
their financial principals all use SPF as a spam avoidance mechanism. So it
depends who you want to communicate with ...

--
Graham J

On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 19:37:20 UTC, Frazer Jolly Goodfellow
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Both your and Bob's responses imply it's simple to resolve: it looks
> arcane, tricky, and fraught with maintenance problems to me.

It *is* simple to resolve; typically one TXT record in your DNS. The
site mentioned even has a wizard to generate that line for you.

> I'm struggling to understand WTF I should jump thru hoops for these
> minority email servers? I can send email to recipients on *all* of the
> major email services in the UK without bounces, so who is out of step?

Because one has to start somewhere; they won't necessarily stay a
minority. I've had an SPF record for each of my mail domains for two or
three years. It just works.

Incidentally, to test it, send email to a googlemail account. The
headers on the received message tell you if it's OK.

--
Bob Eager
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
w9ogtumkbwsy$.109sd0pdz3yh$.(E-Mail Removed)
>> On Tue, 3 Feb 2009 17:47:21 -0000, Joker7 wrote:
>>
>>--
>Superb hosting & domain name deals http://dn-22.co.uk
>The Handyman http://www.looker.me.uk
>The FlatPack Man http://www.flat-pack.info
>>> To restore balance to the world Frazer Jolly Goodfellow wrote in
>>> a3hrb5mjm7gx$.(E-Mail Removed)
>>>>> I've recently encountered emails being bounced by a couple of
>>>>> email servers with an error of something like "Sender is forged
>>>>> (SPF Fail)". I use my own domain-based address in the From field
>>>>> and use my ISP's SMTP server for outbound email.
>>>>>
>>>>> Looking into this further, it appears that SPF (Sender Policy
>>>>> Framework) is intended to enable an email server to detect
>>>>> probable spam by checking that the sending server matches those
>>>>> specified in the DNS record for the sender address domain.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is SPF workable and effective? - Many commentators suggest
>>>>> neither.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is SPF in widespread use? I've been told by my domain host support
>>>>> contact that most/none of the larger service providers support it.
>>>>>
>>>>> What is the best way to overcome the SPF bounced emails problem?
>>>>>
>>>>> [Running my own email server is not a preferred option]
>>>
>>> You will find all the help you need here.
>>> http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html?mydomain=example.com
>>>
>>> Chris
>>
>> Both your and Bob's responses imply it's simple to resolve: it looks
>> arcane, tricky, and fraught with maintenance problems to me.
>>
>> I'm struggling to understand WTF I should jump thru hoops for these
>> minority email servers? I can send email to recipients on *all* of
>> the major email services in the UK without bounces, so who is out of
>> step?

I use a mail server from my home ( it give me full control ) there is very
little maintenance if any for SPF record.

I have a fixed IP all I did was add this to the SPF record for the domains I
wish to send mail for from home.

Must good hosting companies will help you with this ,but as I said the link
I posted will answer all questions.

As a added note I have not had any mail bounce or lost since I up dated the
SPF record ,hotmail/aol ect.


Chris