I get a 550, 553, or Relay Prohibited error when sending email messages (2023)

Symptom

If you are away from home and send an email message using your personal email account, your email message may bounce back with a 550, 553, or Relay Prohibited error message. The same situation can occur when you are out of the office and trying to send an email message using your work email account.

Summary

Forwarding occurs when an email message is sent to an email address whose domain (the name after the @ symbol, such as adatum.com) is not recognized by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server ) or outgoing mail server whose delivery the sender requests the message to be processed. The SMTP server needs to connect to another SMTP server to forward the message.

When you send an email message that encounters a relay error, your SMTP (outbound) email server may return your email message with an error message like one of the following:

  • "The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected email address was '<jemand@example.com>'. Subject: "<test>", account: "<test>", server: "<smtp.example.com>', protocol: SMTP, server response: '550 <jemand@example.com>... Forwarding Denied', Port: 25, Secure (SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC79."

  • "The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected email address was '<email address>'. Subject '<test>', account: '<test>', servers: '<smtp.example.com>', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '553 Sorry, this domain is not in my list of allowed rcpthosts (#5.7.1)', Port: 25, Secure (SSL): No, Server Error: 553, Error Number: 0x800CCC79. "

The exact error message may vary depending on your internet service provider (ISP). Some ISPs may not return an error message when they detect outbound messages as unsolicited commercial email. In these cases, your message appears to have been sent normally - it exits your OutlookOutboxand appears in yourSent objects– but it is never actually delivered to the recipient.

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Your message was rejected because the SMTP email server (outgoing) did not recognize you as an authorized user.

SMTP is the protocol (standard that computers use to communicate with each other) that most email servers use to send email messages over the Internet. If you use an e-mail program, such as Outlook, that allows you to store your e-mail messages on your computer, you need access to an SMTP server in order to send e-mail messages.

Note:Web email systems similar to Windows Live Mail and Yahoo! E-mail is used in different ways and this topic does not apply to these e-mail accounts.

Junk E-mail and Open Relays

Unsolicited commercial email is sometimes referred to as junk mail or spam. The main reason junk email continues to grow in volume is that it costs the person sending it virtually nothing. In fact, the senders don't even need to send the junk email through their own ISP's SMTP (outgoing) email server.

The basic structure of the Internet was designed before anyone considered the implications of being able to send millions of junk emails at low cost. Spammers use the relaying ability of SMTP servers to disguise the true origin of junk email by routing it through third-party servers that allow such open relays. This makes the junk email appear to come from the forwarding site and hides the identity of the real sender.

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Until recently, most SMTP email servers operated under an open trust system. Under this system, anyone anywhere could send an email message to an SMTP server and the server would accept it and forward it to a recipient or to another email server where the recipient's mailbox resides. Under a so-called open relay server, there were no restrictions on who was allowed to send via the SMTP server.

ISP Restrictions on Relaying Email Messages

As junk email volumes increased, network administrators — the people responsible for managing your ISP servers — began placing restrictions on their SMTP email servers. These restrictions prevent anyone from using or abusing an email server. Think of it this way: A phone in your organization's lobby used to be available to everyone, whether they worked in your organization or not. Now only employees are allowed to use this phone.

Different types of constraints are used today:

  • SMTP authentication requiredJust as you must use a password to access your POP3 server (inbound) for your email messages, this option requires you to provide a username and password to access email messages via the SMTP server to send. Usually this is the same username and password used for the POP3 server; but they can be unique.

  • Require you to first connect to the ISP's POP3 email server (inbound).When you connect to check your new email messages, you typically connect to a POP3 (inbound) email server. You must provide a username and password to access your mailbox. A network administrator can configure the server so that when you first connect and authenticate to the POP3 email server, it approves any request you make to send an email message over the normally restricted SMTP -Outgoing server to send.

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  • Require you to connect from an authorized network locationIf you're at home dialing up your ISP, or if you have a cable or DSL modem, you connect directly to the ISP's network. They trust that you have an account with the ISP with a username and password. As a customer, you are authorized to use the SMTP server to send email messages.

