Topic: Resolving primary domain name, local LAN DNS, & public D

[Keith Norman]

It's been years since I've worked with Unix, let alone never using Linux, so this may be a dumb question. I'm a bit confused about the relationship between resolving a SME primary domain name, a local LAN DNS, and a public Internet DNS.

I'm evaluating SME for use in our network, but I've set up the Ver 5.5 Server as a basic samba and email server (no web server) connected to a mock-up single server network.

It is in server only mode with the local LAN settings using typical 10.4.10.x IP numbering for the mock-up test. The configuration details are shown at the end of this thread.

The gateway is an external DSL router/modem using 10.4.10.1 locally with dynamic IP on the ISP (through the DSL modem to the outside world)

I set up the primary domain on SME to be the same domain name that we have registered through an off-site hosting company (for webspace and email). Not being a DNS expert, I assume that this is okay, since the identical SME domain is internal to the LAN and private to the Internet.

The caveat is when my MS Outlook client tries to get mail from the SME mail server, it rarely recognizes the "mail.myserver.com" incoming/outgoing server. (as a side note, the html Server Manager gives a lot of "500 server" errors.)

While setting up the Email server, Email Retrieval is set to Multidrop using secondary mail server of "mail.mydomain.com:
The email is retrieved through the public Internet POP3 account at "mail.mydomain.com"

I am trying to just get the email user accounts to resolve to the same domain suffix whether the email originated locally or from the Internet.

Am I missing a basic concept of DNS?  Can some one refer me to a link that explains DNS for dummies?

Thanks!

SME CONFIGURATION:
Server Mode: server only
Local IP address / subnet mask: 10.4.10.2/255.255.255.0
Gateway: 10.4.10.1 (DSL modem)
Additional local networks: No additional networks defined
DHCP server: enabled
Beginning of DHCP address range: 10.4.10.65
End of DHCP address range: 10.4.10.250
Primary domain: mydomain.com
System name : my-sme-server
SERVER NAMES
DNS server  - "blank"
Web server www.mydomain.com
Proxy server proxy.mydomain.com:3128
FTP server ftp.mydomain.com
SMTP, POP, and IMAP mail servers mail.mydomain.com
DOMAINS
Primary Domain: mydomain.com
Virtual domains No virtual domains defined
Primary web site http://www.mydomain.com

MS OUTLOOK MAIL CLIENT CONFIGURATION:
Incoming Server mail.mydomain.com
Outgoing Server mail.mydomain.com

OTHER:
Public Hosted domain name: mydomain.com

[Paul]

The problem may be from the fact that your mail for your domain name tries to resolve to both an internal and an external destination. You may have to change your client to use the IP address of the mail server or change your internal domain to something else.
I think the problem may be with the mx records for your domains.

[Keith Norman]

Thanks Paul;

Using the Mail server IP on the client makes it connect more often, but I still am unable to connect occationally. How do I access  the MX records in SME?

Thanks!