27 Jan
2009
27 Jan
'09
4:34 p.m.
Hi all,
I wish to set up sending email from my vps - and I have been testing
php's mail facility.
Mail to two of my addresses (@googlemail.com, and @ntlworld.com) work
just fine. Three out of three got through - all within 2 or 3 seconds.
Mail to my preferred address - this one - is not being delivered,
although the call to mail returns true. (three out of three lost).
I wish to know why.
The server handling my incoming mail, is running on my firewall, with a
"dynamic" IP address, and thus the IP is in various black lists. Could
this be the reason for the non-delivery? Seems a long-shot to me. Why
should bitfolk care?
Any other reason I could check out?
Regards - and thanks for you input.
Ian
27 Jan
27 Jan
4:44 p.m.
On Tuesday 27 January 2009 16:34:16 Ian Hobson wrote:
I wish to set up sending email from my vps - and I
have been testing
php's mail facility.
Mail to two of my addresses (@googlemail.com, and @ntlworld.com) work
just fine. Three out of three got through - all within 2 or 3 seconds.
Mail to my preferred address - this one - is not being delivered,
although the call to mail returns true. (three out of three lost).
Normally, something like PHP's mail function will hand off e-mail to your
local MTA (such as Exim by default on Debian, Postfix, or Sendmail if you're
unlucky). I'd imagine the return value simply indicates whether it was
passed to the MTA successfully (i.e. it returned 0).
The MTA will then carry out the delivery of the e-mail to the destination
asynchronously, which could take hours or days if there are temporary
failures.
The server handling my incoming mail, is running on my
firewall, with a
"dynamic" IP address, and thus the IP is in various black lists. Could
this be the reason for the non-delivery? Seems a long-shot to me. Why
should bitfolk care?
BitFolk won't have anything to do with it, it's your server. But indeed, your
server will most probably not look at RBLs to send e-mail!
Any other reason I could check out?
Try and locate the log files for your MTA, it should shed some light on errors
it receives while trying to deliver the e-mail. For Exim on Debian,
check /var/log/exim4/mainlog.
Cheers,
--
Dominic Cleal
dominic(a)computerkb.co.uk
4:45 p.m.
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 04:34:16PM +0000, Ian Hobson wrote:
Hi all,
I wish to set up sending email from my vps - and I have been testing
php's mail facility.
Mail to two of my addresses (@googlemail.com, and @ntlworld.com) work
just fine. Three out of three got through - all within 2 or 3 seconds.
Mail to my preferred address - this one - is not being delivered,
although the call to mail returns true. (three out of three lost).
I wish to know why.
The server handling my incoming mail, is running on my firewall, with a
"dynamic" IP address, and thus the IP is in various black lists. Could
this be the reason for the non-delivery? Seems a long-shot to me. Why
should bitfolk care?
Any other reason I could check out?
Always the first thing to do -- look in the log files for every
piece of software on the delivery path. Does the PHP mail function
you're using have return codes? If so, do you check it, and what
result do you get in the failing cases?
Are you sending direct from the PHP to the wide world, or are you
sending through the local hub onyour VPS? If the latter, what does the
mail server log on the VPS say when you try to send these mails?
Finally, check the logs on your home mail server -- is it receiving
any incoming mail connections when you run your test? If it is, why is
the mail failing?
Hugo.
--
=== Hugo Mills: hugo@... carfax.org.uk | darksatanic.net | lug.org.uk ===
PGP key: 515C238D from wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net or http://www.carfax.org.uk
--- Your problem is that you've got too much taste to be ---
a web developer.
4:50 p.m.
I wish to set up sending email from my vps - and I
have been testing
php's mail facility.
PHP mail() function by default just wrappers to sendmail; have you
checked your VPS's MTA logs to see the attempted mail deliveries.
Mail to two of my addresses (@googlemail.com, and
@ntlworld.com) work
just fine. Three out of three got through - all within 2 or 3 seconds.
Mail to my preferred address - this one - is not being delivered,
although the call to mail returns true. (three out of three lost).
Yes, as your sendmail / local MTA has accepted the email; so the issue
looks like is downstream of PHP.
The server handling my incoming mail, is running on my
firewall, with a
"dynamic" IP address, and thus the IP is in various black lists. Could
this be the reason for the non-delivery? Seems a long-shot to me. Why
should bitfolk care?
Errm ...
ianhobson.co.uk mail is handled by 5 jupiter.ianhobson.co.uk.
