What can I do if my IP address is blacklisted?
The answer to this question depends on what kind of user you are, and what kind of IP address you have. So, we’ll break it down. The first step if your IP address is listed is to determine whether your machine, or a machine sharing your IP address which is under your control is sending out spam. If you’re absolutely sure that nothing under your control is sending out spam, you can visit the blacklist removal pages provided by most IP blacklist operators, and request the removal of your address. Here are some links to the removal tools provided by a few of the more popular IP blacklists:
Spamhaus Blocklist Removal Centre
SORBS Listing Check
UCEPROTECT Listing Check
We can’t stress enough how important it is to verify that you’re not actually sending spam. In many, many cases where someone’s IP address has been blacklisted, the cause is a machine within their own home or office network, which has been compromised and is sending spam. If you don’t fix the spam sending problem, then any attempt to move to a new IP address or de-list your listing will quickly fail and may lead to more severe listings. For ISPs and hosting companies, outbound spam filtering is a great way to help customers determine if they are sending spam.
If you can’t remove your IP from the blacklist, or if the blacklisting is definitely the result of someone else’s bad behaviour, then your best option is to find a new IP address or address space (i.e. subnet). Depending on what kind of Internet user you are, new IP addresses are obtained in a variety of ways. Here are the most common:
Residential ISP or Mobile User – Try recycling your IP address by “refreshing your DHCP lease”; if that fails, ask your provider for a new IP address.
Commercial ISP User – If you’re sure your network is clean, contact your ISP and ask for a new static IP address.
Cloud Hosting User – Try sending your email out through a service like SendGrid.
Dedicated Hosting Customer – Check other IP addresses near yours (i.e. in the same /24 subnet). If others are listed, you may have been dragged along. Ask to be moved to a new subnet if possible.
