My ISP, ATT/Yahoo (SBCGlobal) is requiring users to change from smtp or smtpauth (I've been using the latter) to smtp over SSL, by March 30. Similarly to change to POP3 over SSL.

I got Guarddog to allow POP3 over SSL and am using the new server address now. But there is no allowance in Guarddog for SMTP over SSL, and I cannot connect to send mail through the new SMTP address.

I read in a Guarddog users' group about SMTP over SSL being deprecated. That may be, but SBCGlobal/ATT/Yahoo is now going to require its use!

I don't know how to alter the IPtables by hand to allow this protocol. Please suggest what I might do; I tried Firestarter once but could not make it work in my setup. Guarddog has been perfect for about three years.

The dedicated port (465/tcp) for SMTP over TLS is deprecated. Service providers should allow the START TLS command on their normal SMTP servers over the normal port (25/tcp). If AT&T isn't doing that, they're stupid and backwards.

To duplicate the firewall rule, just find your iptables script and copy the line for port 25 tcp and change the port number to 465.

Thanks, Chort, and---I agree with your first paragraph wholeheartedly! This is but one example among many... sigh ...

Tempted to go to cable, but I dunno...

Chort, I got this done finally today. Not that I didn't work on other things in the meantime, like catastrophic crashes, etc.

I had the hardest time finding the iptables script. It looks as though the location varies from distro to distro, and I couldn't find the right clues. Finally found it, though, changed the "25"'s to "465"'s, and now I'm stealthed* but able to send via SMTPS using SSL and port 465 as AT&T will be requiring around March 30.

I appreciate your help very much.

------------------
* stealthed -- I know, I know. Opinions vary. But it makes me feel better. Can't hurt anything.