Mail.baby is an email smarthost that helps prevent spam, phishing, viruses and email compromises. As such each email is scanned to determine if the email will deliver. In addition a few steps must be done to ensure email can be sent.
1) Sign up for a mailbaby account and get an active mailbaby username
2) Ensure all domains follow MailBaby’s SPF format. Email may not deliver if this step is not taken.
3) If you are using the API, in addition to SPF you must also add on a dns record to authorize the domain for sending VIA the api.
4) If you are using a server or VPS, port 25 may be blocked. This is very common. Mailbaby offers a few ports that can be used
The following require startTLS
- 25 -587 -2500
Alternatively port 465 is available with a pure SSL connection.
5) It is important a authenticated header is used. The set up for cPanel, Directadmin, or Postfix all include the Authenticated Header.
6) All mailbaby orders start with a stricter filter while email is learned as spam / ham called a New User Filter. This is not simply based on account age, and is based off SMTP responses and email reputation. Please contact support with questions on this.
7) When reporting a false positive, ensure SPF is set up. A false positive will also contain a bounce back message with some debugging information. There is a not spam button that will open a request on that specific bounce back. A response may be given on this to the mailbaby owner, not the email address owner, should more clarification be needed. A false positive will not deliver the message and make take a few hours to process. Once an email is bounced, the content is no longer available. Should more information be needed support staff may ask for the message to be resent to a false positive email. Mailbaby staff does not have the ability to check into the content of a message once delivered or bounced.
Further Set up Details
The mailbaby config will vary based on your set up. If you are using a control panel mailbaby must be set up as a smart host.
* For cpanel follow https://www.mail.baby/tips/cpanel/
* For directadmin follow https://www.mail.baby/tips/direct-admin/
* For postfix (plesk) follow https://www.mail.baby/tips/mailbaby-for-postfix/
* For mailcow follow https://www.mail.baby/tips/mailbaby-set-up-for-mailcow-systems/
This covers most set ups. Any other control panels documentation should be checked for how to set up a smart host config. As an example for webuzo https://www.webuzo.com/docs/how-tos/how-to-set-up-a-remote-smtp-server/
SPF Recommended setup: For webhosting companies use an spf record like relay.YOURDOMAIN.com and include ‘include:spf-c.mailbaby.net ‘ in that record as that will make changes in the future easier for you if you run many domains. For a handful of domains just spf-c.mailbaby.net is fine.
API: When using the api your domain name needs at least the TXT record (spf) v=spf1 include:spf-c.mailbaby.net ~all as well as a record _mb TXT record with your mailbaby userid. The second _mb record authorizes your domain for usage.
When you are not using the API, but smtp, your domain name does not need the _mb record, but the spf record must follow v=spf1 ip4:youroriginip include:spf-c.mailbaby.net ~all – where the origin ip is the server making the connection to relay.mailbaby.net. This record is used to verify the domain ownership.
Outbound Only: MailBaby is an outbound smart host and anti spam filter that generally is placed with in an existing mail server, or used under an API with out smtp. POP/IMAP is not included and users looking for this should consider a webhosting package that comes with POP/IMAP and SMTP that includes MailBaby.
Further Tips
8) Once again SPF is a requirement to use MailBaby. For bounce messages look for key clues like:
* Redis Spffail Check
* Full Domain Spf Issues Will Auto Clear On Fix Or Use Srs For Forwarding
* Spf Recent Failure Redis
* Please Resolve Spf Errors
* Check For Spf Failures
If a bounce message shows a free domain like @gmail.com either the sender is not aligned or SRS forwarding must be turned on. You will not be able to send from @gmail.com or other domains you are not authorized from
9) It is best to ensure emails are aligned.
Emails have two “From” addresses:
“From” (Header From) – This is what you see in your inbox; it shows who sent the email.
“Envelope From” (Return-Path) – This tells mail servers where to send bounce messages if delivery fails.
Many times they are the same but not always. Of one is blank, doesn’t resolve, or fails spf the email may still pass mailbaby but not be accepted at a remote server. Errors that might occur are
* Yahoo: Message temporarily deferred due to unresolvable RFC\.5321 from domain
* Gmail: the sender is unaligned
* Gmail (another) Messages missing a valid address in From: header, or having no From: header, are not accepted Details https://support.google.com/mail/?p=RfcMessageNonCompliant
10) If you are running a mailing list it must be double opt in confirmed. When in doubt please review sender best practices https://www.m3aawg.org/sites/default/files/document/M3AAWG_Senders_BCP_Ver3-2015-02.pdf
* MailBaby will detect email lists that are not double opt in and such email lists will be restricted.
11) If you are unable to connect to port relay.mailbaby.net port 25 your datacenter may be blocking port 25 use the alternative ports above.
12) Common blocked rules you may see:
* Dw J Smtps Possible Compromise – the email user and password is for sale on the dark web – this is a note and will not cause a block
* Compromised Email From Blacklist From Dqs – a compromised has been automatically detected – Generally will allow a delist
* Pcomp – the email has been compromised in the past – this is a note and will not cause a block
* LOCAL BL FROM – the email has been marked as compromised – Generally will allow a delist
* FROM_EMAIL_GETTING_LIKELY_BOT_FORM_HIT_PH_CH – the sender is hitting trap addresses and is likely some web based sign up form like a wordpress account creation.
* FROM_EMAIL_IS_SENDING_TO_RCPT_GETTING_DEFERRALS_POSSIBLE_WA_PHP – the sender email is getting deferred (gmail / yahoo will defer users getting too much email)
* REDIS_EMAIL_FROM_HIT_BY_BOT_LONGTERM – the sender has been sending to spam traps via forms over the last 30 days.
