SMTP is a protocol used to send e-mail. It is the language that your e-mail program uses to talk to the mail server whenever you send out e-mail.
When your computer connects to another computer over the Internet, it connects to a certain "port." Many ports have specific uses; for example, when you view a Web page, your browser connects to port 80 on the Web server. SMTP uses port 25, so when you send out e-mail, you are connecting to port 25 on the mail server.
If you are a Hamilton.net customer, you have one or more e-mail addresses
that end with @hamilton.net, @nque.com, or
@wheatbelt.com. You may also have one or more e-mail addresses
with a personal domain name that are hosted on the Hamilton.net mail server.
When you send e-mail using one of these e-mail accounts, your computer connects
to the Hamilton.net mail server on port 25. If, on the other hand, you have an
e-mail address with another e-mail provider (for example, a company or a
university), and you use an e-mail program like Outlook Express to send e-mail
through this account, your e-mail program will connect to a non-Hamilton.net
mail server on port 25.
However, many free e-mail accounts, such as those that end with
@yahoo.com or @hotmail.com, are accessed by visiting
a Web page. If you go to a Web page to send and receive e-mail for one of your
e-mail accounts, you are not using SMTP, so you are not connecting through port
25.
Many computer worms have begun to exploit SMTP to spread. If a computer becomes infected with one of these programs, the worm will connect to other mail servers, trying to send itself to other victims as an e-mail attachment. Some spammers have used this feature as well; they write programs that spread in this manner while simultaneously sending out junk e-mails.
In order to prevent the Hamilton.net network from being exploited in this
way, Hamilton.net has closed port 25 to all outgoing traffic from Hamilton.net
subscribers, except to the Hamilton.net mail server. This means that customers
can still send and receive e-mail with their @hamilton.net,
@nque.com, and @wheatbelt.com e-mail accounts.
Hamilton.net customers can also send and receive e-mail through any domains
hosted on the Hamilton.net mail server. However, sending e-mail through other
e-mail accounts (except through Web-based services as described above) is
blocked.
If you have an e-mail address through a non-Hamilton.net e-mail provider, you will be unable to send e-mail through this address unless you request that Hamilton.net reopen port 25 for your username. If you are a dial-up customer, you may fill out the form below. If you are a DSL or wireless customer, or if you have questions, you may call the Hamilton.net help desk at (402) 694-6655 or 1-877-426-5638.
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Hamilton Telecommunications
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Internet Hotline: (402) 694-6655 or 1-877-426-5638 |
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