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Thread: Email problem with smtp servers

  1. #1
    Agony Aunty-Online Moira's Avatar
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    Email problem with smtp servers

    I guess this isn't actually web security - but it's linked. How can I keep my real email address secret? ie I want to have a mask on a genuine address, but thunderbird will put my gmail address on everything. I know some clients like Outlook support multiple identities, but as far as I know, only by downloading multiple copies of a message. Apparently thunderbird has a bug that doesn't allow you to chose smtp servers for each email address - it defaults to the top one on the list.

    I used to be able to use yahoo settings to send all mail and that didn't put my yahoo address on, but now it will only send yahoo mail. Only gmail seems to accept mail from anywhere. When your address has to go on the wider internet, the amount of spam isn't funny!
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    Programs like outlook allow you to alter the "from" field in the email, but your real (i.e.e the sending email address) is still shown in the headers if i'm not mistaken. What you sound like want to do is spoof your email address, and while possible, it is not usually a good thing since many spam filters will block your address if it can't check it against the smtp server that sent it.
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  3. #3
    Agony Aunty-Online Moira's Avatar
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    To be honest, I know it can't do much with the headers, but it stops my genuine email recipients replying to the wrong address and getting lost in gmail spam.
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    You simply can't keep it a secret; in the end, people have to know where to send the message. You can obfuscate for spam bots and just keep it private, but if you're sending someone a message, it's fair for them to have your address.

    Your best bet would be to write a non-RFC compliant email sending application that specifically sends a false From: address.

  5. #5
    Senior Member IKnowNot's Avatar
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    ... Apparently thunderbird has a bug that doesn't allow you to chose smtp servers for each email address - it defaults to the top one on the list.
    I am not sure of what you are speaking.

    I have multiple e-mail accounts ( albeit with the same ISP ) that are managed through Thunderbird ( on some of the computers I use: on some I use Seamonkey, a derivative of Thunderbird for the e-mail. )

    My Default Outgoing SMTP Server is for the main account, but I can set up different outgoing servers ( based on user name ) for each account. I just scroll to the bottom of the “Mail and Newsgroups Account Settings” to “Outgoing Server (SMTP)” and add or edit for the individual accounts ( now reviewing Seamonkey settings, but I believe it is the same for the parent Thunderbird, as I have them set up the same way. )

    Is this what you are referring to?

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    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi Moira,

    Having read all this and following our conversation, I think that I understand your requirement?

    It seems to be typical of a commercial or institutional environment. You want to use a standard "reply to" address, rather than defaulting to the one you happened to actually send your e-mail message from?

    On the other hand you want the flexibility of using different locations and primary message creation services?

    Please let me know if I am correct in my understanding?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sonata Anthony
    You simply can't keep it a secret; in the end, people have to know where to send the message. You can obfuscate for spam bots and just keep it private, but if you're sending someone a message, it's fair for them to have your address.

    Your best bet would be to write a non-RFC compliant email sending application that specifically sends a false From: address.
    I think that is true for the most part it is easy to recieve emails from another account with forwarding but it is dificult to alter who it is sent from. Unless you have some sort of server that takes your sent emails and proxys them... I suposed it is possible

  8. #8
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    I think that the solution is to employ a mail forwarding service. This will be a paid for service whether it is provided by your normal mail host or a third party.

    The mail will have their IP and I believe that you can specify the reply to address (or from address).


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    Quote Originally Posted by nihil
    Hi Moira,

    You want to use a standard "reply to" address, rather than defaulting to the one you happened to actually send your e-mail message from?

    I think this will be your best bet in doing what you seek, however to mask your from address you would need to swap your "reply to" and "from addresses" Ex.. if "bill@isp.com" is your actual email addy and "blah@blah.com" is your fake one, put blah in the from address and bill in the reply to address. messages will show up being from "blah" not "bill". Now doing this may or may not work and may not be advisable depending on the SMTP server you are useing and also the person you send to will most likely delete it if they dont recognize who its from. also you can also get the correct info from the headers. It just depends on the knowledge level of the person your sending it to.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by nihil
    Hi Moira,

    You want to use a standard "reply to" address, rather than defaulting to the one you happened to actually send your e-mail message from?

    I think this will be your best bet in doing what you seek, however to mask your from address you would need to swap your "reply to" and "from addresses" Ex.. if "bill@isp.com" is your actual email addy and "blah@blah.com" is your fake one, put blah in the from address and bill in the reply to address. messages will show up being from "blah" not "bill". Now doing this may or may not work and may not be advisable depending on the SMTP server you are useing and also the person you send to will most likely delete it if they dont recognize who its from. also you can also get the correct info from the headers. It just depends on the knowledge level of the person your sending it to.
    LOGIN: yes
    PASSWORD: I dont have one
    "Login Failed"

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