... but the TTL for that host is 3600 (one hour); if this is a dynamic
IP it probably should be a LOT smaller than that (typically 60 seconds
for most DynDNS services). As if you change IPs you might be trying to
relay emails to the old IP for up to an hour ... not good.
As far a I know (definitely depends on the individual setup)
blocklists tend work the other way around, blocking emails from
dynamic sources rather than not submitting to them. This might present
you with issues when trying to send emails from your jupiter server;
but not accepting from others.
Any other reason I could check out?
Look at the MTA logs at both ends or tcpdump SMTP traffic to see if
the servers are correctly talking to each other.
~Mat
4:58 p.m.
Hi,
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 04:34:16PM +0000, Ian Hobson wrote:
Mail to my preferred address - this one - is not being
delivered,
although the call to mail returns true. (three out of three lost).
I wish to know why.
Most of the time this ends up being due to a combination of the MTA
installed by default on the VPS will not allow relaying of mail
outside itself, and not being able to check this from PHP.
As others have said, the MTA logs will probably provide the answer.
Cheers,
Andy
--
http://bitfolk.com/ -- No-nonsense VPS hosting
Encrypted mail welcome - keyid 0x604DE5DB
7:39 p.m.
Thanks for all the replies.
To respond to some points made...
The IP is dynamic, and has changes twice in 8 years. So an hours
TTL is OK. And yes, I did find problems sending email from jupiter
because its a dynamic IP.
From - ian(a)ianhobson.com
To: ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk
This is the critical section of my log file... (which I don't understand).
Jan 27 19:02:00 ianhobson postfix/master[11912]: daemon started --
version 2.5.1, configuration /etc/postfix
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/pickup[11915]: A868868423: uid=1000
from=<ian>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: A868868423:
message-id=<20090127190203.A868868423(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423:
from=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, size=321, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/virtual[11926]: A868868423:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk>uk>, relay=virtual, delay=0.57,
delays=0.48/0.02/0/0.07, dsn=5.1.1, status=bounced (unknown user:
"ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk")
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: 0EFF26842F:
message-id=<20090127190204.0EFF26842F(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: from=<>,
size=2046, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/trivial-rewrite[11925]: warning: do
not list domain ianhobson.com in BOTH mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/bounce[11927]: A868868423: sender
non-delivery notification: 0EFF26842F
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423: removed
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/local[11928]: 0EFF26842F:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, relay=local, delay=0.44,
delays=0.15/0.01/0/0.27, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to maildir)
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: removed
It appears to show that my email address was bounced because it does not
exist (it does) and then it can't deliver the bounce! I'm out of my depth.
I can find nothing in the logs on jupiter that matches. qmail has
nothing to match. All maillogs are empty.
Suggestions anyone?
Ian
8:07 p.m.
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 07:39:35PM +0000, Ian Hobson wrote:
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]:
A868868423:
message-id=<20090127190203.A868868423(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423:
from=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, size=321, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/virtual[11926]: A868868423:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk>uk>, relay=virtual, delay=0.57,
delays=0.48/0.02/0/0.07, dsn=5.1.1, status=bounced (unknown user:
"ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk")
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: 0EFF26842F:
message-id=<20090127190204.0EFF26842F(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: from=<>,
size=2046, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/trivial-rewrite[11925]: warning: do
not list domain ianhobson.com in BOTH mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/bounce[11927]: A868868423: sender
non-delivery notification: 0EFF26842F
Suggestions anyone?
I'd say the log file gives you the details right here:
not list domain ianhobson.com in BOTH mydestination and virtual_mailbox_domains
But I don't use postfix myself, I'd start with /etc/{postfix,mail}
though.
--
The ISDN to the sega dreamcast is resetting because of unscheduled testing of the battery
backup system.
Sun Microsystems is playing dope-wars on the palm pilot.
:: http://www.s5h.net/ :: http://www.s5h.net/gpg.html
10:02 p.m.
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 19:39, Ian Hobson <ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk> wrote:
Thanks for all the replies.
To respond to some points made...
The IP is dynamic, and has changes twice in 8 years. So an hours
TTL is OK. And yes, I did find problems sending email from jupiter
because its a dynamic IP.
From - ian(a)ianhobson.com
To: ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk
This is the critical section of my log file... (which I don't understand).
