DNS MX problem

[Mike_B]

My configuration
I am running a small Microsoft base network.
5 users
1 server (Windows 2000 Server)
Services: RRAS, Exchange server 2000, file server, print
server.
Internet connect (Cable with a Dynamic IP-address)
I have my server behind a firewall that is running packet
filtering. (Allowing SMTP and PPTP ports open.)
My client has a registered domain name through
register.com and I have mx record pointing to my public
(ISP issued IP-address) address, which is on the external
side of the firewall. There is no problem with any e-mail
other than AOL and maybe Yahoo and Hotmail rejecting my e-
mail sent to them. I heard some issues that AOL is
rejecting e-mail from servers running on a dynamic ip-
address. Is this true and if so, what is a possible work
around. Thank you for you help, who ever helps.

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht Sr. [MVP]]

In Mike_B <[email protected]>
posted their concerrns,
Then Kevin D4Dad added his reply at the bottom.

My configuration
I am running a small Microsoft base network.
5 users
1 server (Windows 2000 Server)
Services: RRAS, Exchange server 2000, file server, print
server.
Internet connect (Cable with a Dynamic IP-address)
I have my server behind a firewall that is running packet
filtering. (Allowing SMTP and PPTP ports open.)
My client has a registered domain name through
register.com and I have mx record pointing to my public
(ISP issued IP-address) address, which is on the external
side of the firewall. There is no problem with any e-mail
other than AOL and maybe Yahoo and Hotmail rejecting my e-
mail sent to them. I heard some issues that AOL is
rejecting e-mail from servers running on a dynamic ip-
address. Is this true and if so, what is a possible work
around. Thank you for you help, who ever helps.

Using the SWAG method I would say that your mail is being rejected due to
the lack of a reverse lookup on your IP address.
You staed you are using a dynamcally assigned IP address?
That is probably the reason for this you should probably relay your outgoing
mail through your ISP if they will allow it most will allow their users to
relay mail through their SMTP service. I used to have to do that before I
got a static IP and a reverse lookup on my mail server IP. That will get you
around this problem.

 

[Ace Fekay [MVP]]

In

In Mike_B <[email protected]>
posted their concerrns,
Then Kevin D4Dad added his reply at the bottom.

Using the SWAG method I would say that your mail is being rejected
due to the lack of a reverse lookup on your IP address.
You staed you are using a dynamcally assigned IP address?
That is probably the reason for this you should probably relay your
outgoing mail through your ISP if they will allow it most will allow
their users to relay mail through their SMTP service. I used to have
to do that before I got a static IP and a reverse lookup on my mail
server IP. That will get you around this problem.

I agree with this Kevin. AOL, and many others use Reverse Lookup. If the
sending IP's domain name, upon the result of a reverse lookup, doesn't
coorespond to the email address' domain name, the mail is rejected.

--
Regards,
Ace

Please direct all replies to the newsgroup so all can benefit.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2000, MCSE+I, MCSA, MCT, MVP
Microsoft Windows MVP - Active Directory

 

[John LeMay]

Services: RRAS, Exchange server 2000, file server, print
server.

As others have pointed out your mail is most likely getting bounced due
to a lack of available reverse dns lookup for your hostname. Another
related issue is that some domains are rejecting any mail coming from
"dynamic address ranges", such as those used by the cable companies.
Either way, this is a quick fix.

Configure your ISP's mail server as a "smart host" for relaying in the
Exchange configuration. This is found in the advanced properties of the
SMTP connection settings. You can also provide login information there for
the relay server - if needed - as well. Restart the SMTP connection and
you should be set.

--
John LeMay
kc2kth
Senior Technical Manager
NJMC | http://www.njmc.com | Phone 732-557-4848
Specializing in Microsoft and Unix based solutions

 

[John LeMay]

That is probably the reason for this you should probably relay your outgoing
mail through your ISP if they will allow it most will allow their users to
relay mail through their SMTP service. I used to have to do that before I

Heh, exactly.

--
John LeMay
kc2kth
Senior Technical Manager
NJMC | http://www.njmc.com | Phone 732-557-4848
Specializing in Microsoft and Unix based solutions

 

[Jonathan de Boyne Pollard]

MB> My client has a registered domain name [...] and I have
MB> mx record pointing to my public (ISP issued IP-address)
MB> address [...]

A public SMTP Relay server listening on a dynamically assigned IP address is a
mail transport disaster waiting to happen. Mail might bounce, or other
customers of your ISP might receive your mail with neither you nor the sender
being any the wiser.

MB> I heard some issues that AOL is rejecting e-mail from
MB> servers running on a dynamic ip-address. Is this true
MB> and if so, what is a possible work around.

It is true. AOL is notorious for capriciously employing flawed short-term
bodges that address the wrong thing in order to combat unsolicited bulk mail.
Treating the customers of other ISPs as third-class citizens, by refusing to
provide them with SMTP Relay service and thus (ironically) forcing them to use
third-party relays to deliver mail, is yet another in a long line of such
bodges. It's the classic error of looking for some element that is common to
some number of unsolicited bulk mail messages but that is not actually related
to their undesirable "unsolicited" and "bulk" qualities, and blocking all
messages with that element, unsolicited bulk ones or no.

There is no "work around". AOL is refusing to provide your IP address with
SMTP Relay service. There is nothing that _you_ can do (short of extreme
measures that you are unlikely to be capable of, such as taking over AOL) to
change that. All that you can do is either (a) in some way change your IP
address to one that, as far as AOL is concerned, is not part of a
dynamically-assigned IP address block; or (b) encourage some third party, such
as your ISP, to provide promiscuous SMTP Relay service to you so that you can
relay all your mail destined for AOL through it.