Re: smtp authentication (sendmail relay)

[Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE (Kai Großjohann)]

On Sun, 17 Dec 2000, Harry Putnam wrote:

> I have a second smtp.server that I can use.  The smtp side of
> newsguy.com.  I use that pop server routinely.  But suddenly find I
> don't know how to authenticate my relay to an smtp.server that is
> not part of the isp I'm dialed up with.  I know how to set
> /etc/sendmail.cf to relay to that server but not how to authenticate
> my outgoing relay to that machine.

I don't know that ISP, but it is possible for them to use your IP
address for authentication.  To get the right IP address, you have to
use their server for dialin, of course.

Another common scheme is smtp-after-pop.  Here, the idea is that you
connect to the POP server, and if that's successful, then for 5
minutes (or whatever) you're (your IP address is) allowed to use the
SMTP server.

I think there are also schemes for doing authentication within SMTP,
but I think they are rarely used.  They are also non-standard, I
think. 

kai
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