When trying to send email, you may get an error "550 Access denied - Invalid HELO name" in your email program. You may receive this error when sending emails even if you are able to receive emails.
This error is caused due to a mismatch between the server's security requirements and the settings in your email program. All of our servers have a requirement for "SMTP authentication" in order to send email.
Put simply, when sending email using an email program on your computer (such as Outlook, Thunderbird, or Mac Mail) and you receive the error "550 Access denied - Invalid HELO name" it means you have not ticked the option "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication" in your email application.
For steps on enabling this feature in common email applications, please see below:
- From the Menu Bar, Click Tools then Click E-mail Accounts
- Select "View or change existing e-mail accounts" then Click "Next"
- Select your Email account and click "Change"
- Click "More settings"
- Select the "Outgoing Server" tab
- Select the box beside "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication"
- Select "Use same settings as my incoming email server"
- Click Ok, Next and then Finish.
- From the Menu Bar click Tools, then Account Settings
- This will bring up the Account Settings window where you can click on Outgoing Server (SMTP) at the bottom of the list in on the left side of the window.
- Now select the appropriate outgoing server (ours) and click on Edit.
- Make sure "Authentication method" is set to "Normal password"
- Click OK to close the SMTP edit window and again on the Account Settings window.'
- Within your application click Mail, Preferences, and then Accounts
- Where it says Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP), click the drop down arrow and select "Edit SMTP Server List..."
- Click the Advanced button and make sure Authentication is set to "Password."
- Click OK to close the edit window
You may have to refer to the instructions of your email software to set this feature if you are not using the above applications.