Topic: Only Receiving Some Incomming Mail!

[frijj2k]

I have a very strange problem and was hoping that somebody here could help me or at least point me in the right direction.

I am using SME Server 6.5 beta2 but the problem was also there on 6.0.1 and previous versions... its because of this problem that I have upgraded to the latest version in the hope that it would sort it but it hasnt.

Basically my problem is that I am only receiving some of the incomming mail.

For example, I login to my yahoo webmail account and send myself a test message and then check to see if I have received it...

Some of the messages I do receive but every now and then (approx every 4th or 5th message) I do not receive the message I sent myself.

I have checked the qmail-current log and there is no trace of the message whatsoever.

I am not sending the mail incorrectly as the address is pasted everytime to make sure it is correct.

Many other users on my network are also not receiving mail which they are expecting.

Sending works fine. The system is setup as a standard SMTP server and is running on a static ip address. I dont understand why I am only getting some and not all mail intended for me.

The server has no extra contribs installed... it is simply v6.5 beta2 (clean install).

Hope somebody can help me on this one as its been wrecking my head for weeks now...

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Dave

[Damian]

Dave,

Using an offsite linux/UNIX machine (home box or friends):
 
Check the MX record for your domain (dig -t MX mydomain.com). Then check that the server name returned reverse lookups to you fixed IP address (nslookup returned_address.com).
Are you in server-only mode for SME ? If so check that your router/firewall is forwarding incoming port 25 to your SME's IP.
That should prove/disprove the external stuff. You've probably done it already but go through the motions.

Damian

[pfloor]

[Post erased by pfloor]

[frijj2k]

Thanks to both of you for replying.

Just got into the office so will try your suggestions now and let you know how I get on....

[frijj2k]

Right...

The output from dig is as follows...

--------------------------------------------------------
; <<>> DiG 2.1 <<>> @dns1.menandmice.is sure24.net MX
; (1 server found)
;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
;; got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 10
;; flags: qr rd ra; Ques: 1, Ans: 2, Auth: 5, Addit: 5
;; QUESTIONS:
;; sure24.net, type = MX, class = IN
;; ANSWERS:
sure24.net.    1799    MX    10 mail.sure24.net.   
sure24.net.    1799    MX    10 ibmr.btconnect.com.   
;; AUTHORITY RECORDS:
sure24.net.    3599    NS    dns3.name-services.com.   
sure24.net.    3599    NS    dns4.name-services.com.   
sure24.net.    3599    NS    dns5.name-services.com.   
sure24.net.    3599    NS    dns1.name-services.com.   
sure24.net.    3599    NS    dns2.name-services.com.   
;; ADDITIONAL RECORDS:
dns1.name-services.com.    163910    A    63.251.163.102   
dns2.name-services.com.    163910    A    216.52.184.230   
dns3.name-services.com.    163910    A    63.251.83.36   
dns4.name-services.com.    163910    A    64.74.96.242   
dns5.name-services.com.    163910    A    212.118.243.118   
;; Total query time: 0 msec
;; FROM: us.mirror.menandmice.com to SERVER: default -- 0.0.0.0
;; WHEN: Fri Feb 18 04:42:44 2005
;; MSG SIZE sent: 28 rcvd: 272
--------------------------------------------------------

so it appears to be correct as at my ISP's end I changed the mx record so that mail.sure24.net goes to  217.40.214.9 which is the address of my mail server.

i then did a nslookup of mail.sure24.net returned...

------------------------------------------------------
NSLookup mail.sure24.net

Fri, 18 Feb 2005 03:53:22 -0800

Server:  localhost
Address:  127.0.0.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    mail.sure24.net
Address:  217.40.214.9
------------------------------------------------------

so reverse lookup appears to be fine too...

The server is running as server/gateway and my router/firewall (for testing) is allowing all ports through to my mail server...

pfloor suggested sending mail to user @ ipaddress but it doesnt work...

I tried myname @ 217.40.214.9 (mail server IP) and get the following bounce back...

------------------------------------------------------
Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following
addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.

<dave @ 217.40.214.9>:
217.40.214.9 does not like recipient.
Remote host said: 553 Sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed
rcpthosts.
Giving up on 217.40.214.9.
------------------------------------------------------
AND from another machine I got...
------------------------------------------------------
This Message was undeliverable due to the following reason:

Each of the following recipients was rejected by a remote mail server.
The reasons given by the server are included to help you determine why
each recipient was rejected.

