Recommended email or FTP service for offsite backups?

jimsey · Post by **jimsey** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:47 pm

After a month or two of battling Google mail, it seems that I cannot get the SMTP feature within zoneminder to send emails via STMP using gmail without google disabling the account after a brief period. I think Google's spam brain eventually decides that it does not like the look of the zoneminder emails. First, it stops the login to the account, then it actively disables it with no 'unlock' available.

A flurry of questions spring to mind...

Has anyone got this working?
Is there any other email service that is more zoneminder 'friendly'?
Are there any free FTP hosts that are known to work with zoneminder?
What are you all doing for offsite near-real-time backup of alarm videos or images?

I'm happy to invest in a paid-for service if it is known to work and is reliable... can anyone sell me such a service?

Thanks,
James

Post by **cordel** » Wed Dec 03, 2008 11:40 pm

Likely what is the case is yes most all mail exchanges see a smtp coming from a dynamic IP address and automatically fail it every time.
The only way around it is you would have to buy a domain and setup SPF record in DNS, or setup your own mail server on a static IP.

kevin_robson · Post by **kevin_robson** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:23 am

Strangely I use gmail without any problems.
I'm amazed myself it hasn't been locked (unless it has in the last couple of weeks)
Have no idea why yours would be different.

kevin_robson · Post by **kevin_robson** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:25 am

Sorry, just reread and I'm not sure if you are sending, recieving or both with gmail.
I send mails with my ISP's account to a gmail account and that seems to work.

jimsey · Post by **jimsey** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:44 pm

I had one gmail account for sending via SMTP, and another for receiving. It was the SMTP sending account that was locked.

Static IP not an option, so I should really give up on email, I guess... which is a shame as it is all working nicely... if only Google would trust me!

I had a look at FTP, but the offerings are so confusing, with many not being 'true' FTP anymore and many with limitations unacceptable to zoneminder usage patterns. Perhaps I need to team up with a friend and co-host FTP over our home broadband via dyndns for cross-backups... not sure.

Over to plan C, most likely... put it in the loft or put the hard drive in a safe!

Lee Sharp · Post by **Lee Sharp** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:32 pm

Someone I know recomended http://www.trustywebhosting.com/ which may work for you. But I have never used them. They just look cheap enough to try...

kevin_robson · Post by **kevin_robson** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:41 am

Hasn't wireless storage come down in price quite a bit now? I have a collegue who has a wireless storage system in his loft out of the way, which you could use for this sort of thing.

Otherwise, you and a friend giving a few gig of storage to each other would seem a sensible idea.

Dont you get an email account with your ISP you could use for emailing out with? The last 3 ISPs I've had the most basic packages with lowest allowances on everything, and I've never peen pulled up on usage.

One last thought - are you using SSL when sending out via gmail? Perhaps it would trust SSL more than unencrypted mail? - apologies if this is garbage - I dont fully understand myself but am aware I had to use SSL on my ISP email as it didn't trust non-SSL.

jimsey · Post by **jimsey** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 10:28 am

Lee - that is a fantastic looking host, looks like it does everything. I hope they can sell to UK customers!

Kevin - what a good idea, I could just put some wireless storage in the loft, powered from the lighting circuit. Completely invisible, unless you know it is there. I must have a browse to see what I can find...

Thanks guys!

jimsey · Post by **jimsey** » Fri Dec 05, 2008 11:42 am

I am lucky enough to have two old homeplug ethernet-over-power adapters and an old buffalo linkstation lying around unused... perfect for the job!