rogerk(_at_)queernet(_dot_)org writes:
Quoting "Stuart D. Gathman" <stuart(_at_)bmsi(_dot_)com>:
[ ... ]
With sendmail, you can listen to as many ports as desired, on any
specified IPs or ANY using a DAEMON_OPTIONS config line for each
port. I presume that any decent MTA would have something similar.
If your web server is on the same machine as your SMTP server, have
the SMTP server listen to port 80 on a different IP address.
Don't you think that any environment that blocks ports is also likely
to use a web proxy and block any direct access to ports 80 and 443
other than to the proxy?
Well, of course that hypothetical case is possible. But it is extremely
unlikely that each and every connectivity provider would do this.
For the same competitive, profit-motive-driven reasons that some
providers would have for locking in their customers by blocking most
ports, other conectivity providers would want make money offering their
customers a way to do SMTP AUTH to other SMTP servers via a port like
587. These other providers would take business away from the more
restrictive providers by offering a service for which there will
definitely be a demand.
My hypothetical, dreamed-up scenario is no less likely than your own
dreamed-up scenario about a world where all connectivity providers
prevent this kind of access.
In fact, if it ever comes to pass that a large number of connectivity
providers try to lock their customers in like that, I myself will start
a service which allows SMTP AUTH to be passed through to other services.
I'll probably get rich.
But I'm not going to run out and start placing orders for my fleet of
private jets yet, because I think it's very unlikely that such
restrictive practices will ever be adopted by very many major
connectivity providers.
--
Lloyd Zusman
ljz(_at_)asfast(_dot_)com
God bless you.