not permitted to relay through this server - huh???

Linux RH7 i386
Exim4

/etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 65.125.227.35
nameserver 216.122.4.151


Exim thinks that anybody attempting to send mail is trying to relay. I just
set up DNS, using zoneedit. All other DNS functions are working. I
restarted bind and exim. Apache is working well serving web docs. What
have I done wrong?

telnet spamblocker7.com 25
Trying 209.152.167.139...
Connected to spamblocker7.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220-1n7-139.servernode.net ESMTP Exim 4.34 #1 Wed, 22 Sep 2004
07:08:01 -0400
220-We do not authorize the use of this system to transport unsolicited,
220 and/or bulk e-mail.
HELO fortune01.spameater.com
250 1n7-139.servernode.net Hello fortune01.spameater.com [69.56.237.82]
MAIL FROM:<cfortune@telus.net>
250 OK
RCPT TO:<spambloc@spamblocker7.com>
550-(fortune01.spameater.com) [69.56.237.82] is currently not permitted to
550-relay through this server. Perhaps you have not logged into the pop/imap
550-server in the last 30 minutes or do not have SMTP Authentication turned
on
550 in your email client.



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.762 / Virus Database: 510 - Release Date: 9/14/2004

Hello Chris,

Chris Fortune schrieb/wrote:

> Exim thinks that anybody attempting to send mail is trying to relay. I just
> set up DNS, using zoneedit. All other DNS functions are working. I
> restarted bind and exim. Apache is working well serving web docs. What
> have I done wrong?

Have you told exim which domain names are "local domains"?
Have you defined who (computers or users) is/are allowed tu use your
server as relay?

> telnet spamblocker7.com 25
> Trying 209.152.167.139...
> Connected to spamblocker7.com.
> Escape character is '^]'.
> 220-1n7-139.servernode.net ESMTP Exim 4.34 #1 Wed, 22 Sep 2004
> 07:08:01 -0400
> 220-We do not authorize the use of this system to transport unsolicited,
> 220 and/or bulk e-mail.
> HELO fortune01.spameater.com
> 250 1n7-139.servernode.net Hello fortune01.spameater.com [69.56.237.82]
> MAIL FROM:<cfortune@telus.net>
> 250 OK
> RCPT TO:<spambloc@spamblocker7.com>
> 550-(fortune01.spameater.com) [69.56.237.82] is currently not permitted to
> 550-relay through this server. Perhaps you have not logged into the pop/imap
> 550-server in the last 30 minutes or do not have SMTP Authentication turned
> on
> 550 in your email client.

Well, that looks good IMO - supposed you don't want your server to relay
mails for the domain "spamblocker7.com".

Regards,
Christian
--
Christian Schmidt | Germany | ChriSchmiLi@gmx.de
PGP Key ID: 0x28266F2C

Hello again Christian Schmidt!


> Hello Chris,
>
> Have you told exim which domain names are "local domains"?
> Have you defined who (computers or users) is/are allowed tu use your
> server as relay?
>

I used CPanel to install the users and domain names. Let me check
/etc/localdomains ..... Hey! spamblocker7.com is not there, and
the whole file is a mess .... fixed. Now checking out /etc/relayhosts ....
Hey! Only one ip addresses here, my broadband
provider! It must have been put there when I signed up for the server.
Well, let me add 127.0.0.1 ... there, done. Now to restart
Exim

Waiting for exim to restart.... . . . . . . . . . . finished.

exim status
mailnull 13378 0.0 0.0 6136 1724 ? S 01:26 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m
mailnull 13382 0.0 0.0 6104 1716 ? S 01:26 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -tls-on-connect -bd -oX 465
mailnull 13389 0.0 0.0 6400 3160 ? S 01:26 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -q
root 13416 0.6 0.0 3520 1724 ? S 01:26 0:00 antirelayd
root 13425 41.0 0.5 25616 21192 ? S 01:26 0:00
/usr/bin/spamd -d

exim started ok


Trying again:

telnet spamblocker7.com 25
Trying 209.152.167.139...
Connected to spamblocker7.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220-1n7-139.servernode.net ESMTP Exim 4.34 #1 Thu, 23 Sep 2004
01:27:02 -0400
220-We do not authorize the use of this system to transport unsolicited,
220 and/or bulk e-mail.
helo spameater.com
250 1n7-139.servernode.net Hello spameater.com [69.56.237.82]
mail from: me@spameater.com
250 OK
rcpt to: spambloc@spamblocker7.com
451 Temporary local problem - please try later

.............Well, it is better, but not what I was hoping for... Same thing
from command line 127.0.0.1



> - supposed you don't want your server to relay
> mails for the domain "spamblocker7.com".
>

I am merely testing mail delivery to my own server here. Spamblocker7.com
is the intended target, handled by Exim, spameater.com is
attempting to deliver mail to it, and Exim refuses.

