[opensuse] Mail server HowTo?
I've decided to tinker with setting up a mail server. I've never done this before... so it's all new to me. I have a domain I want to use. It's set up with DynDNS to forward all web traffic to my local computer (which has a dynamic IP that my ISP likes to change at random.. usually at least twice per day). The webserver side works great.... my sub domains are responding correctly etc. I've added their Mail Hop Relay service to one of my domains. This should in theory provide MX records, and according to their website things are setup correctly on their side... so now it comes down to me and my local settings... and this is where things are not working exactly right. I've read through and attempted to follow this HowTo: http://en.opensuse.org/Mail_server_HOWTO which in theory should allow me to set up postfix. After reading and following the steps (I think I got it right) I've tested locally by using mailx and: - sending a mail to a regular local user works, and I see the mail arrive in /var/spool/mail/. - sending mail to an alias does not work (I see the bounce in /var/spoo/mail) - sending mail to external email addresses... disappears, and never arrives (at least not yet) Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next. C. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton wrote:
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next.
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working. Your alias problem - well, somehow you didn't set it up correctly :-) What was the bounce reason you got? Where did you set up the alias? External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log). /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (18.1°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Nothing like starting on the harder side of things :-) In theory, that is what DynDNS is supposed to "help" with. They provide a fixed point for the mail to be received and relay it to me.
Your alias problem - well, somehow you didn't set it up correctly :-) What was the bounce reason you got? Where did you set up the alias?
I set up the alias in /etc/aliases. In my tinkering and poking in YaST I discovered I can view the aliases that are set in Network Services > Mail Transfer Agent. In the Wizard page titled Incoming Mail, there is a handy Aliases button.. click that and I can see the user alias I set. Picked this out of the mail log file: Jul 29 10:18:39 linux-tliy postfix/local[21689]: warning: database /etc/aliases.db is older than source file /etc/aliases Hmmm.. maybe this is why the alias is not working? How is the database updated? Buried in the mail bounce is: Diagnostic-Code: X-Postfix; unknown user: $USERNAME (where $USERNAME is the alias name I set in /etc/aliases, and attempted to use mailx to send a test message to) Also... in the mail headers I'm seeing, wherever the server name is mentioned: hostname.domainname.com eg: linux-tily.mydomain.com where I want it to read just mydomain.com... or would like it to.
External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log).
I do not want to use my ISPs mailserver (various reasons, including all their support info is in German, and my German skills are pathetic at best)... so I'm hoping to use my own setup/server. I've set my relayhost to my own domain... and checked the logs again. Hmmmm... I think this has put me on to the problem... now (after setting my relayhost), I'm seeing a nice helpful bounce error: Remote-MTA: dns; mx1.mailhop.org Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Sender verify failed So... I need to sort out that part... which I should be able to do... I hope (the remote MTA is the one DynDNS provides). C. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton wrote:
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Nothing like starting on the harder side of things :-) In theory, that is what DynDNS is supposed to "help" with. They provide a fixed point for the mail to be received and relay it to me.
Okay, so I assumy the MX for your domain points to dyndns' mailserver(s)?
Hmmm.. maybe this is why the alias is not working? How is the database updated?
run 'newaliases'.
Also... in the mail headers I'm seeing, wherever the server name is mentioned: hostname.domainname.com
eg: linux-tily.mydomain.com
where I want it to read just mydomain.com... or would like it to.
Then you need to check postfix's main.cf - what are your settings of myhostname mydomain mydestination Maybe post the output from 'postconf -n'.
External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log).
I do not want to use my ISPs mailserver (various reasons, including all their support info is in German, and my German skills are pathetic at best)... so I'm hoping to use my own setup/server.
Okay. You wouldn't/shouldn't need much help from your ISP though - it's pretty normal for a dial-up customer to relay through the ISPs smarthost. Never mind, running your own will work too, although the dynamic address does make it dodgy.
I've set my relayhost to my own domain... and checked the logs again. Hmmmm... I think this has put me on to the problem... now (after setting my relayhost), I'm seeing a nice helpful bounce error:
Remote-MTA: dns; mx1.mailhop.org Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Sender verify failed
So... I need to sort out that part... which I should be able to do... I hope (the remote MTA is the one DynDNS provides).
