Is there a email service that doesn't require SSL?

September 13, 2012 8:36 AM

Is there a email service that doesn't require SSL?

I need an email account to for SMTP from various devices (Xerox printers, SonicWalls, Retrospect 9, etc) for sending out status emails and such. Many times these devices won't accept SSL, so only non SSL mail on port 25 will work. I used to use fastmail.fm but they require SSL now. I've used gmx.com but they keep resetting the password. Gmail doesn't work. Are there any good choices?

I would also need the account to not expire or become inactive if I'm not using it for anything other than sending from these devices. These devices are at various locations so it should not care if multiple IP addresses are used to access it.

Paid options are preferred.

posted by ridogi to computers & internet (7 answers total)

I use polarismail.com with my own domain. I just turned off SSL on my IMAP connection and was still able to receive mail, so I guess that means they don't require SSL.
posted by sportbucket at 8:48 AM on September 13, 2012

Oh, you wanted SMTP. Lemme test that...
posted by sportbucket at 8:49 AM on September 13, 2012

A $4 a month hosting account at GKG will give you an email account with SMTP access on port 25. I've hosted my domains and websites there for years. It's a good company.
posted by COD at 8:52 AM on September 13, 2012

Yep, SMTP over port 25 without SSL works for me on smtp.emailarray.com (which is Polaris Mail's outgoing server.)
posted by sportbucket at 8:53 AM on September 13, 2012

You don't need one. Have a look at stunnel to wrap the SMTP connections.
posted by RonButNotStupid at 8:55 AM on September 13, 2012

I solved this by installing hMailServer locally, which is set to relay through the actual SMTP server. Since it's local, you can set that side to be wide open (no SSL, no authentication) and deliver mail it receives via SSL and authentication to your real mail server. We use this precisely because of simple devices that don't support anything else.
posted by odinsdream at 11:44 AM on September 13, 2012

Keep in mind too that it isn't uncommon for ISPs and firewalls to block outgoing connections to the unencrypted SMTP port.
posted by Good Brain at 12:25 PM on September 13, 2012