OK. I'm going to try killing antirelayd (because the job needs to be done
anyways).
# killall antirelayd
# pico /etc/rc.d/init.d/exim

Restarting Exim
mailnull 14624 0.0 0.0 6136 1732 ? S 01:37 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m
mailnull 14630 0.0 0.0 6108 1720 ? S 01:37 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -tls-on-connect -bd -oX 465
root 14720 0.2 0.0 3520 1724 ? S 01:37 0:00 antirelayd
root 14823 18.1 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:01
/usr/bin/spamd -d
root 14827 0.0 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:00 spamd child
root 14828 0.1 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:00 spamd child
root 14829 0.0 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:00 spamd child
root 14830 0.0 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:00 spamd child
root 14831 0.1 0.5 26892 22788 ? S 01:37 0:00 spamd child


Trying again ......... argh! Same problem
Alright, now I'm getting mad ... If this keeps happening I might even read
the MANUAL!
No, I'll do a Google search instead .....
http://www.afp548.com/forum/viewtopi...&showtopic=203 recommends
inserting domain names directly into the Exim
configuration file. Well, I'll try anything once ....
#pico /etc/exim.conf
domainlist local_domains = lsearch;/etc/localdomains
domainlist relay_domains = lsearch;/etc/localdomains : \
lsearch;/etc/secondarymx
hostlist relay_hosts = lsearch;/etc/relayhosts : \
localhost
hostlist auth_relay_hosts = *

This looks like it should work, eh? Well I'll try changing it to
domainlist local_domains = spamblocker7.com
# lsearch;/etc/localdomains

mailnull 25353 0.0 0.0 6136 1728 ? S 02:01 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -bd -q60m
mailnull 25361 0.0 0.0 6108 1720 ? S 02:01 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -tls-on-connect -bd -oX 465
mailnull 25367 0.0 0.0 6400 3152 ? S 02:01 0:00
/usr/sbin/exim -q
root 25425 0.2 0.0 3516 1720 ? S 02:01 0:00 antirelayd
root 25434 12.7 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00
/usr/bin/spamd -d
root 25436 0.1 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00 spamd child
root 25437 0.1 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00 spamd child
root 25438 0.0 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00 spamd child
root 25439 0.0 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00 spamd child
root 25440 0.1 0.5 26900 22804 ? S 02:01 0:00 spamd child

That darn antirelayd just won't die
ps -aux | grep antirelayd
root 25425 0.0 0.0 3516 1720 ? S 02:01 0:00 antirelayd
# killall antirelayd
# ps -aux | grep antirelayd
#

telnet spamblocker7.com 25
....
AAARGH! 451 Temporary local problem - please try later





---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.762 / Virus Database: 510 - Release Date: 9/13/2004

Well, I'm certainly getting a lot of relay attempts. Warning to future
users, do not post your real usernames and ip addresses to this list!!!!


Update: I installed the newest stable RPM of Exim, but the problem persists

Here is a copy of
#tail /var/log/exim_mainlog

2004-09-23 02:33:19 remote host address is the local host: my.hostname.net
(while verifying <spambloc@my.hostname.net> from host (remote.server.net)
[204.244.102.66])
2004-09-23 02:33:19 H=(remote.server.net) [204.244.102.66] U=cf
F=<cf@remote.server.net> temporarily rejected RCPT
postmaster@spamblocker7.com: remote host address is the local host




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.762 / Virus Database: 510 - Release Date: 9/13/2004

Hello Chris,

Chris Fortune schrieb/wrote:

> Update: I installed the newest stable RPM of Exim, but the problem persists

This problem doesn't depend on your exim version, it depends on your
exim configuration!

