HELP! SMTP + IMAP +Domain setup

[SeijiSensei]

As far as reverse IP, that's resolved by using the CNAME pointer in your DNS records.

No, it isn't. It depends on whether there's a correct record for his IP address in the in-addr.arpa domain for his network block. In most instances the ISP is authoritative for the blocks they administer and must create an appropriate reverse entry.

balagosa, if they aren't willing to forward your mail, can they at least give you a correct reverse DNS entry? Since you have a static address, any competent provider should be able to set up your reverse DNS entry.

[apollothethird]

No, it isn't. It depends on whether there's a correct record for his IP address in the in-addr.arpa domain for his network block. In most instances the ISP is authoritative for the blocks they administer and must create an appropriate reverse entry.

balagosa, if they aren't willing to forward your mail, can they at least give you a correct reverse DNS entry? Since you have a static address, any competent provider should be able to set up your reverse DNS entry.

It's very rare occasion that there won't be a record for an assigned IP. It's so rare that I'm certain the user can depend on it just by typing "host IP" and getting it.

The steps I provided are steps that the user can don on his own and it's unlikely those steps will fail.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[SeijiSensei]

It's very rare occasion that there won't be a record for an assigned IP. It's so rare that I'm certain the user can depend on it just by typing "host IP" and getting it.

ISPs often assign arbitrary names to IP addresses for reverse DNS, but that doesn't help when it comes to sending mail. Many SMTP servers expect the server's forward and reverse lookups to match. For instance, my ISP (Verizon FiOS) reports the name of my router as "static-12-345-67-89.bstnma.fios.verizon.net" (using my real IP address, of course). If I were sending mail through this device as "mail.example.com", some remote SMTP servers will object because the forward and reverse names don't match. That would be true even if "mail.example.com" correctly resolves to the same IP address.

Unless the ISP "delegates" reverse name service using RFC 2317, the end-user has no control over the reverse ("PTR") records.

[apollothethird]

ISPs often assign arbitrary names to IP addresses for reverse DNS, but that doesn't help when it comes to sending mail. Many SMTP servers expect the server's forward and reverse lookups to match. For instance, my ISP (Verizon FiOS) reports the name of my router as "static-12-345-67-89.bstnma.fios.verizon.net" (using my real IP address, of course). If I were sending mail through this device as "mail.example.com", some remote SMTP servers will object because the forward and reverse names don't match. That would be true even if "mail.example.com" correctly resolves to the same IP address.

Unless the ISP "delegates" reverse name service using RFC 2317, the end-user has no control over the reverse ("PTR") records.

Hi, Seijisensei. Most or all of what you say might be true. However, that doesn't negate the steps I provided the user. The steps I gave him has to be done (or should be done anyway). They might work. But if there is a chance his mail fails, it would leave him with still simple steps to follow. Most likely the last one would be for him to put in a ticket indicating the resolve for his purchased (rented) IP. Most likely his ISP would provide this for him if it were presented clear enough.

Looking at the user's previous post, his request to his ISP might have had an element of vague which caused them to give him a blanket response that he's not paying for IT services and setup... just the working components of his package. It might have appeared that he was asking them to setup an mail server for him and resolve all the technical components.

The mail from my server worked when I used IP addresses and CNAMES, as what I suggested for this user. There was a time when my mail server resolved to the name of my upstream (216-153-132-69-choiceone.com). I used a canonical name for years (outgoing.apollo3.com IN CNAME [name given by upstream]). I eventually sent in a ticket requesting the IP be resolved to the hostname I provided in the ticket.

If he setup his DNS server and has this one element left and it fails, it would be simple for him to proceed with the same.

Since I have a number of domains I work with, I'm going to setup a test mail server and see if it'll work with the CNAME.

I would like to remind you that I gave the user steps to follow. Again, each of the steps I gave him are important. He made it clear that he was having problems understanding the full scope. So he can consider performing the steps I gave him, which is first to setup his DNS server... making it visible to the internet. Use the CNAME for his smtp server. Complete that step and let us know if he continues to have problems.

Again, if the CNAME entry fails, I'm certain his ISP would prefer to make a simple entry in his DNS server rather than loose the client (unless of course he really doesn't have the dedicated IP, but it's shared with other customers).

He can check if he really has the dedicate IP by creating a web page and attempting to access that page by the IP itself.

I understand that many of you have your own systematic approach for resolving issues and setting up services. But I believe the method I describe is also viable.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[balagosa]

Just got back online. Starting to read the replies. Thanks guys for the help

When making edits or additional info, I will create a new reply. Give me time to absorb the information.

[balagosa]

No, it isn't. It depends on whether there's a correct record for his IP address in the in-addr.arpa domain for his network block. In most instances the ISP is authoritative for the blocks they administer and must create an appropriate reverse entry.

balagosa, if they aren't willing to forward your mail, can they at least give you a correct reverse DNS entry? Since you have a static address, any competent provider should be able to set up your reverse DNS entry.

still contacting my ISP for the reverse DNS. damn they are slow. But on my domain provider, everything is ok with the reverse DNS for my website. They just wont relay mail for me.

[SeijiSensei]

still contacting my ISP for the reverse DNS. damn they are slow. But on my domain provider, everything is ok with the reverse DNS for my website. They just wont relay mail for me.