Ah, so you're relaying through that? 'relayhost' should point to the server you wish to relay through, i.e. always send your outbound mail to. However, I suspect the DynDNS people will ask from some sort of authentication - do you have those details? /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (19.1°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 29 July 2009 03:26:41 am Clayton wrote:
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Nothing like starting on the harder side of things :-) In theory, that is what DynDNS is supposed to "help" with. They provide a fixed point for the mail to be received and relay it to me.
Your alias problem - well, somehow you didn't set it up correctly :-) What was the bounce reason you got? Where did you set up the alias?
I set up the alias in /etc/aliases. In my tinkering and poking in YaST I discovered I can view the aliases that are set in Network Services > Mail Transfer Agent. In the Wizard page titled Incoming Mail, there is a handy Aliases button.. click that and I can see the user alias I set.
Picked this out of the mail log file: Jul 29 10:18:39 linux-tliy postfix/local[21689]: warning: database /etc/aliases.db is older than source file /etc/aliases Hmmm.. maybe this is why the alias is not working? How is the database updated?
Buried in the mail bounce is: Diagnostic-Code: X-Postfix; unknown user: $USERNAME (where $USERNAME is the alias name I set in /etc/aliases, and attempted to use mailx to send a test message to)
Also... in the mail headers I'm seeing, wherever the server name is mentioned: hostname.domainname.com
eg: linux-tily.mydomain.com
where I want it to read just mydomain.com... or would like it to.
External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log).
I do not want to use my ISPs mailserver (various reasons, including all their support info is in German, and my German skills are pathetic at best)... so I'm hoping to use my own setup/server.
I've set my relayhost to my own domain... and checked the logs again. Hmmmm... I think this has put me on to the problem... now (after setting my relayhost), I'm seeing a nice helpful bounce error:
Remote-MTA: dns; mx1.mailhop.org Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Sender verify failed
So... I need to sort out that part... which I should be able to do... I hope (the remote MTA is the one DynDNS provides).
C.
Clayton, I have some notes on mailserver setup that even I can understand. Worth a look: http://www.3111skyline.com/linux/openSuSE-server.php#mail -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
David C. Rankin wrote:
Clayton,
I have some notes on mailserver setup that even I can understand. Worth a look:
This topic must have been covered about a gazillion times. Not everything in every howto, but still. I think the SUSE Linux manual/handbook has or certainly used to have a very good chapter. I'm fairly certain I set up my first mailserver with SuSE Linux 5.x, mostly based on the handbook. Wrt a backupserver (I came across your chapter on that) - you really don't need one. All decent mailservers will keep retrying delivery for a while (postfix's default is 5 days), so even if your mailserver or your network is out for a day or two, you'll still get the emails once it is back up. /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (19.4°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Wednesday 29 July 2009 03:56:17 am Per Jessen wrote:
David C. Rankin wrote:
Clayton,
I have some notes on mailserver setup that even I can understand. Worth a look:
This topic must have been covered about a gazillion times. Not everything in every howto, but still. I think the SUSE Linux manual/handbook has or certainly used to have a very good chapter. I'm fairly certain I set up my first mailserver with SuSE Linux 5.x, mostly based on the handbook.
Wrt a backupserver (I came across your chapter on that) - you really don't need one. All decent mailservers will keep retrying delivery for a while (postfix's default is 5 days), so even if your mailserver or your network is out for a day or two, you'll still get the emails once it is back up.
/Per
Agreed in most cases. I keep the backup in case my office server dies (mother board, etc.) and I don't have time to build another for a few days (or two weeks). In that case we just use the backup until I bring the primary on line. -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E. Rankin Law Firm, PLLC 510 Ochiltree Street Nacogdoches, Texas 75961 Telephone: (936) 715-9333 Facsimile: (936) 715-9339 www.rankinlawfirm.com -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton wrote:
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Nothing like starting on the harder side of things :-) In theory, that is what DynDNS is supposed to "help" with. They provide a fixed point for the mail to be received and relay it to me.
A few years ago I already gave up on using a dynamic ip even for a private server to tinker with. You are facing two problems with a dynamic ip: - receiving: you have to rely on dyndns to switch fast enough to your current address AND rely on external clients not to cache the dns results too long. - sending: if you don't use your isp mailserver as relay you might as well stop here. Most mailservers do not accept mails from clients with dynamic ip. Additionally, your reverse dns record does not match your dyndns name.