  • Require that you connect from a specific IP address or range of IP addressesYour ISP may authorize access to the SMTP server for people who are not directly connected to the network. A remote user in an office can use this option. A big problem, however, is that many places have so-called dynamic IP addresses. You don't have the same IP address every time you connect. Some companies may have a reserved block or range of IP addresses. Your ISP can authorize connections from these IP addresses as allowed users. Your ISP can provide additional information.

There are many possible scenarios for forwarding. Below are the most common situations. See if one fits your situation.

scenario

Is that redirect?

You are at home and have an ISP account that ends with@proseware.comyou dial up or connect to a cable or DSL modem. You send an e-mail message to another person whose e-mail address also ends with@proseware.com.

No. Your mail should be processed normally.

Like the first scenario, except you're sending an email message to a person whose email address ends with@adatum.com.

Yes, but it's not locked. You are directly connected to your ISP and thus authorized to send emails via the ISP's SMTP server (outgoing) to any email address, regardless of where the recipient's mailbox is located.

You are at work. Your business email address ends with@thephone-company.com, and you have a personal ISP account that ends with@proseware.comyou dial up or connect to a cable or DSL modem. In Outlook you have the same SMTP server settings that you use at home. You are sending an email message to someone whose email address also ends with@proseware.com.

No. Your mail should be processed normally.

Same as the previous scenario, except you're sending an email message to someone whose email address ends with@adatum.com.

Yes, and this message could be blocked as a relay mail. You are trying to use your home ISP's SMTP (outgoing) server while not connected to the ISP network. The SMTP server cannot validate you as an authorized subscriber of the ISP. You also ask that SMTP server to accept your message and then connect to another SMTP server to deliver it to the recipient's mailbox.

They stay in a hotel or use an internet kiosk at the airport that offers internet access. You have a home ISP account ending with@proseware.comyou dial up or connect to a cable or DSL modem. In Outlook you have the same SMTP server settings that you use at home. You send an e-mail message to another person whose e-mail address also ends with@proseware.com.

No. Your mail should be processed normally.

Same as the previous scenario, except you're sending an email message to someone whose email address ends with@adatum.com.

Yes, and this message could be blocked as a relay mail. You are trying to use your home ISP's SMTP (outgoing) server while not connected to the ISP network. The SMTP server cannot validate you as an authorized subscriber of the ISP. You also ask the SMTP server to accept your message and then connect to another SMTP server to deliver it to the recipient's mailbox.

resolutions

If you are using a scenario that is considered a relay, you must send the message through the server of your current connection. That means if you are at work or traveling and not using your ISP to connect to the internet and want to send a message from your ISP email account at home, you need to change your email account settings to include the SMTP used - Specify server at your location, e.g. B. Your business SMTP server. For step-by-step instructions, seeChange email account settings.

If this solution doesn't work for you, or you'd rather use your home ISP account, the next step is to contact your ISP and see if any of the options previously outlined are available to you. For the first two limitations - SMTP authentication required or prior connection to ISP POP3 email server (incoming) - you can make the changes in Outlook inAccount settings. For procedures, seeChange email account settings.

(Video) SOLVED 550 5.7.520 Access Denied Organization Does Not Allow External Forwarding

Still can't send email messages?

You changed your SMTP settings in Outlook or found an option that allows you to send your email message. However, you still cannot send email and receive an error message.

It's possible that you did everything right but stumbled upon another security feature that network administrators use to prevent identity spoofing. Identity spoofing is simply a way to send an email message and disguise who you really are.

Like most email programs, Outlook lets you specify the "display name" and reply email address that will appear when someone clicks reply to your message. Junk email almost always contains incorrect information in these fields. Do you really think that news you received about a get-rich-quick program came from a supermodel or a world leader?