    Recipient: <dave @ [217.40.214.9]>
    Reason:    Sorry, invalid recipient address


Please reply to <Postmaster @ mailhost.ntl.com>
if you feel this message to be in error.
------------------------------------------------------

normally mail would goto user @ sure24.net which is the domain name parked at my ISP.


I'm at a loss?!?! Any suggestions?


Thanks

Dave    

[pfloor]

[Post erased by pfloor]

[djhomeless]

Hi Dave,
As Paul mentioned above, are you aware that your website is cnamed to home.btconnect.com?

Other than that, it looks like you need to take a look at your DNS records. According to DNS Report, ALL of your nameservers are stealthed.  I suppose I could see how one or two of the nameservers could be stealthed, but all? It seems odd to me.

While you may have a specific configuration that requires this, I would recommend taking a look at the DNS Report and try to fix the errors that they list.

While some people may differ, I think 5 nameserves is a bit overkill, 3 or 4 should suffice. Also, I used to use Register.com's DNS with my domains and I had nothing but trouble for several years (minor but annoying problems). They may have improved in the last year though.

Until you get a stable configuration, you may want to seriously consider using a backup MX service to ensure your mail at least goes somewhere. I use twisted4life.com (which also offer a free secondary dns service). They run a really good service, and I haven't had any problems with both their backup mx and secondary dns services.

If you need anyone to test email you, please let me know.

Geoffrey

[NickR]

1-Send multiple test emails from an external email such as your yahoo account to username@your.fixed.ip.address (eg: jim@123.456.7. and see if you get them all.

Sorry, but this won't ever work with the qmail configuration on a stock SME.  All mail sent to the external IP interface as user@dotted.quad is rejected.

[frijj2k]

Hi All,

Back after a fairly uneventful weekend... Hopefully I'll get this sorted now I've had some rest.

Dave,

I did some DNS lookups on your domain name and saw some interisting results.

I presume (by the looks of the results) that your website is hosted at your ISP and your email is hosted on-site by you.

Thats correct. The website is hosted at my ISP and the mail server is hosted here.

But when checking mail.sure24.net, some of the results pionted to YOUR fixed ip address but others pointed to your ISP's ip address.  I don't know if this coud be the problem but you might want to check it out.

Could you please give me more detail?

Also, if I put your fixed ip in my web browser, I go directly to you webmail login page.  I just thought this was a bit strange.

P.S. did you get ANY of the test emails I sent you?

The fixed IP is that of my mail sever which is running the webmail interface so that sounds correct.  You should get the same if you goto mail.sure24.net but you should get the website if you goto www.sure24.net. Strange thing is though that if I try going to www.sure24.net from the LAN, here at work I actually end up at the mail server login screen.

I got two emails from you. thanks... dunno if you sent anymore though.

Hi Dave,
As Paul mentioned above, are you aware that your website is cnamed to home.btconnect.com?

Yeah, website is hosted at ISP.

Other than that, it looks like you need to take a look at your DNS records. According to DNS Report, ALL of your nameservers are stealthed.  I suppose I could see how one or two of the nameservers could be stealthed, but all? It seems odd to me.

While you may have a specific configuration that requires this, I would recommend taking a look at the DNS Report and try to fix the errors that they list.

While some people may differ, I think 5 nameserves is a bit overkill, 3 or 4 should suffice. Also, I used to use Register.com's DNS with my domains and I had nothing but trouble for several years (minor but annoying problems). They may have improved in the last year though.

Not sure about that... I have sent an email to my ISP to clarify those points.

Until you get a stable configuration, you may want to seriously consider using a backup MX service to ensure your mail at least goes somewhere. I use twisted4life.com (which also offer a free secondary dns service). They run a really good service, and I haven't had any problems with both their backup mx and secondary dns services.

Will take a look at the site... thanks.

If you need anyone to test email you, please let me know.

Geoffrey

Thanks for your time and effort (All of you). Its much appreciated.

1-Send multiple test emails from an external email such as your yahoo account to username@your.fixed.ip.address (eg: jim@123.456.7. and see if you get them all.

Sorry, but this won't ever work with the qmail configuration on a stock SME.  All mail sent to the external IP interface as user@dotted.quad is rejected.

Thanks, wasn't aware of that...

Regards

Dave