Buried in the mail bounce is: Diagnostic-Code: X-Postfix; unknown user: $USERNAME (where $USERNAME is the alias name I set in /etc/aliases, and attempted to use mailx to send a test message to)
As Per already mentioned, you edit the source file /etc/aliases and build the database /etc/aliases.db with the command "newaliases". If Postfix discovers that the sourcefile is more recent than the database it will log a warning.
Also... in the mail headers I'm seeing, wherever the server name is mentioned: hostname.domainname.com
eg: linux-tily.mydomain.com
where I want it to read just mydomain.com... or would like it to.
Please show output of "postconf -n". If you don't use fully qualified domain names in the addresses then Postfix will qualify the username with the value of $myorigin. Change it to the value you desire: "postconf myorigin" shows what is currently configured.
External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log).
I do not want to use my ISPs mailserver (various reasons, including all their support info is in German, and my German skills are pathetic at best)... so I'm hoping to use my own setup/server.
That will only work as desired if your server has a fixed ip. Nothing else will be worth the trouble.
I've set my relayhost to my own domain... and checked the logs again. Hmmmm... I think this has put me on to the problem... now (after setting my relayhost), I'm seeing a nice helpful bounce error:
Remote-MTA: dns; mx1.mailhop.org Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Sender verify failed
So... I need to sort out that part... which I should be able to do... I hope (the remote MTA is the one DynDNS provides).
Haven't used it but that message tells you the domain you were using in your sender address does not exist in DNS. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Sandy Drobic wrote:
A few years ago I already gave up on using a dynamic ip even for a private server to tinker with.
+1. The dynamic IP is only going to cause unneeded head-aches. /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (20.0°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
A few years ago I already gave up on using a dynamic ip even for a private server to tinker with. You are facing two problems with a dynamic ip:
- receiving: you have to rely on dyndns to switch fast enough to your current address AND rely on external clients not to cache the dns results too long.
I'm not having any problems at all with it for the webserver side. I've been using this for two years. External client caching has not (to my knowledge) been an issue at all. DynDNS takes care of the switching quite smoothly. I've tested several times right after an IP change and they've caught it right away.
- sending: if you don't use your isp mailserver as relay you might as well stop here. Most mailservers do not accept mails from clients with dynamic ip. Additionally, your reverse dns record does not match your dyndns name.
Doesn't the Mail Relay take care of that issue? They provide the MX linking direct to my domain name. The actual IP is irrelevant - that is, they take care that my domain and IP match between my machine and them... upstream, from them to the internet... that info should.. as I understand it be relayed invisibly.... maybe time to read more on the DynDNS side of things... and ask them a few questions. C. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton wrote:
A few years ago I already gave up on using a dynamic ip even for a private server to tinker with. You are facing two problems with a dynamic ip:
- receiving: you have to rely on dyndns to switch fast enough to your current address AND rely on external clients not to cache the dns results too long.
I'm not having any problems at all with it for the webserver side. I've been using this for two years. External client caching has not (to my knowledge) been an issue at all. DynDNS takes care of the switching quite smoothly. I've tested several times right after an IP change and they've caught it right away.
That depends on the dns server that the client is using. Some dns servers from several big ISPs are caching rather aggressively in order to reduce the number of dns queries and they ignore the ttl settings of dyndns.
- sending: if you don't use your isp mailserver as relay you might as well stop here. Most mailservers do not accept mails from clients with dynamic ip. Additionally, your reverse dns record does not match your dyndns name.
Doesn't the Mail Relay take care of that issue? They provide the MX linking direct to my domain name. The actual IP is irrelevant - that is, they take care that my domain and IP match between my machine and them... upstream, from them to the internet... that info should.. as I understand it be relayed invisibly.... maybe time to read more on the DynDNS side of things... and ask them a few questions.
mx records are only for receiving mails. Without some facts I can't tell if the setup will work or not. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Sandy Drobic wrote:
That depends on the dns server that the client is using. Some dns servers from several big ISPs are caching rather aggressively in order to reduce the number of dns queries and they ignore the ttl settings of dyndns.