Is your website running on a virtual machine that you control, or do you have only a web service account? If you have a real VM, you could forward the mail through it and take advantage of the existing reverse-DNS configuration.

All the mail I handle goes through a Linode VM. All their VMs have static IPs and the ability to designate a reverse DNS entry through the control panel.

[balagosa]

Hi, Seijisensei. Most or all of what you say might be true. However, that doesn't negate the steps I provided the user. The steps I gave him has to be done (or should be done anyway). They might work. But if there is a chance his mail fails, it would leave him with still simple steps to follow. Most likely the last one would be for him to put in a ticket indicating the resolve for his purchased (rented) IP. Most likely his ISP would provide this for him if it were presented clear enough.

Looking at the user's previous post, his request to his ISP might have had an element of vague which caused them to give him a blanket response that he's not paying for IT services and setup... just the working components of his package. It might have appeared that he was asking them to setup an mail server for him and resolve all the technical components.

The mail from my server worked when I used IP addresses and CNAMES, as what I suggested for this user. There was a time when my mail server resolved to the name of my upstream (216-153-132-69-choiceone.com). I used a canonical name for years (outgoing.apollo3.com IN CNAME [name given by upstream]). I eventually sent in a ticket requesting the IP be resolved to the hostname I provided in the ticket.

If he setup his DNS server and has this one element left and it fails, it would be simple for him to proceed with the same.

Since I have a number of domains I work with, I'm going to setup a test mail server and see if it'll work with the CNAME.

I would like to remind you that I gave the user steps to follow. Again, each of the steps I gave him are important. He made it clear that he was having problems understanding the full scope. So he can consider performing the steps I gave him, which is first to setup his DNS server... making it visible to the internet. Use the CNAME for his smtp server. Complete that step and let us know if he continues to have problems.

Again, if the CNAME entry fails, I'm certain his ISP would prefer to make a simple entry in his DNS server rather than loose the client (unless of course he really doesn't have the dedicated IP, but it's shared with other customers).

He can check if he really has the dedicate IP by creating a web page and attempting to access that page by the IP itself.

I understand that many of you have your own systematic approach for resolving issues and setting up services. But I believe the method I describe is also viable.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Actions to do:
1) Look for a guide to setup a DNS server exposed to WAN. Any hints or tips?
2) contact ISP for reverse DNS

You have an above comment of dedicated IP. Yes, I do have a dedicated IP. From what I understand of your post. I have the right tools with the wrong implementation.

[apollothethird]

still contacting my ISP for the reverse DNS. damn they are slow. But on my domain provider, everything is ok with the reverse DNS for my website. They just wont relay mail for me.

Is your DNS server visible from the Internet (not just your local network)?

What do you get when you run from a terminal prompt:

host [yourmailsmptserver] 8.8.8.8

Substitute the "[yoursmtpserver]" for the smpt server you have in the DNS configurations that you maintain (without the brackets of course).

The steps that

still contacting my ISP for the reverse DNS. damn they are slow. But on my domain provider, everything is ok with the reverse DNS for my website. They just wont relay mail for me.

Is your DNS server visible from the Internet (not just your local network)?

What do you get when you run from a terminal prompt:

host [yourmailsmptserver] 8.8.8.8

Substitute the "[yoursmtpserver]" for the smpt server you have in the DNS configurations that you maintain.

The steps that I provided you so far are all under your control. Your ISP doesn't come into the picture at all.

If you setup everything on your end, it'll probably work without problems. If you do have a problem, any support ticket submitted to your IP would be very direct and easily resolvable.

Actions to do:
1) Look for a guide to setup a DNS server exposed to WAN. Any hints or tips?
2) contact ISP for reverse DNS

You have an above comment of dedicated IP. Yes, I do have a dedicated IP. From what I understand of your post. I have the right tools with the wrong implementation.

I'll start out with #1. Configure your domain to use the IP of your DNS server for it's Name Server.

You can check it by running the cli:

whois [domainname]

Substitude Domainname for the name of your domain without the brackets. You can also use "apollo3.com" or "microsoft.com" to see other examples.

You should find a control panel on the site where you registered your domain to set up the name servers. You'll have to use two... a primary and secondary server.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames


I provided you so far are all under your control. Your ISP doesn't come into the picture at all.

If you setup everything on your end, it'll probably work without problems. If you do have a problem, any support ticket submitted to your IP would be very direct and easily resolvable.

Actions to do:
1) Look for a guide to setup a DNS server exposed to WAN. Any hints or tips?
2) contact ISP for reverse DNS

You have an above comment of dedicated IP. Yes, I do have a dedicated IP. From what I understand of your post. I have the right tools with the wrong implementation.

I'll start out with #1. Configure your domain to use the IP of your DNS server for it's Name Server.

You can check it by running the cli:

whois [domainname]

Substitude Domainname for the name of your domain without the brackets. You can also use "apollo3.com" or "microsoft.com" to see other examples.

You should find a control panel on the site where you registered your domain to set up the name servers. You'll have to use two... a primary and secondary server. You can actually setup an account on a site such as http://opendns.org for the secondary name server. Opendns is a free resource. You can find others via a Google search.

But again, you'd either have your DNS maintainer setup this configuration (of which you're saying they won't do) or you'd setup your own.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames