Emailing from Japan

[Himrich]

I have not had a problem before so don't exactly know what could be causing it now but I am having a problem with sending email from Japan. At first it was just Osaka and I would just ignore it and use Skype to call home but this week it happened in Nagoya when it never did before. I haven't changed anything in my email settings from then to now.

I am receiving email with no problem. When sending I have tried my Mac, Gmail and Comcast email accounts. All with no success.

Any suggestions? Of course I will have to wait until later this month to test out any ideas since it only happens from that direction.

I know what some of you may ask, did you have any success writing to anyone else. Well, I can't remember the last time I wrote anyone else an email from over there and whether it was at the same time I was having problems with our home. I may have to try that next time but I am pretty sure I was able to send to others when I had the problem with my wife's computer.

Is there a possibility that it is her computer settings and not mine? I use my own email accounts which she always receives otherwise so unless the hotels are adding some kind of data to the email that keeps my services from delivering it I am at a loss.

[Gregg]

Very mysterious indeed. I've had problems receiving messages from certain addresses. I tried to enlist the help of my e-mail provider, to no avail. But, you might give that a shot. You'll probably have to send them an e-mail that does not get delivered so they can "analyze" the header information. Good luck!

[Mayo]

The ISPs serving the access points that you are using are blocking your attempts to send mail; it is one way that they prevent spammers from using hotspots to distribute spam. They are blocking outgoing connections on port 25, which is the standard SMTP port. The access points that you used previously were apparently not blocking out-going e-mail. (Receiving e-mail is usually not a problem in these situations.)  

The easiest work-around is to access your e-mail accounts online via a Web browser.  One of your e-mail providers may allow SMTP access via another port that isn't monitored; you would have to contact tech support and then change the port number in your e-mail program. There are also reasonably-priced services available for travelers who want unfettered access to all their e-mail accounts without any of the hassle.

Here is a little info about the problem and links to two of the traveler e-mail services I mentioned.

[Himrich]

Thank you. At least I know now it isn't just me.

That all makes sense and I now have a work around to go with.