Sandy, do you have any examples of this? Just curious, coz' ignoring the TTL could easily cause problems. Or is it only for dyndns? /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (22.2°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Per Jessen wrote:
Sandy Drobic wrote:
That depends on the dns server that the client is using. Some dns servers from several big ISPs are caching rather aggressively in order to reduce the number of dns queries and they ignore the ttl settings of dyndns.
Sandy, do you have any examples of this? Just curious, coz' ignoring the TTL could easily cause problems. Or is it only for dyndns?
I can't tell any example at hand anymore, it's been a few years. If I remember correctly, DynDNS sets a TTL of five minutes, with some dns servers simply ignored. It took some hours bevor mails began to arrive from some domains. That is how I noticed. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton wrote:
A few years ago I already gave up on using a dynamic ip even for a private server to tinker with. You are facing two problems with a dynamic ip:
- receiving: you have to rely on dyndns to switch fast enough to your current address AND rely on external clients not to cache the dns results too long.
I'm not having any problems at all with it for the webserver side. I've been using this for two years. External client caching has not (to my knowledge) been an issue at all. DynDNS takes care of the switching quite smoothly. I've tested several times right after an IP change and they've caught it right away.
- sending: if you don't use your isp mailserver as relay you might as well stop here. Most mailservers do not accept mails from clients with dynamic ip. Additionally, your reverse dns record does not match your dyndns name.
Doesn't the Mail Relay take care of that issue? They provide the MX linking direct to my domain name. The actual IP is irrelevant - that is, they take care that my domain and IP match between my machine and them... upstream, from them to the internet... that info should.. as I understand it be relayed invisibly.... maybe time to read more on the DynDNS side of things... and ask them a few questions.
C.
I've had this working reliably for a few years now. I'm certainly no expert on postfix, but it is doable. I use dyndns for 2 services. Their Custom DNS service will route mail to your dynamic IP address by maintaining your domain name to your changing IP address. Run a client like rundns or ddclient on your server to keep their service up to date with your current IP, or perhaps your router will do this but some linksys routers have broken ddclient configs. The second dyndns service I use is Mailhop Backup. This will catch your emails in the event your mail server is down or offline. When you get back online they will be forwarded to your server in a few hours. I actually added this service later just for reliability sake, I ran with out it for a few months. This will allow incoming email to find your server. Regarding sending email, strictly speaking you can send emails out directly from your server to each intended recipient thru their mail servers. But Sandy and Per are right. Practically speaking so many mail servers nowadays do not accept emails from mail servers running on dynamic IPs. This to cut down on spam, so you will need to set up a mail relay. But take this one step at a time. Make sure your mails are coming in. Then make sure they are being sent out, and received at at least one or some address. Then configure your mail relay. I use my ISPs smtp server to relay, which they allow from one of their IP addresses. Your still sending email from your server, just relaying it thru their server, which will probably be relayed thru one or more relays on its way to the various recipients. I never had any luck using the defaul $myhostname, or $myorigin, or $mydestination, I had to hard write these, but I could have had my machine configured incorrectly. Once you get your receive and send working, you can set up spamassassin, and amavis. And filters. Post back with your config info if you haven't gotten with working off list. The guys on this list really know their config file stuff. Jim F -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Per Jessen wrote:
Clayton wrote:
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next.
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Pardon!?... being doing this for a long time without major issues using DynDNS and setup is no more or less difficult than with a static address. It is an absolute must if you are running a personal mail server on an external network link which assigns IP addresses via DHCP. However, for a business setup it is probably worth while going for a static IP address for that sort of external connection. BTW it is probably worthwhile but not essential to put the mail server behind some sort of firewall setup (as you have), and setting up a cache DNS. For outgoing relay one would normally use your ISPs mail server, (or an independent smtp server in which case outgoing port info would usually need to be changed as many ISPs block outgoing port 25 traffic from anything but their own mail servers). Main issue with ISP smtp services is usually authentication.
Your alias problem - well, somehow you didn't set it up correctly :-) What was the bounce reason you got? Where did you set up the alias?
External mail - are you using your ISPs mailserver to relay through or are you sending directly? I.e. have you set relayhost in your postfix config? Do you see the mail being delivered? (check your log).
/Per
As others have pointed little can be said without a few more details. - -- ============================================================================== I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup ============================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkpwLogACgkQasN0sSnLmgKSBQCg0fzN5GICkGSdwNSReQa/jFCm YucAn2Z2h+kQQU9+GPozCKvwCCgFHWNP =EkpD -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
G T Smith wrote:
Per Jessen wrote:
Clayton wrote:
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next. Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Pardon!?... being doing this for a long time without major issues using DynDNS and setup is no more or less difficult than with a static address. It is an absolute must if you are running a personal mail
Uhm, are we talking about a client that is sending and receiving mail, or a server that is set up to fulfill the requirements of the corresponding RFCs?
For outgoing relay one would normally use your ISPs mail server, (or an independent smtp server in which case outgoing port info would usually need to be changed as many ISPs block outgoing port 25 traffic from anything but their own mail servers). Main issue with ISP smtp services is usually authentication.
Many ISPs do not allow more than a few mails within a minute or restrict the total number of mails per day that you can send. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Sandy Drobic wrote:
G T Smith wrote:
Per Jessen wrote:
Clayton wrote:
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next. Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Pardon!?... being doing this for a long time without major issues using DynDNS and setup is no more or less difficult than with a static address. It is an absolute must if you are running a personal mail
Uhm, are we talking about a client that is sending and receiving mail, or a server that is set up to fulfill the requirements of the corresponding RFCs?
Things are a bit more complex than that. The machine supports a number of client accounts plus some aliases that are used by a couple of secondary application to manage some classes of e-Mail communication, so while it functions as a simple 'hub' mail server and external relay for client machines, it also has some (semi-automated) client functionality. The DynDNS configuration is such that <host> and mail.<host> should act the same from external connections, however at the moment the local DNS configuration is such only the mail.<host> form will work locally (, <localhostname>.<localnet> functions as expected). The DynDNS name is a host on a DynDNS domain which is a factor in this difference of behaviour (I would expect different issues with DynDNS hosted personal domain). The original LAN was a bit more complex than current, and it is setup to handle phone and mobile connectivity from external and internal locations without the need to query an external DNS or route externally if the external name is used locally. So to some extent the mail setup is a test config. (At the moment it is being rebuilt after a rather messy hardware failure which has created a number of interesting issues that have made data recovery unexpectedly challenging :-) ).
For outgoing relay one would normally use your ISPs mail server, (or an independent smtp server in which case outgoing port info would usually need to be changed as many ISPs block outgoing port 25 traffic from anything but their own mail servers). Main issue with ISP smtp services is usually authentication.
Many ISPs do not allow more than a few mails within a minute or restrict the total number of mails per day that you can send.
The ISP (BT) I am currently connecting through has it services configured to only allow sending from a registered recipient (which presents some annoying niggles) and AFAIK imposes no such restrictions. (If you hit your usage limits as a result of such activity you may end up with an interesting bill, commercial services can operate in a similar manner). I suspect high e-Mail usage levels on a residential connection are likely to be flagged and you will 'politely' asked to transfer to the (much) more pricey commercial tariff (but I am not tempted to try this out :-) ). Most non-ISP smtp relay services seem to operate on such mail usage tariffs, but I am not aware of any UK based ISP operating such restrictions, except as an opportunity to increase revenue. Things may be different on other parts of the planet. At some point I expect UK governments desire to track eMail usage may complicate things if they succeed in getting the access they desire..... BTW It is important to check that ones ISP either supports (or allows) the use of DynDNS, not all do. - -- ============================================================================== I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup ============================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkpxbBwACgkQasN0sSnLmgKE0gCdEiuuF0sMAv4A9j4wAtEgydWJ 4FEAnAjcUPC74vVlVV3gsAjUDjviUtrO =tYxb -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
G T Smith wrote:
BTW It is important to check that ones ISP either supports (or allows) the use of DynDNS, not all do.
Really? Why would you need the support or permission of your ISP to use dyndns? I'm pretty certain I've seen e.g. Zyxel ADSL modems with built-in dyndns support. /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (20.8°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Per Jessen wrote:
G T Smith wrote:
BTW It is important to check that ones ISP either supports (or allows) the use of DynDNS, not all do.
Really? Why would you need the support or permission of your ISP to use dyndns? I'm pretty certain I've seen e.g. Zyxel ADSL modems with built-in dyndns support.
