Elk M1 XEP E-mail Problem

H

happy_again

Member
I have just started up a new Elk M1 system with a XEP interface, and have been getting through this setup with the help of this forum and other online forums. I have had no luck getting the E-mail functionality to work. My ISP is TDS Telecom DSL connection with their posted DNS addresses as; 216.165.129.158 & 216.170.153.146. I use an Actiontec GT701D DSL Modem GT701 connected to a Belkin F7D4302v1 router.

I have updated both the M1 and the XEP to the latest firmware/bootware configurations. I can connect to the M1 virtual keypad, both locally and remotely, and can do the same with Elk RP. I have setup a GMX.com E-mail account, and can successfully telnet to the GMX IP address 74.208.5.67 via port 587. Port 25 is blocked by TDS, although they say they 'filter port 25' and allow tds.net E-mail addresses through port 25.. I have not been able to telnet TDS.net through port 25 or 587, so I keep focusing on the GMX mail account.

I am stuck... when I send a test e-mail through RP is says it is sending it, but I never receive it anywhere. I even sent Elk tech support a copy of the E-mail test results from using the XEP utility program, see below:

12:12:58 Send Email 0
12:12:58 Send Email Subject: Email Alert from Elk
12:12:58 Send Email GlobalSMTPType: 0, DNSGood: True, GlobalSMTPAddr: 74.208.5.67
12:12:58 Send Email smtp_addr: 74.208.5.67
12:12:58 Send Email To: *******@yahoo.com
12:12:58 Send Email Body: This is a test email from the ELK-M1XEP Elk
12:12:58 Send Email Username: *******@gmx.com
12:12:58 Send Email Password: *******
12:12:58 Send Email From: *******.com
12:12:58 Send Email Domain: @gmx.com
12:12:58 Send Email mailserv: 006029F0
12:12:58 Send Email MCSetDomain returned 0
12:12:58 Send Email MCSetSmtpAuthentication returned 0
12:12:58 Send Email MCNewMail returned 0, mailid=00608E40
12:12:59 Send Email MCSendMail returned FFFFFFFA <-----This is a problem, but I don't know what this means???
12:12:59 Send Email MCClose returned 0
12:12:59 Send Email Done

Ant thoughts?
 
this problem of mail servers and the ELK has been a big one around and documented here on CT often. I think I had to use the IP address of my mail server not the "name"
 
The Elk XEP utility did give me a better result when I used the mail server IP address instead of the name, but I still haven't been able to send out any test E-mails.
 
I found the steps listed below from a reply by 'ultrajones' trying to solve a similar E-mail problem, at this Coccontech link:

http://www.cocoontech.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11385&st=0&p=98907&hl=actiontec&fromsearch=1&#entry98907

He had recommended to also use the mail server IP address and to try to test the connections manually using the steps listed below:

From ultrajones***************************
Assuming you're using Windows XP, type everything in bold below.

1) From the command line ( Start > Run > Cmd), obtian the IP address for your mail server

C:\>nslookup
Default Server: WRT01
Address: 192.168.1.1

> set type=a
> smtp.mail.somedomain.com

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: smtp.mail.somedomain.com
Address: 64.233.207.14

2) Telnet to port 25 using the IP address obtained above.

telnet 64.233.207.14 25
220 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com ESMTP Sendmail 8.12.8/8.12.8; Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:45:35 -0500
helo mediacenter1.mydomain.com
250 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com Hello [x.x.x.x], pleased to meet you
mail from:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.0 <[email protected]>... Sender ok
rcpt to:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.5 <[email protected]>... Recipient ok
DATA
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
Subject: This is a test message
From: Test User<[email protected]>
To: Ultrajones<[email protected]>

This is the body of the message.

250 2.0.0 m9PEjZwT011564 Message accepted for delivery

If this test was successful, then your Elk M1EXP should have no problems sending SMTP email.
*****************************************************
I was able to telnet mail.GMX.com on port 587 since 25 was blocked..
When I run the above steps I never get;
" 250 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com Hello [x.x.x.x], pleased to meet you "
when I enter in the command; helo mediacenter1.gmx.com I get a response;
250 mail.gmx.com GMX Mailservices {mp-us005} ....which I think is ok??
when I follow with "mail from: [email protected] " I get a response;
" 550 5.7.0 need to authenticate via SMTP-AUTH-Login {mp-us001} "

Is the helo mediacenter1 the correct command for GMX E-mail?
or what command/syntax should is respond with when asked to authenticate?
 
Elkaholic said:
I found the steps listed below from a reply by 'ultrajones' trying to solve a similar E-mail problem, at this Coccontech link:

http://www.cocoontec...h=1

He had recommended to also use the mail server IP address and to try to test the connections manually using the steps listed below:

From ultrajones***************************
Assuming you're using Windows XP, type everything in bold below.

1) From the command line ( Start > Run > Cmd), obtian the IP address for your mail server

C:\>nslookup
Default Server: WRT01
Address: 192.168.1.1

> set type=a
> smtp.mail.somedomain.com

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: smtp.mail.somedomain.com
Address: 64.233.207.14

2) Telnet to port 25 using the IP address obtained above.

telnet 64.233.207.14 25
220 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com ESMTP Sendmail 8.12.8/8.12.8; Sat, 25 Oct 2008 09:45:35 -0500
helo mediacenter1.mydomain.com
250 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com Hello [x.x.x.x], pleased to meet you
mail from:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.0 <[email protected]>... Sender ok
rcpt to:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.5 <[email protected]>... Recipient ok
DATA
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
Subject: This is a test message
From: Test User<[email protected]>
To: Ultrajones<[email protected]>

This is the body of the message.

