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Re: Some email bounces = misconfigured exim?



George Bonser writes:
> In other words, the host you are saying in your HELO is a valid MX host
> for your IP address.

Yes, of course it is.  I'm talking to my ISP's mail server.

> Yes there is if you ever want a bounce to get to the right place. Bounce
> messages use the envelop sender, not the From: or Replay-To:

That's what I thought I said: the mail will be delivered, but bounces may
not come back.  I consider that a minor annoyance.  Your mileage may vary.

> When their root@sympatico.com mailbox starts filling with bounce
> messages...

I thought it was fairly obvious that one should not use names such as
'root' and 'postmaster'.  Best to use the username the ISP gave you.

> ...or their double-bounce message box starts collecting things, they
> might notice.

I have yet to hear a complaint from BrightNet.

> Just send the mail through the ISP's mail server instead of trying to
> deliver it direct. It will save you a LOT of bandwidth.

Of course send the mail through the ISP's mail server.  When did I say
otherwise?

> Also, what happens when you want to send mail at another sympatico.com
> user that is not on your box?

Sending mail to win.bright.net addresses works just fine.  Why would it
not?  win.bright.net certainly won't resolve locally.

> It is just a BAD IDEA to try to make your box think it is your ISP.

That is not what I am doing.  I am telling my MTA to tell BrightNet's mail
server that my box is a host in BrightNet's domain.  And that is true.  On
BrightNet's network, to which I am connected via ppp, I have an FQDN of
something like elk-iqx2-cs-32.win.bright.net.

> No, it is better to use a visible name ofg a valid MX host for your IP
> address,  MOST mailers will accept that, some will not.

What would be best is to use <user>@dhh.gt.org.  That is a valid domain,
but BrightNet's anti-relay stuff won't let me use it.  Next best would be
my BrightNet address: jghasler@win.bright.net.  Smail won't do that either
(or at least, I don't know how to make it).  It insists on prepending the
user name to whatever I put in visible_name and using the result as the
reverse_path.  The mail still goes out, but the reverse_path is not valid.
Maybe exim.

> No that is NOT what will happen. If user foo sends mail, a bounce will
> try to go to foo@sympatico.com which might not exist.

Not if he can make his MTA use a reverse_path of genkin@sympatico.ca for
all users.

> To try to hack ALL senders to one address is foolish.

But I only HAVE one address.  I WANT all bounces to go to
jghasler@win.bright.net.

> It is a lot easier to do it right.

What's right?

> Just send the mail through the ISP's mail server instead of trying to
> deliver it direct.

Did I ever say otherwise?  That is just what I am doing.  If I could
deliver direct I'd set visible_name to dhh.gt.org and be happy.

> Using a service such as dhs you can map a hostname (which is free) to
> your dynamic IP address.

How would that help?
-- 
John Hasler                This posting is in the public domain.
john@dhh.gt.org		   Do with it what you will.
Dancing Horse Hill         Make money from it if you can; I don't mind.
Elmwood, Wisconsin         Do not send email advertisements to this address.


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