/Per
I think this is usually a policy for commercial rather than technical reasons. Your modem may support it (my elderly ADSL router does), but your ISP may object to you using it because they would prefer you to buy further services from them, or not offer assistance if you have problems as they may not be willing to incur the additional support costs for service they are not making money on. I have been aware of reports that some providers have actively blocked DynDNS related traffic. As you said YMMV - -- ============================================================================== I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup ============================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkpxdmwACgkQasN0sSnLmgLwFgCg8OseFwwQ6fLtGLzRhLlrXWI0 6H0AoNGiL8EIC9O/gF1U0WfYBpPF8OHo =q3hP -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
G T Smith said the following on 07/30/2009 06:31 AM:
I think this is usually a policy for commercial rather than technical reasons. Your modem may support it (my elderly ADSL router does), but your ISP may object to you using it because they would prefer you to buy further services from them, or not offer assistance if you have problems as they may not be willing to incur the additional support costs for service they are not making money on.
I have been aware of reports that some providers have actively blocked DynDNS related traffic. As you said YMMV
The economics argument is quite valid. Consider also the ISPs that scan your IP to see if you are running a SMTP or HTTP server in violation of the AUP. Domestic rather than commercial accounts are likely to have such restrictions -- It is bad luck to be superstitious. - Andrew W. Mathis -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Anton Aylward wrote:
G T Smith said the following on 07/30/2009 06:31 AM:
I think this is usually a policy for commercial rather than technical reasons. Your modem may support it (my elderly ADSL router does), but your ISP may object to you using it because they would prefer you to buy further services from them, or not offer assistance if you have problems as they may not be willing to incur the additional support costs for service they are not making money on.
I have been aware of reports that some providers have actively blocked DynDNS related traffic. As you said YMMV
The economics argument is quite valid. Consider also the ISPs that scan your IP to see if you are running a SMTP or HTTP server in violation of the AUP. Domestic rather than commercial accounts are likely to have such restrictions
It is quite apparent that ISP service terms vary quite a lot from place to place - the only restriction I know of in Switzerland is that some (far from all) block port 25. YMMV is definitely very appropriate. /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (21.3°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
whaddayamean your isp supports dyndns? dnydns works with standard protocols as http+https(ssl) and dns. thats all. if providers dont support that, you better not call em providers and hurry to find a diff one. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
G T Smith wrote:
Per Jessen wrote:
G T Smith wrote:
BTW It is important to check that ones ISP either supports (or allows) the use of DynDNS, not all do.
Really? Why would you need the support or permission of your ISP to use dyndns? I'm pretty certain I've seen e.g. Zyxel ADSL modems with built-in dyndns support.
/Per
I think this is usually a policy for commercial rather than technical reasons. Your modem may support it (my elderly ADSL router does), but your ISP may object to you using it because they would prefer you to buy further services from them, or not offer assistance if you have problems as they may not be willing to incur the additional support costs for service they are not making money on.
I have been aware of reports that some providers have actively blocked DynDNS related traffic. As you said YMMV
What support or costs would they incurr, if a customer uses DynDNS? They are not providing any service. All DynDNS provides is a host name, mapped to an IP address. Other than advising them of a new IP, what related traffic is there? -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 James Knott wrote:
What support or costs would they incurr, if a customer uses DynDNS? They are not providing any service. All DynDNS provides is a host name, mapped to an IP address. Other than advising them of a new IP, what related traffic is there?
Customer support is the main problem. While DynDNS associates a host name with a dynamic IP address, and there is a little more to this than just allowing this to occur. Most people do not associate their machine or network in this way just for cosmetic effect, and saying you support it can be interpreted as implying support for configuring how it is used. Often things are allowed mainly because the cost of disallowing them outweigh any benefits realised by such disallowment (and occasionally enterprising marketing types will include these as beneficial features which creates other issues). The last time I looked most ISPs are commercial organisations and not charities; and Customer support personnel cost money (though peanuts and monkeys does seem come to mind here for some reason :-) ). If you ever worked on the user support and user support management side you will know that you quickly learn the need to define what you are prepared to offer assistance for. Otherwise the user community that requires support for services they are paying for or the organisation has agreed to supply effectively get disadvantaged by those who require help for services that the organisation is not being paid for (or prepared to actively support use of) and there is a risk support services can become overwhelmed by non-core support requests. Also the more things you support the higher any related training costs become and the more likely those who get that training move on to other organisations unless you give the trained individuals financial incentive to stay. So it tends to be the norm to keep first line support options to as little as viable in the commercial sector. Support is *not* the same as allowed usage. As an aside, for open source projects this kind of support economics makes support at best problematic as the motives for the individuals participating are rarely purely financial and the difference between those who use and those contribute are more than a little blurred. - -- ============================================================================== I have always wished that my computer would be as easy to use as my telephone. My wish has come true. I no longer know how to use my telephone. Bjarne Stroustrup ============================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/ iEYEARECAAYFAkpyvt4ACgkQasN0sSnLmgIc9gCbBGkS2G9gNZ1iwYFZyXZbcK1W G5YAnjCNwpsqJJL/zWI2IFNM2X5+2Obl =0HoS -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
G T Smith wrote:
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Per Jessen wrote:
Clayton wrote:
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next.
