More details are needed.

HOW are you sending mail from your home machine? Are you sending it through your ISP's SMTP server? Some other SMTP server (will probably require password authentication.) Or are you trying to send it from a local SMTP server, or from some email client bypassing SMTP?

First of all, spamhaus.org isn't blocking your mail. Spamhaus only provides various lists that OTHERS can use to block mail from spammers or from suspicious sources.

If you are attempting to use your own SMTP server, this almost certainly is not going to work. Most dial-up, cable-modem, personal DSL, etc. connections will be on a DUL (Dial-up list) list - Spamhaus or otherwise - and many servers are going to reject mail coming directly from any address on a DUL.

The presumption nowadays is that any mail originating directly from a dial-up (or cable modem, or DSL, etc.) line - without first going through an ISP's (or similar) SMTP server is illegitimate. This is necessary due to the huge number of compromised personal machines that have been hijacked through various exploits. "Botnets" made-up of compromised personal machines throw massive amounts of spam onto the net. So, personal machines are simply personna non grata as direct sources of email.

The presumption is that if you go through your ISP's SMTP server, they have at least authenticated that you are a customer of theirs (simply by virtue of having accessed it through one of their IP addresses) and they have some degree of control over your traffic. (i.e. they would be able to shut the traffic off or at least identify the source if a complait was made.)

If you ARE going through your ISP's SMTP server, then you need to ask them why THEY are on one of Spamhaus's lists.

But, first things first. Exactly what list? Are you sure? How do you know this? Have you been in communication with Spamhaus?

I don't understand how you determined that spamhaus was blocking your email. What you describe sounds more like a local computer setup problem.

thanks for the response guys. I used MSN outlook to send mails and I am using my own outgoing mail server to send mail. I use my own SMTP merack mail server ... as in mail.mycompany.co.uk

The error message I get when I try to send mail is from my home machine is:

Task "myemail@mycompany.co.uk = "Sending" reported error (0x800CCC78) : "Unable to send message. Please verify the email address in your account properties. The server responded: 501 5.7.1 <myemail@mycompany.co.uk>...Sender refused by the DNSBL sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org"

this is how I know I know Spamhaus is involved.

First let me make sure I understand your configuration, as it's still not quite clear to me. As I understand it, you have a SMTP server that is part of your web hosting package. You are trying to send mail from your home machine through this SMTP server. Is this correct? If that isn't the case, then the rest of my response may not apply.

"Unable to send message. Please verify the email address in your account properties. The server responded: 501 5.7.1 <myemail@mycompany.co.uk>...Sender refused by the DNSBL sbl-xbl.spamhaus.org

OK, this is easy...

It's YOUR SMTP server that is blocking your mail! YOUR SMTP server is refusing to forward mail from YOU!

YOUR SMTP server is configured to use Spamhaus lists to filter mail. This is probably the way it came pre-configured from your hosting provider. Spamhaus is "involved" only from the perspective that your SMTP server is consulting lists at Spamhaus to determine addresses to refuse to receive mail from.

The SpamHaus XBL list, according to Spamhaus, is a list of IP addresses that have been used for "Illegal 3rd party exploits, including proxies, worms and trojan exploits."

For more information:

[spamhaus.org...]

You have several options:

1. You can request that Spamhaus remove your address from the list. They have a procedure for making this request. Just go to their web site and fill out the form. They are unlikely to do this, however, unless you have a permanent IP address (not a dial-up pool, DHCP-issued dynamic address on a cable or DSL connection, etc.)

2. You can request that your ISP (who you get Internet service from at your home) issue you a different IP address. (If you have a permanent IP address). This doesn't apply if you have a dynamic IP address. Explain to your ISP that you have reason to beleive that a previous holder of that address used it for exploits, and it is now on ban lists.

3. You can configure your server to not use the Spamhaus lists. I wouldn't advise this, as it will increase the amount of spam and exploits that you receive.

4. You can configure your server to "whitelist" your address. Although this will certainly solve the immediate problem, you may have other problems because of the presence of your IP address on the XBL list.

Frankly, I'm surprised that your mail got this far without some configuration. You may have yet another problem. Make sure that your server is not configured as an "open relay".

If others are able to send mail to anyone through your server, you've got an open relay. And THAT will eventually get your server banned - much worse than having your home IP address banned.

Your server should only accept mail for destinations in YOUR domain(s), unless the sender is on a list of specific addresses allowed to use the server to send mail anywhere. (Or, must be on a specific use of authenticated users.) You should test this.

One correction: it appears your server is using the SBL-XBL combined list, not the XBL. I misread your post.

The XBL lists sources of expliots. The SBL lists "Direct UBE sources, verified spam services and ROKSO spammers." ROKSO is the "register of Known Spam Operations", a list of addresses used by known professional spam operations that have been terminated by a minimum of 3 ISPs for spam offenses.

I'd suggest that you go to the website and query the database to see which list your IP address is in, and then take any corrective action from there.

thanks for the help jtara!