How vulnerable is a VPS to blacklisting?

[rohit]

Hello folks,

How vulnerable is a VPS to blacklisting?

[seoexpert147]

Although we cannot directly help you in removing your listing from blacklisting sites, we can offer advice on how to guard against blacklisting.

Firstly, you may want to check if your IP address has been blacklisted by doing a look up of your IP address on mxtoolbox.com.

Please see below for advice on email configuration and settings which may prevent future listings, we recommend you consider the following:

Configuring your mail so that unsent mail is not set to bounce.
Any users on your VPS sending bulk email (opt in or not) should use external bulk mail providers rather than your vps mail server.
Check your reverse DNS records are configured properly, click here to find out how to configure reverse dns.
Check that the server host name is set to the domain name of the mail server and not a generic name.
SPF Records:

We also recommend setting up a SPF record, this allows you to specify IP addresses that are legitimately allowed to send email for your domain name. The purpose of this to stop spammers trying to use your domain name. You can generate an SPF record for your site here: http://old.openspf.org/wizard.html.

1) Enter your domain name in the top box and click begin.
2) If you use your VPS as a mail-server then select YES. If not, click NO and enter other IP addresses used to send email from your domain these will need to be listed in the IP4 box further below.
3) Click generate once you are happy with information entered.
4) If you are using an external registrar they must send the code to them. If not and you are hosted by our sister company 123-reg then please see the following support article.
Once you have implemented these changes, check http://www.mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx to review any lists you are blacklisted at, and contact them sequentially explaining the actions that you have taken and to request a de-listing.