250 2.0.0 m9PEjZwT011564 Message accepted for delivery

If this test was successful, then your Elk M1EXP should have no problems sending SMTP email.
*****************************************************
I was able to telnet mail.GMX.com on port 587 since 25 was blocked..
When I run the above steps I never get;
" 250 pop-7.dnv.somedomain.com Hello [x.x.x.x], pleased to meet you "
when I enter in the command; helo mediacenter1.gmx.com I get a response;
250 mail.gmx.com GMX Mailservices {mp-us005} ....which I think is ok??
when I follow with "mail from: [email protected] " I get a response;
" 550 5.7.0 need to authenticate via SMTP-AUTH-Login {mp-us001} "

Is the helo mediacenter1 the correct command for GMX E-mail?
or what command/syntax should is respond with when asked to authenticate?
Click to expand...

You can put anything on the HELO line, that is basically identifying yourself.
The commands for simple authentication are:
USER xxxxx
PASS xxxx
 
I was able to E-mail via telnet "somewhat". I found out I needed to use the auth login command, in which I needed to convert my login name and password to base64, then only then did gmx.com recognize me. I entered in the mail to: e-mail address and the rcpt: e-mail address with a short message...

I said "somewhat" because the receiving E-mail address did get a blank E-mail, and placed it in the spam folder, but there were no e-mail addresses nor text associated with the E-mail.. I repeated this test to make sure, and again got a blank E-mail.

What did this tell me??

Well, I can telnet gmx.com E-mail through port 587, and I am able to telnet an e-mail to an address, but the complete e-mail is stripped of text and addresses. Still no luck with the XEP though..

Any builds?
 
Update:
I can telnet an E-mail complete with text from my LAN to my ISP E-mail address. It seems that the text gets stripped away with other E-mail addresses(as I stated before). Must be a way my ISP identifies spam?

Elk tech support had said if I can telnet an E-mail, the XEP should also be able to send one. They mentioned to set up a rule in the M1 to send an E-mail via an F-key from a keypad; setup the XEP identical to my telnet session; send this to the XEP via RP and reboot the XEP; then disconnect RP and any other remote access to the Elk M1; and try to send an E-mail using the same setup as telnet by pressing a F-key on my keypad.

I will hopefully be able to complete this on the weekend, and let you know if it works. If it does, I will try to list all of my steps from start to finish to try to aide any other 'Newbie Elkers'. If it doesn't work, you may feel my 'pain'.. :)
 
You can not use mail servers that require encryption like GMAIL. Mail server encryption is not built into the M1XEP.
 
Well, the weekend came and went with me trying a multitude of E-mail setups to no avail. I was able to follow Spankys' suggestion and stayed awy from trying my ISP E-mail server(TDS) which uses G-mail, due to the encryption used by G-mail..

I am able to TELNET E-mail to any valid e-mail address including texting my cell phone through a CMD DOS box or by setting up a Windows XP hyperterminal session. I can use the GMX.com mail server IP address through port 587 from my LAN, both via a wirelss connection and wired to the same router as the M1. I feel confident that my modem and router setups are not limiting this transmission.

I setup a M1 rule to E-mail whenever the F4 key was activated from my keypad and that did not work either. I was second guessing my rule setup through the keypad, so I even set up a rule to automatically send an E-mail message every 5 minutes. Sent these setup changes to the M1 from RP2 and tried them to no avail. I even tried powering down both the M1 and XEP to see if a 'hard bootup' helped, but it didn't.

I am still in contact with Elk tech support and awaiting their response. Elk is still saying "if you can TELNET an E-mail out, you should be able to send on via the XEP.."
 
I went through the same head banging as you. Finaly followed a suggestion from someone on some forum (dont remember who or what) and kludged together a system.

I created a free email account here www.lavabit.com
Send messages to this account.
Have the lavabit account set to forward all emails to my regular email account.
So far that works for me.
 
George, thanks for the input.

I had previously read that the GMX.com mail server had a similar success too, but the GMX service does not seem to function with the M1, even though I can TELNET through to it via port 587.

I will setup an E-mail account at lavabit and try to change the XEP setup via RP2 remotely. Otherwise it won't be until the weekend when I travel to the M1 location..

If this works, I owe you a beer....
I've been pulling out my hair with this, and there isn't much left on top!!! :)
 
George, EXCELLENT!!

Thanks for your input. The Lavabit E-mail server works for me too, using port 587!!! What type of beer do you like!! :)
My wife thanks you too, since I was becoming obsessed with this lack of this M1 E-mail functionality.

I still find it strange that I could TELNET the GMX mail server, send E-mail via the TELNET process, but the M1 couldn't send any E-mails out. Now I can move on to complete my zone wiring, rule writing, and still have the peace of mind that the M1 system can tell me when I have problems, that is, as long as my DSL stays connected...

If there is anyone out there in Cocoontech-land that wants more details around the steps I used for my XEP setup, E-mail troubleshooting, and what I did to finally get the E-mail working(other than listen to George)... Please reply to this thread and let me know. I'd gladly list them for you...
 
If you don't mind, create a new thread, and I'll make it a sticky (or I can post it as an article on the front page).
 
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