Solution for SMTP Error “554 Permanent Problems With The Remote Server”

Dealing with email problems may be challenging, especially if there is no clear description of the mistake. “554 persistent difficulties with the remote server” is one of these SMTP errors. As part of our server support services for web providers, Bobcares helps clients fix roadrunner email issues. We’ll talk about the top four causes of this problem today and their solutions.

What is the 554 SMTP error?

Website owners frequently observe an ambiguous error number, such as 554, in the email bounce-back message. What does the error code 554 indicate? A perplexing question, always. The From or To headers of the message includes something the receiving server doesn’t like, according to the 554 error code. This can happen if a spam filter flags your computer as a relay or a device that shouldn’t be trusted to send emails from your domain.

How to Fix SMTP Error “554 Permanent Problems With the Remote Server”

Now that we understand the basics of 554 SMTP failures. The primary causes of the error “554 persistent difficulties with the remote server” and how our Server Support Engineers resolve them are discussed below.

• IP Blacklist for the Sender

The sender’s IP address’s bad reputation is one of the primary causes of this issue. Continual spam incidents, open relays, etc. frequently lead to the IP address of the sender being blacklisted. As a result, important spam monitoring systems like SpamHaus, DNSSBL, SORBS, etc. will ban the mail server IP. Before allowing the connection, major email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail check the reputation of the IPs, and if any issues are found, they will refuse the emails.

How to fix it?

First, our Server Support Engineers verify that the sender’s IP address does not show up in any RBLs. Here, online resources are useful. Finally, we submit a delisting request to the RBLs if the IP is banned after locating the spam’s source, fixing it, and taking preventive steps.

• Spam-reported Sender

Sometimes the receiver server employs unique blacklists or filters with stringent guidelines to keep an eye on the incoming communications. Emails that don’t comply with these guidelines will thus be banned at the receiver end. For instance, the receiver filter will flag the connection as suspicious if the message content contains spam terms or the sender attempts to transmit to multiple permitted addresses at once. Similar to this, well-known email service providers like Yahoo offer a lot of guidelines for sending bulk emails, email sending restrictions, etc. The message is banned if any of these rules are broken. Users also encounter persistent issues with the remote server, such as error code 554.

How to Fix it? 

Firstly, consider the message’s content. We advise the customer to delete the message and submit it again if we discover an unsupported file type, spam, etc. in the message. Additionally, in order to allow mail flow, the sender domain must be whitelisted at the receiver end if the message is legitimate.

• Invalid DNS Records

Similar to how sender domain DNS records might cause recipient servers to refuse emails.  In order to validate the sender, the receiver server often verifies DNS records like RDNS(PTR), SPF, DKIM, etc. Emails will be discarded if any differences are found in these records.  As a result, users get errors like 554 that indicate ongoing issues with the remote server. Let’s now examine these 4 documents in further detail.

1. RDNS(PTR) record: The transmitting IP address is converted into the domain name via reverse DNS or PTR records. This guarantees that a legitimate domain name is associated with the IP address. Furthermore, it verifies that emails don’t originate from dial-up connections or changeable IPs, which are frequent tactics employed by spammers. Emails from servers with a poor RDNS record or no RDNS record are frequently blocked by email services like Yahoo, Gmail, and others.
2. SPF history: SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records are frequently used by email providers to stop spammers from sending illegal emails from their domain. In other words, the SPF record lists server IP addresses that are authorized to send emails on the domain’s behalf. Additionally, it will reject emails that don’t come from any of these IPs. By doing this, it combats email spoofing. We have observed instances when the IP address of the mail server has changed but the SPF record does not yet include the new IP address. The receiver rejects the email because they notice that it comes from a server that isn’t included in the SPF record.           
3. DKIM data: Similar to this, DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) records sign your emails so that the destination server can verify the legitimacy of the sender. Some mail servers refuse emails if there are no DKIM records because they assume the sender is a phony.
4. Record for DMARC: Domain Message Authentication Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) records, like SPF and DKIM, assist the recipient server in confirming the sender’s legitimacy by confirming that an email comes from the stated source.  Email rejections can occasionally be caused by a missing DMARC record.

How to Fix it?

First, our support engineers double-check the sender domain’s DNS records, including PTR, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Additionally, we’ll instantly fix any discrepancies by updating the records as needed.

• Recipient Mistakes

The receiver mail server’s issues are another cause of the error. This may be brought on by the receiver domain’s erroneous MX record, a deactivated or suspended domain, and more.

How to Fix it?

Our support engineers use the below command, dig domain.com, to verify the recipient domain and its MX records. MX We next use the command telnet domain.com 25 to confirm that we are connected to the receiving mail server. It is necessary to fix any connection issues or missing X entries at the receiver end. The following command is used by our support engineers to check the recipient domain’s MX records: dig domain.com MX. We next use the command telnet domain.com 25 to confirm that we are connected to the receiving mail server. It is necessary to fix any connection issues or missing MX entries at the receiver end.

Conclusion

In other words, “554 persistent difficulties with the remote server” might occur for a variety of reasons, including incorrect DNS records, an unreliable IP address, and more. We’ve spoken about the top 4 causes of this problem today and how our server support engineers can repair them. If you have any problem with your Roadrunner email account, the Roadrunner or Spectrum email problems support team is available to help you with any such issues.