Running a mailserver on a dynamic IP-address is difficult at best, but I guess it could work if your dyndns stuff is working.
Pardon!?... being doing this for a long time without major issues using DynDNS and setup is no more or less difficult than with a static address.
YMMV - it was difficult when I tried more than 10 years ago; I guess maybe dyndns has gotten much easier nowadays. /Per -- Per Jessen, Zürich (24.6°C) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Clayton a écrit :
I've decided to tinker with setting up a mail server. I've never done this before... so it's all new to me.
I did so very recently and had to ask here, may be look at "postfix" or "dovecot" questions on the list archives. I want to document this very soon, but couldn't before the server was up and running (now it's only on paper). Do you happen to read french? I have an old but still valuable doc on the french wiki. (the new doc will be in english) jdd -- http://www.dodin.net http://valerie.dodin.org http://news.opensuse.org/2009/04/13/people-of-opensuse-jean-daniel-dodin/ -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
jdd (kim2) a écrit :
I want to document this very soon, but couldn't before the server was up and running (now it's only on paper).
beginning here: http://dodin.org/wiki/index.php?n=Doc.OpenSUSE-small-server -- http://www.dodin.net http://valerie.dodin.org http://news.opensuse.org/2009/04/13/people-of-opensuse-jean-daniel-dodin/ -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Quoting Clayton <smaug42@gmail.com>:
I've decided to tinker with setting up a mail server. I've never done this before... so it's all new to me.
I have a domain I want to use. It's set up with DynDNS to forward all web traffic to my local computer (which has a dynamic IP that my ISP likes to change at random.. usually at least twice per day). The webserver side works great.... my sub domains are responding correctly etc.
I've added their Mail Hop Relay service to one of my domains. This should in theory provide MX records, and according to their website things are setup correctly on their side... so now it comes down to me and my local settings... and this is where things are not working exactly right.
I've read through and attempted to follow this HowTo: http://en.opensuse.org/Mail_server_HOWTO which in theory should allow me to set up postfix. After reading and following the steps (I think I got it right) I've tested locally by using mailx and: - sending a mail to a regular local user works, and I see the mail arrive in /var/spool/mail/. - sending mail to an alias does not work (I see the bounce in /var/spoo/mail) - sending mail to external email addresses... disappears, and never arrives (at least not yet)
Is there some clearer documentation that anyone knows about, or some other info I can read up on? Or any obvious things that I may have missed? Port 25 on my router is forwarded... the Mail Relay is set to use port 25... not sure where to look next.
Configuring a mail server is decidedly non-trivial. Postfix is the easiest to configure of the three MTAs I tried (Postfix, Qmail, and Sendmail). I suggest "Postfix" by Kyle Dent, an O'Reilly book. If I understand your situation, it is doable. I had something very similar working fine. With all the anti-spam defenses in place almost everywhere, you really must relay through someone with a fixed IP address in both directions. I think I have the Postfix config files still around on a computer in storage. I'll try and dig them out. One thing that is very helpful is learning how to send mail through a telnet session to port 25. You have full control and can see exactly what the other side is saying. And turn on a higher level of debug logging for one host at a time. Jeffrey -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (11)
-
Anton Aylward -
cagsm -
Clayton -
David C. Rankin -
G T Smith -
James Knott -
jdd (kim2) -
Jeffrey L. Taylor -
Jim Flanagan -
Per Jessen -
Sandy Drobic