To prevent identity spoofing, some ISPs restrict the insertion of false information in the reply email address field. For example, if your ISP domain name ends in proseware.com, the ISP may not allow you to set your return email address asterri@contoso.com. This restriction is not used as commonly as the restrictions described previously, but it can be applied to all users regardless of their location and connection. There is no alternative. If your server administrator uses this method, you must provide a domain for the reply email address that matches your current connection.

FAQs

How do I fix SMTP error 553? ›

To resolve this issue, ensure that the IP address and domains are within a blocklist. Additionally, ensure that the email does not have signs associated with spam or malware that may cause a false-positive trigger from the security controls, such as a spam filter.

How do I fix 550 relay not permitted? ›

How to fix this problem:
  1. Refer to our visual step-by-step troubleshooting guide for your specific mail client.
  2. Follow the settings to access the Outgoing SMTP server.
  3. Choose the option to require authentication using a password.
  4. Use the same user name and password for both the incoming and outgoing servers.

What is 550 relay errors when sending mail? ›

Server error 550 or 550 Blocked Error indicates that the recipient is blocking your email on the recipient's email server.

How do I fix Gmail 550 permanent failure for one or more recipients? ›

Server IP Blacklisted by Recipient's Mail Server

So, if you get a “550 permanent failure for one or more recipients” error, the first thing you have to do is to confirm whether your server IP has been blacklisted or not. Moreover, there are lots of tools available that can help you with spam blacklist checks.

How do I fix SMTP problems with email? ›

Solution
  1. Check the SMTP server settings. SMTP server address—Check the host name or network address of the SMTP e-mail server. ...
  2. Check the SMTP authentication settings. Check whether the e-mail server requires authentication. ...
  3. Test SMTP settings by sending a test e-mail. If you are unable to send a test e-mail:

How do I turn off SMTP restrictions? ›

Procedure
  1. Login to WHM as the root user.
  2. Navigate to: "Home »Security Center »SMTP Restrictions."
  3. Click the "Disable" button.
Aug 1, 2022

What does 553 relaying disallowed mean? ›

A 553 email error is normally related to SMTP authentication not being used. Most mail servers require that you authenticate with a valid user on that system, before you're allowed to relay a remote message out.

What is SMTP 550 relaying denied? ›

It's likely that the email server isn't correctly set up to receive and relay messages from your organization. To fix this issue, forward this non-delivery report (NDR) to your email admin. The sender's message was routed to an email server outside Microsoft 365 that returned an error that it can't relay the message.

Why is my email message blocked? ›

Another common way that messages indicating that your message has been blocked appear is by identifying that your email didn't go through for one reason or another. Sometimes, it's because the recipient's email service rejected the email automatically, due to a glitch or other error in its system.

How do I fix sender not authorized for relay? ›

It's likely that the email server isn't correctly set up to receive and relay messages from your organization. To fix this issue, forward this non-delivery report (NDR) to your email admin.

What does this relay isn t allowed to send mail? ›

This message "Relay access denied" or "Relay not permitted" means that the mail server received a message for a recipient at a domain that it doesn't handle email for, and it is refusing to accept it on that basis.

How do I stop email relays? ›

Disable a configured mail relay server for N-able N-central to stop sending email messages and notifications, including those in Office 365 only environments.
  1. Go to Administration > Mail and Network Settings > SMTP Authentication.
  2. Select Do Not Use Mail Relay Server.
  3. Click Save.

How do I check my mail relay server? ›

So, how can I do the open relay test? You can telnet to the server and send an email to another domain using the MAIL FROM and RCPT TO commands. If the final response code is 250 and no authentication was requested, your server is an open relay.

What does relay mean in email? ›

Email relay is the process of transmitting an email message from one server to another. In the picture above, the local post offices would be the SMTP servers and the email transfer that happens between them is what we call 'relaying'.

Why is Gmail blocking all my emails? ›

Gmail block emails if you include links to known spam sources or sites in your emails. Affiliate programs and third-party email marketing tools can trigger domain reputation issues. If you have a low domain reputation, Gmail may block both your domain and your IP address.

