> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.opus-host.de/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Request Mail Ports to Be Unblocked on Your VPS

> Outbound mail ports (25, 465, 587) are blocked by default on Opus Host VPS. Request an unblock via a support ticket or Discord — available on the free tier.

Outbound mail ports are blocked by default on every Opus Host VPS. This is standard practice at basically every hosting provider: a fresh VPS with open mail ports is one of the most common sources of spam on the internet, and we prefer not to be that provider.

If you have a legitimate reason to send mail from your VPS, you can request the ports be unblocked. This is available on the **free tier** — no upgrade required.

## Which ports are blocked

| Port | Purpose                                   |
| ---- | ----------------------------------------- |
| 25   | SMTP (server-to-server mail)              |
| 465  | SMTPS (legacy submission over TLS)        |
| 587  | SMTP submission (mail clients to servers) |

All three can be unblocked. Let us know which ones you actually need.

## Requirements

Before we unblock, we check two things:

1. **A good reason.** Tell us what you are building and why you need direct outbound mail. Common accepted use cases include:
   * Transactional email for a real app (signups, password resets, order confirmations).
   * A mail server you are running for your own domain.
   * A newsletter to a list of users who explicitly opted in.
2. **No prior abuse.** Your account must have a clean history. Any previous violation of the [Acceptable Use Policy](/account/rules) — spam, phishing, or abuse reports — will get the request denied.

<Warning>
  "I want to send bulk emails to a list I bought / scraped" is **not** a good reason and the request will be rejected. Doing it anyway after we unblock the ports will get your VPS suspended.
</Warning>

## How to request an unblock

You can reach us through either channel:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Panel Support Ticket" icon="ticket" href="https://opus-host.de/login">
    Open a ticket from the [control panel](https://opus-host.de/login). Best for anything account-specific.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Discord" icon="discord" href="https://discord.gg/opushost">
    Ping us on [discord.gg/opushost](https://discord.gg/opushost). Fine for quick requests.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What to include in your request

Save a round-trip by giving us everything up front:

* The **VPS ID or hostname** you want unblocked.
* **Which ports** you need (25, 465, 587, or all three).
* **What you plan to send** — transactional email for an app, personal mail server, etc.
* The **domain(s)** you will be sending from.
* (Recommended) That you have **SPF, DKIM, and DMARC** set up on the sending domain, or a plan to set them up. This protects your deliverability and reduces the chance you will end up on blocklists.

### Example request

```text theme={null}
Hi Opus Host,

I'd like to request outbound mail unblocks for VPS <id-or-hostname>.

Ports needed: 25, 587
Use case:     Transactional email (signup and password reset) for my SaaS at example.com.
Domain:       mail.example.com
Mail server:  Postfix
SPF/DKIM/DMARC: SPF and DKIM configured, DMARC set to p=none for now.

Thanks!
```

## What happens after

<Steps>
  <Step title="We review the request">
    Standard support response time applies. See [Contact Support](/support/contact).
  </Step>

  <Step title="We unblock the ports">
    If approved, we lift the block on the requested ports for your VPS. No reboot required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="You configure your mail server">
    Set up your mail server (Postfix, exim, or an app-level library) and confirm you can send mail. Consider using a smart host / relay for better deliverability.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## After you are unblocked

* **Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC** on the sending domain. Without them your mail will land in spam or be rejected outright.
* **Set proper rDNS** — open a ticket if you need help setting your VPS's PTR record.
* **Monitor your outbound volume.** A compromised app suddenly sending thousands of emails is a fast way to end up back on the blocklist.
* **Do not send unsolicited mail.** Abuse reports will result in the block being reinstated and, depending on severity, further action on your account.

<Tip>
  If you only need to send a low volume of transactional email, using a third-party relay (like Mailgun, Postmark, or Amazon SES) is often easier than running your own mail server — and their infrastructure is already trusted by major inbox providers.
</Tip>