Instructions for activating STAMPS
Anti-Spam Filter

Chesapeake.Net has switched from Postini to another spam filter called STAMPS. Customers must activate the new filter in order to be protected from spam by our server.

It is important to understand how STAMPS blocks junk mail.  Since 90% of all e-mail is now considered unsolicited junk-mail, STAMPS uses a “whitelist method” of blocking junk mail which means that it will block  ALL incoming mail except for senders who are in a whitelist, thus allowing almost no junkmail to your inbox.  Once activated your inbox will receive no new mail until you add senders to your whitelist.

NOTE: We realize that for some business uses this filter may not be appropriate.  If this is the case for you, please proceed to the bottom of this page and follow the link to be placed back on the Postini filter.

To activate your new STAMPS anti-spam filter:
(Note: activation can take up to an hour.  After which, you will receive no e-mail in your inbox until you follow the instructions to add senders to your whitelist)

1. log into your new STAMPS spam filter control panel at with your e-mail address and password
2. Select 'YES' for "Will you use the STAMPS pending delivery folder:"
3. click the "UPDATE" button

STAMPS Activation takes anywhere from about 15-90 minutes. 

IMPORTANT: Once fully activated, ALL non-whitelisted senders will first be placed into a "pending delivery" folder on our mail server similar to the Postini quarantine that customers may be familiar with.  From there they must be released in order to be seen in your inbox

To Add senders to your whitelist in STAMPS
(Note: activation can take up to an hour.  The following steps cannot be completed until STAMPS is fully activated

1. Use your web browser to login to your webmail at using your e-mail address and password.
2. Click on the "STAMPS Tools" menu item and then select "Pending Messages" (note: the STAMPS Tools menu will not appear until STAMPS has been fully activated)
3. Select the message(s) and click the appropriate button at the top of the page:

[Release] - to release messages to your inbox
[Release + Whitelist] - to always allow this/these sender(s) to your inbox
[Delete] - to delete message from the pending messages folder
[Delete + Blacklist] - not necessary - if the sender is not on your whitelist - they are automatically blocked

4. You may also edit your whitelist manually by adding e-mail addresses (user@domain.com) or whole servers (domain.com) to your whitelist by clicking on the “STAMPS Tools” menu item and then selecting “whitelist” from the pull-down list and clicking on the edit button

FOR EXAMPLE; to allow all mail to come in from all comcast senders, just at “comcast.com” to the whitelist.  Then anyone with a comcast.com e-mail address will be allowed through the filter no matter what they send you. If you only want to allow a single e-mail address, like myfriend@comcast.com just add the single e-mail address to the whitelist

As time progresses, you will only need to check your “pending delivery” folder occasionally to make sure no wanted messages have been blocked.

(OPTIONAL) Automated Whitelisting of STAMPS
Using this this option, called the challenge/response method, STAMPS sends an automated challenge message to anyone who sends you an e-mail requiring them to verify that they are a valid address.  If they reply, their address will be added to the whitelist automatically.  If they do not reply, their e-mail will not be delivered to your inbox so BE PRUDENT IN USING THIS METHOD as some people may not respond and thus will need to be manually added to the whitelist by you.

TO ACTIVATE the CHALLENGE/RESPONSE METHOD:
1. log into your new STAMPS spam filter control panel at with your e-mail address and password
2. Select 'YES' for "Will you use the challenge-response mechanism of STAMPS::"
3. click the "UPDATE" button

To convert back to using Postini
To convert back to Postini the cost is $2.00 per email address per month. Please complete the Online Request form to initiate this process.  Note: Billing for this service will be handled by our web hosting partners at CBay Hosting LLC in Prince Frederick and will be an annual service.

CONVERT ME BACK TO POSTINI!