Topic: smtp will not start

[jan]

Hi all,

I just did a fresh install of the sme 5.5. One problem is that qmail.init
smtpd and smtpfwdd is not started. I know this because I just installed the e-smith-service-control. Which seems to mean I can receive mail but not send it, just found that one out

I tried to activate smtp using the service-control tool... no luck. I saw another thread here somewhere but no solution or cause was found. Has anyone had this problem also? If so I'm inclined to think its a bug and wil submit it.

The solution I'm using is to delegate mailservice to my isp's smtp but I'd really like to use my own. One last thing I installed e-smith 5.5 before with no problems at all.... really strange.

Any thoughts, help etc. is appreciated.

Jan

[jan]

Hello again,

I found something strange: I used Darell May's server status rpm and checked the services running on my troubled 5.5 box. It shows my smtp is running even though the services module in the server manager panels says it is not (this contrib is from Jay Miller) I checked Outlook and it seems to work fine with both IMAP and smtp pointing to the sme box.... strange!  I wonder how long this will stay this way?

Previously I tried delegating my smtp functions to my ISP's smtp using the 'other e-mail settings'- menu in the server manager panel. I assumed it would show up as being activated.... guess what .... it doesn't.

So now the workaround would be to change the smtp server on all the clients manually before the sme-box decides to stop the smtp services again. Not so easy for me because I only have access some of the time.

Some Questions:
How do I check running services using console?
What causes these opposing messages?
How can I fix this problem?
 
Thanks in advance for all your help.

regards,

Jan

[Charlie Brady]

jan wrote:

> I found something strange: I used Darell May's server status
> rpm and checked the services running on my troubled 5.5 box.
> It shows my smtp is running even though the services module
> in the server manager panels says it is not (this contrib is
> from Jay Miller) I checked Outlook and it seems to work fine
> with both IMAP and smtp pointing to the sme box.... strange!

No, not strange. SMTP is done quite differently in 5.5, and neither the service-control nor service-status contribs have yet been updated.

Charlie

[Charlie Brady]

jan wrote:

> I just did a fresh install of the sme 5.5. One problem is
> that qmail.init, smtpd and smtpfwdd is not started. I know
> this because I just installed the e-smith-service-control.

qmail.init, smtpd and smtpfwdd are not started in 5.5. So what you see is completely normal.

> Which seems to mean I can receive mail but not send it, just
> found that one out

Why can't you send mail? Look in the mail log file analysis panel - there is an option to show reason for failure.

Some ISPs block outbound SMTP. Your only choice is to use the ISPs SMTP server as SmartHost.

> The solution I'm using is to delegate mailservice to my isp's
> smtp

So is that working?

> but I'd really like to use my own.

You might need to change ISPs to do that.

Charlie

[jan]

Hello Charlie,

Thank you for your quick response. OK, so I 'm getting mixed signals from the contrib modules about my smtp's status because they are not 5.5 compatibel. That explains a lot but not all.

I've been running sme 5.0to 5.5 over 18 months now the last version since the day it came out. I never had any problems sending mail using the SME-smtp untill yesterday when I freshly installed sme-5.5. It is not an ISP problem (to be sure I checked with them).

In the maillog I do not get failures but do get deferrals:
6    0.35  CNAME lookup failed temporarily. (#4.4.3)/

I'm not absolutely sure but the deffered messages might have become failed messages if I hadn't quickly after sending set the server to delegate smtp to my ISP. This was within 10 minutes or so after not receiving the mail. I'm connected to the internet using ADSL.

What remains unresolved is:
1. I seem unable to set my sme-box to use the ISP's SMTP. After activating this setting using the userpanel I cannot verify if its alive when rechecking the panel.  Using Outlook I can delegate the smtp to my ISP client-side so the problem I think is on the SME-side. How can I check if SME has delegated smtp to my ISP?

2. What might cause above mentioned defferals, and where do I start checking ?

Presently I'm using SME's smtp again and it seems to work now. Still... knowing why it happened and what to do about it would be nice.

Any thoughts on this?

regards,

Jan