Why am I getting a permanent error for email? ›

Permanent errors (Hard Bounces)

Permanent errors indicate when the recipient's server returns the email to the sending server. This usually applies when the address of one or more recipients is no longer active and therefore can't receive messages anymore.

Why is Gmail limiting my emails? ›

"You have reached a limit for sending mail"

You may see this message if you send an email to a total of more than 500 recipients in a single email and or more than 500 emails sent in a day.

How do I check my SMTP server settings? ›

Outlook for PC

In Outlook, click File. Then navigate to Account Settings > Account Settings. On the Email tab, double-click on the account you want to connect to HubSpot. Below Server Information, you can find your incoming mail server (IMAP) and outgoing mail server (SMTP) names.

What is SMTP error while sending mail? ›

SMTP is an internet standard used by mail servers to send and receive email. SMTP error messages help you understand why a message wasn't sent successfully. If incoming or outgoing messages are bouncing, check the bounce messages for an SMTP error code that can help you diagnose the problem.

Is my SMTP port blocked? ›

Type telnet MAILSERVER 25 (replace MAILSERVER with your mail server (SMTP) which may be something like server.domain.com or mail.yourdomain.com). Press Enter. If that port is blocked, you will receive a connection error.

How do I disable SMTP open relay? ›

In order to disable SMTP Open Relay from the IIS, you need to perform the following steps.
...
SMTP Open Relay
  1. Click on the Start Button located on the bottom left side of the screen.
  2. Then, click on the search icon on the screen's upper right side. ...
  3. Once you click on it, a search box will appear.
  4. Type IIS on it.

How do I bypass SMTP authentication? ›

The solution is to add the IP addresses of these servers/sites to SmarterMail's whitelist, and whitelist the IP or IP block for SMTP Authentication Bypass. Adding an IP to the SMTP Auth Bypass whitelist means that the IP address, or IP block, will not be asked to provide an SMTP Authentication login.

Why does my email not allow relaying? ›

The recipient (email address) was rejected by the server because it does not allow relaying”. This need not mean you are sending to an incorrect recipient address. If the mail server feels you are trying to relay through it without proper authentication, this error pops up.

What is error 550 relay not permitted in Outlook? ›

When a user receives a 550 relay not permitted error, it means they are not permitted to send an email via the server that they are attempting to send an email from. When users send an email from their Internet Service Providers (ISP) mail servers, they generally do not have to authenticate themselves.

What is SMTP 550 authentication is required for relay? ›

A "550 Authentication is required for relay" error indicates that your email server requires SMTP authentication in order to send outgoing mail, but the email client used to send email has not been authenticated with your username and password.

How to fix 550 5.7 1? ›

Remove the sender restriction: Change your group settings to unblock the sender in one of the following ways:
  1. Add the sender to the group's allowed senders list. ...
  2. If the sender is restricted because they're external (outside your organization), configure the group to accept messages from external senders.
6 days ago

What is 554 5.7 1 message blocked? ›

554 5.7. 1 : Recipient address rejected: Access denied. The issue only occurs on specific email addresses. The issue happens when the Directory Management or the Active Directory (AD) Sync client is enabled.

Is My email address blacklisted? ›

Because there are more than a hundred blacklists out there, your best bet is to use an aggregate service like MXToolBox to find out if your email address has made its way onto the dark side. Other helpful tools that you might want to try include the Barracuda Reputation Block List, MultiRBL, and Sender Score.

How do I stop emails from being blocked? ›

Here are 15 do's and don'ts to avoid having your email blocked or blocklisted:
  1. Don't buy email lists. ...
  2. Do use double opt-in to confirm email list subscribers. ...
  3. Don't repeatedly send the same or similar content. ...
  4. Don't string readers along with vague content. ...
  5. Don't send attachments, it's a sure way to get blocked.
Jan 18, 2016

How do I get my email unblocked? ›

Here's how to unblock an email address in Gmail on iPhone and Android.
  1. Open the Gmail app on your phone.
  2. Search for the blocked email address or find an old email from the blocked account or look for them in the Spam section.
  3. Tap Unblock sender.
  4. You may also tap the three dots icon and choose Unblock “sender name”.
Jan 31, 2022

What is error code 554 5.7 1 relay access denied? ›

1 : Relay access denied' error means that either the sender has failed security checks or the recipient's mail server is misconfigured, and today, we'll take a look at: What causes Relay Access Denied error.