Jan 27 19:02:00 ianhobson postfix/master[11912]: daemon started --
version 2.5.1, configuration /etc/postfix
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/pickup[11915]: A868868423: uid=1000
from=<ian>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: A868868423:
message-id=<20090127190203.A868868423(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423:
from=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, size=321, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/virtual[11926]: A868868423:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk>uk>, relay=virtual, delay=0.57,
delays=0.48/0.02/0/0.07, dsn=5.1.1, status=bounced (unknown user:
"ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk")
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: 0EFF26842F:
message-id=<20090127190204.0EFF26842F(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: from=<>,
size=2046, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/trivial-rewrite[11925]: warning: do
not list domain ianhobson.com in BOTH mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/bounce[11927]: A868868423: sender
non-delivery notification: 0EFF26842F
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423: removed
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/local[11928]: 0EFF26842F:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, relay=local, delay=0.44,
delays=0.15/0.01/0/0.27, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to maildir)
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: removed
It appears to show that my email address was bounced because it does not
exist (it does) and then it can't deliver the bounce! I'm out of my depth.
I can find nothing in the logs on jupiter that matches. qmail has
nothing to match. All maillogs are empty.
Suggestions anyone?
Is it trying to deliver the email locally, rather than connecting to
where ever it should be?
28 Jan
28 Jan
12:46 a.m.
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 07:39:35PM +0000, Ian Hobson wrote:
Thanks for all the replies.
To respond to some points made...
The IP is dynamic, and has changes twice in 8 years. So an hours
TTL is OK. And yes, I did find problems sending email from jupiter
because its a dynamic IP.
From - ian(a)ianhobson.com
To: ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk
This is the critical section of my log file... (which I don't understand).
Jan 27 19:02:00 ianhobson postfix/master[11912]: daemon started --
version 2.5.1, configuration /etc/postfix
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/pickup[11915]: A868868423: uid=1000
from=<ian>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: A868868423:
message-id=<20090127190203.A868868423(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:03 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423:
from=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, size=321, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/virtual[11926]: A868868423:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk>uk>, relay=virtual, delay=0.57,
delays=0.48/0.02/0/0.07, dsn=5.1.1, status=bounced (unknown user:
"ian(a)ianhobson.co.uk")
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/cleanup[11924]: 0EFF26842F:
message-id=<20090127190204.0EFF26842F(a)mail.ianhobson.com>
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: from=<>,
size=2046, nrcpt=1 (queue active)
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/trivial-rewrite[11925]: warning: do
not list domain ianhobson.com in BOTH mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/bounce[11927]: A868868423: sender
non-delivery notification: 0EFF26842F
Jan 27 19:02:04 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: A868868423: removed
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/local[11928]: 0EFF26842F:
to=<ian(a)ianhobson.com>om>, relay=local, delay=0.44,
delays=0.15/0.01/0/0.27, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (delivered to maildir)
Jan 27 19:02:05 ianhobson postfix/qmgr[11917]: 0EFF26842F: removed
It appears to show that my email address was bounced because it does not
exist (it does) and then it can't deliver the bounce! I'm out of my depth.
I can find nothing in the logs on jupiter that matches. qmail has
nothing to match. All maillogs are empty.
From this it looks like your local machine is set up to be ianhobson.com
what are the contents of /etc/mailname ?
what is the out put of
postconf mydestionation
what is the output from
postconf virtual_mailbox_domains
As it seems that you are listing ianhobson.com in both mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains, which means that your local SMTP server will try and
deliver internally, rather than through the internet
5:59 p.m.
Martin Meredith wrote:
On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 07:39:35PM +0000, Ian Hobson
wrote:
Correct. jupiter.ianhobson.co.uk is my firewall. It's days handling the
mail are numbered because its so slow.
Thanks for all the replies.
From this it looks like your local machine is set up to be ianhobson.com
what are the contents of /etc/mailname ?
smtp.ianhobson.com
what is the out put of
postconf mydestionation
invalid parameter
(but I've been through http://flurdy.com/docs/postfix/ and that will
have cleared it. Before ianhobson.com was in the list).
what is the output from
postconf virtual_mailbox_domains
mysql:/etc/postfile/mysql_domains.cf
mysql produces a list of domains that includes both ianhobson.co.uk and
ianhosbon.com
As it seems that you are listing ianhobson.com in both
mydestination and
virtual_mailbox_domains, which means that your local SMTP server will try and
deliver internally, rather than through the internet
You are correct - see above.
IT appears I have a mix of two setups - one part followd before an
illness and one after. I will have to sort out the mess.
Thanks to everyone who has helped.
Ian
5567
days inactive
5567
days old
9 comments
8 participants
participants (8)
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Alexander Mann -
Andy Smith -
Dominic Cleal -
ed -
Hugo Mills -
Ian Hobson -
Martin Meredith -
Mat Johns