The Center for Academic Computing (CAC) e-mail server (smtp.psu.edu) accepts an enormous amount of e-mail each day. To ensure that only valid Penn State e-mail is sent, the CAC changed the way outgoing mail is processed as of December 20, 1999.
You will be unaffected by this change if you are sending mail using Penn State exclusively as your Internet Service Provider (ISP) through the campus backbone, computer labs, residence hall Ethernet connection or a C&IS University dial-up connection.
Individuals who use a third-party ISP such as AT&T @Home or America Online will be affected by this change. You must check mail before attempting to send mail out through smtp.psu.edu. Mail that is sent without first successfully checking for new e-mail on the server will be rejected. This means that you must check your mail before sending e-mail every time you make a new dial-up connection via AOL, for example. For @HOME users, you will have to check before sending the first time you use @HOME in a given hour or so. If you check e-mail via @Home every 30 minutes, you will not be affected after the first time you check e-mail in a given session.
If this proves to be a problem for you, a solution is to designate
a different SMTP host in your mail settings. We recommend that
you check with your ISP to obtain the correct settings for their
SMTP server. Some ISPs may not permit you to send Penn State
addressed e-mail via their SMTP server.
For additional information, see the following Web sites: Internet Access Guide: http://cac.psu.edu/internet
Penn State E-mail: http://cac.psu.edu/internet/email.html
Checking your mail while away from Penn State: http://cac.psu.edu/internet/emailaway.html
Dial-up Modem Access: http://cac.psu.edu/internet/dialup
If you need assistance, please contact the CAC Help Desk at
814-863-1035 or 814-863-2494 or send e-mail to helpdesk@psu.edu.
For locations and hours, see the Help Desk Web site at
http://cac.psu.edu/consulting. Local computer support staff
are encouraged to send questions to postmaster@psu.edu.
