Trouble with email

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BadTA

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I am having trouble sending mail to a certain domain. According to the MailService log files it is not connecting to the appropriate mail server on the other end.

For example, if I am sending email to [email protected] the mail server at domain.com might not be domain.com, but that is what is happening. If I do an nslookup and set type=mx domain.com shows a mailserver at mail1.domain.com, but in my log file, it is trying to connect to domain.com:25 instead of mail1.domain.com:25.

Any idea why nslookup gets it right but the mail server doesn't? The mail server is Max OSX 10.3.

Thanks
Mark
 
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Are you suggesting sending mail to [email protected]?

If an email address is [email protected] it is up to the other side to get it as that. Not for you to send it differently. Your smtp server doesn't do a lookup for right and wrong, asside from formatting the address.

If you ping mail1.domain.com and domain.com you'll get the same IP if they are behind the same firewall. If the mail server is somewhere else the ISP/host will need the MX record to reflect where to direct mail traffic.
 
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BadTA said:
I am having trouble sending mail to a certain domain. According to the MailService log files it is not connecting to the appropriate mail server on the other end.

For example, if I am sending email to [email protected] the mail server at domain.com might not be domain.com, but that is what is happening. If I do an nslookup and set type=mx domain.com shows a mailserver at mail1.domain.com, but in my log file, it is trying to connect to domain.com:25 instead of mail1.domain.com:25.

Any idea why nslookup gets it right but the mail server doesn't? The mail server is Max OSX 10.3.

Thanks
Mark

First off, its better to use an online "DNS Lookup" tool (one can be found here http://www.DNSstuff.com). Otherwise, there is a very good chance you will get the wrong results, if you are using the nslookup on your computer (at least from my experiences).

However, from the info that you posted, it appears that the mail server for your domain is not accepting port 25 connections. It could also be that your firewall is blocking port 25. Check your firewall settings first, but if your mail server is not accepting port 25 connections no one will be able to send mail to that server.
 
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BadTA

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I can ping mail1.domain.com, but not domain.com. The confusing part is if do an nslookup and set type=mx, it shows proper mx records (mail1.domain.com), but my mail server keeps trying to connect to domain.com:25 and not mail1.domain.com:25.

The other confusing part is that people in that domain are able to receive mail from others, just not us.

Mark
 
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I guess I'm having trouble grasping your problem.

You have an internal mail server. (xserve?)
There is a company other than your own that you can't send mail to.

If your mail server is sending out mail to a domain.com address it is up to the other end to properly resolve the mail1.domain.com to the mail server. Not for you to send it to the right mail server.

Perhaps your domain has been black listed on there side by accident. If they are using any GFI mail essential tools (or other anti spam products) a user could easily block a whole domain. Have you spoken with their admin?

It's quite possible that they have stealth mode enabled on the domain.com and that is why you can't ping it.
 
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BadTA

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I don't think I am blacklisted. I can telnet to their mailserver and send an email that way. Also, I don't think it is an issue with their DNS records, as they are able to receive email from other domains. It is just our mailserver is not getting the MX record for their domain.

Mark
 
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BadTA

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Also, this has happened in the past and I noticed that the problem clears up when the DNS cache entry has expired and my mailserver retrieves new DNS cache entries.

I am not very Mac savvy, so any help would be appreciated.

Mark
 
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Telnet-ing (i assume on port 25) to their mail server has nothing to do with blacklists. Or DNS.

If a mail user on their domain marks a message from your domain as spam, your entire domain could become blacklisted by their server.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO CONFIGURE YOUR MX RECORD TO SEE THEIR DOMAIN!!! Do you have to do that with anyother domain? No you don't.

Your MX record is for you.

Create a sub domain called something else and try to send a message that way.

If you say you're waiting for dns to flush try this, but I doubt that is your issue.

sudo killall lookupd
lookupd -flushdnscache

I telling you if you can send mail everywhere else than it's on there end. Unless you are blocking mail to that domain. Which I would imagine you aren't otherwise you wouldn't have posted this.
 
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BadTA

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Ok, I still think this is a DNS issue somehow. I tried the two commands you listed already, but it is still not finding the correct MX record for the domain I am sending to.

Here is a snippet of my Mail log file when the mail goes through:


Aug 1 2005 14:29:38 SMTP connection attempt for host "marshpm.com". DNS Cache entry has expired. Retrieving new DNS cache entries.
Aug 1 2005 14:30:53 SMTP failed to connect to server "mail14.mcapp.com:25" using TCP/IP during connection attempt for "marshpm.com".
Aug 1 2005 14:30:53 SMTP connected to server "mail3.mcapp.com:25" using TCP/IP to send data for host "marshpm.com".
Aug 1 2005 14:30:54 SMTP Sent Message ID: 559382, Size (k): 8, Recipient(s): 1, Message transfer time: 00:01, Total delivery time: 01:16.
Aug 1 2005 14:30:54 SMTP closed connection to TCP/IP server "mail3.mcapp.com".


Here is a snippet of when it stopped working:

Aug 2 2005 07:14:48 SMTP connection attempt for host "marshpm.com". DNS Cache entry has expired. Retrieving new DNS cache entries.
Aug 2 2005 07:16:39 SMTP failed to connect to server "marshpm.com:25" using TCP/IP during connection attempt for "marshpm.com".


It seems that the problem occurs when my DNS cache expires and it retrieves new cache entries.
 
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Let's start over,...

Have you configured the xserve as a primary dns server?

If so did you enter any information about this domain?

Where does the xserve get secondary dns?

terminal command: man lookupd
 
OP
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BadTA

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The xserve is our primary DNS server and also the mailsever. I am not sure what you are asking when you ask "did you enter any information about this domain?"

The xserve gets its secondary DNS from the DNS servers appointed by our ISP.

Mark
 

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