What is error 550 5.7 1 Access denied? ›

550, "5.7. 1", The user or domain that you are sending to (or from) has a policy that prohibited the mail that you sent. Please contact your domain administrator for further details. For more information, visit Sorry, a policy is in place that prevents your message from being sent.

How do I change my SMTP relay? ›

Install the SMTP Server Role:
  1. Open the Server Manager: Click Start > Run > Server Manager > OK.
  2. Click the Manage drop-down.
  3. Click Add Roles and Features. ...
  4. Click the Next button on the Before You Begin section.
  5. Select the Installation Type radio button (example: Role-based or feature-based installation).
  6. Click Next.

What is relay denied for? ›

The "Relaying Denied" error message is caused by a host that is not recognized as trusted or local trying to send email to recipients that are not on the Mirapoint Message Server. The causes and solutions are as follows: The message should have been delivered locally, but instead generated this error.

What is relay error? ›

Relaying occurs when an email message is sent to an email address whose domain (the name after the @ symbol, such as adatum.com) is not processed by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or outgoing server that the sender is requesting to deliver the message.

What does 550 rejected by header based manually blocked senders mean? ›

550. Rejected by header-based Blocked Senders - Block policy for Header From. A Block Sender Policy has been applied to reject emails based on the Header From or Envelope From address. Delete or change the Blocked Senders policy.

Why does my Google email keep saying error? ›

Sometimes extensions or add-ons you've installed on your browser or applications you've installed on your computer can prevent Gmail from working. Try temporarily turning off these extensions and applications one by one, then using Gmail again to see if that solves the problem.

What does 550 5.4 1 Recipient address rejected Access denied mean? ›

This error typically occurs because of the Directory-Based Edge Blocking (DBEB) settings configured within Exchange Online. DBEB is usually enabled for your accepted domains in Microsoft 365 to reject external emails with addresses that are not present within the Azure Active Directory.

How do I know if my email is blacklisted? ›

Because there are more than a hundred blacklists out there, your best bet is to use an aggregate service like MXToolBox to find out if your email address has made its way onto the dark side. Other helpful tools that you might want to try include the Barracuda Reputation Block List, MultiRBL, and Sender Score.

How do I check if a sender is blocked? ›

On the Home tab, select 'Junk', then 'Junk E-mail Options'. Select the 'Blocked Senders' tab.

How do I fix my Google email? ›

Troubleshooting steps
  1. Step 1: Update your Gmail app. To get the latest fixes on problems with sending or receiving mail, update your Gmail app.
  2. Step 2: Restart your device.
  3. Step 3: Check your settings.
  4. Step 4: Clear your storage. ...
  5. Step 5: Check your password. ...
  6. Step 6: Clear your Gmail information.

How do I reset my Gmail settings? ›

Find settings & make changes
  1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. In the top right, click Settings. See all settings.
  3. At the top, choose a settings page, such as General, Labels, or Inbox.
  4. Make your changes.
  5. After you're done with each page, click Save Changes at the bottom.

What is email rejection 550 5.4 1? ›

This error typically occurs because of the Directory-Based Edge Blocking (DBEB) settings configured within Exchange Online. DBEB is usually enabled for your accepted domains in Microsoft 365 to reject external emails with addresses that are not present within the Azure Active Directory.

What is Gmail reason 550 5.4 1? ›

Why did I get this bounce message? The email server that's generating the error doesn't accept email from the sender's domain (for example, @fabrikam.com). This error is generally caused by email server or DNS misconfiguration.

What is error message 554 5.7 1? ›

554 5.7. 1 : Recipient address rejected: Access denied. The issue only occurs on specific email addresses. The issue happens when the Directory Management or the Active Directory (AD) Sync client is enabled.

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