> Here is a copy of
> #tail /var/log/exim_mainlog
>
> 2004-09-23 02:33:19 remote host address is the local host: my.hostname.net
> (while verifying <spambloc@my.hostname.net> from host (remote.server.net)
> [204.244.102.66])
> 2004-09-23 02:33:19 H=(remote.server.net) [204.244.102.66] U=cf
> F=<cf@remote.server.net> temporarily rejected RCPT
> postmaster@spamblocker7.com: remote host address is the local host

Obviously, your exim is configured in a way that it doesn't accept
mails from remote systems claiming to have the same domain name as
your exim is responsible for.

An example:
My server at home is called server.athome.local and shall accept mail
for the domains localhost, server.home.local and home.local.
So I told exim4:
domainlist local_domains = localhost : server.home.local : home.local

Thus, exim accepts mails to
me@localhost
me@server.home.local
me@home.local
and tries to deliver them "locally".

Seems you've got some problems understanding the difference between
"local_domains" and "relay_domains"...

Gruss,
Christian
--
Christian Schmidt | Germany | ChriSchmiLi@gmx.de
PGP Key ID: 0x28266F2C

I can connect to the server on port 25 and SMTPAuth port 465, but All mail,
both outgoing *and incoming*, is rejected with "451 Temporary local
problem - please try later". In other words, Exim doesn't send mail, and it
doesn't receive mail. Right now it's not an MTA, it's an MRA (Mail
Rejecting Agent). I played around with /etc/relayhosts and
/etc/localdomains , so the problem is probably there.


> This problem doesn't depend on your exim version, it depends on your
> exim configuration!
>
I sure hope you are right.


> Obviously, your exim is configured in a way that it doesn't accept
> mails from remote systems claiming to have the same domain name as
> your exim is responsible for.
>
Your statement is true, but I was sending from my ISP, 1,000 miles (um 1,640
kilometers) away from the Exim server.


> An example:
> My server at home is called server.athome.local and shall accept mail
> for the domains localhost, server.home.local and home.local.
> So I told exim4:
> domainlist local_domains = localhost : server.home.local : home.local
>
> Thus, exim accepts mails to
> me@localhost
> me@server.home.local
> me@home.local
> and tries to deliver them "locally".
>
> Seems you've got some problems understanding the difference between
> "local_domains" and "relay_domains"...
>

You're right, I find it confusing. To me, localdomains means the domain
names that are hosted on this server, and relay domains are the domains that
we accept relaying from. Is this wrong? What am I missing here? How do I
tell Exim "accept mail from anybody [ACL filters applied], and reject all
relay attempts except for SMTPAuth-enticated clients"? Thank Exim that they
produce a 451 error when the admin has screwed up the configuration!

Thanks for your help and patience.


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.762 / Virus Database: 510 - Release Date: 9/13/2004

Hello Chris,

Chris Fortune schrieb/wrote:

> I can connect to the server on port 25 and SMTPAuth port 465,

Port 465 is _not_ SMTPAuth, it's reserved for SMTPS which means SMTP
over SSL. When using an MTA with "STARTTLS" features, you normally
don't need to run a special SSL'ed SMTP service on this port.

> but All mail,
> both outgoing *and incoming*, is rejected with "451 Temporary local
> problem - please try later". In other words, Exim doesn't send mail, and it
> doesn't receive mail. Right now it's not an MTA, it's an MRA (Mail
> Rejecting Agent). I played around with /etc/relayhosts and
> /etc/localdomains , so the problem is probably there.

Take a look at your exim logfiles and a closer look at the options you
can test and debig exim with (man exim will be helpful).

>> This problem doesn't depend on your exim version, it depends on your
>> exim configuration!
>>
> I sure hope you are right.

Well - that should be obvious, shouldn't it?

>> Obviously, your exim is configured in a way that it doesn't accept
>> mails from remote systems claiming to have the same domain name as
>> your exim is responsible for.
>>
> Your statement is true, but I was sending from my ISP, 1,000 miles (um 1,640
> kilometers) away from the Exim server.

Where server and client(s) are located doesn't matter at all.

> To me, localdomains means the domain
> names that are hosted on this server, and relay domains are the domains that
> we accept relaying from. Is this wrong? What am I missing here? How do I
> tell Exim "accept mail from anybody [ACL filters applied], and reject all
> relay attempts except for SMTPAuth-enticated clients"? Thank Exim that they
> produce a 451 error when the admin has screwed up the configuration!

At least in exim4, "domainlist relay_domains" defines one ore more
domains your MTA shall relay mails _for_. Not from.
That is: If "domainlist relay_domains" contains 'server.mydom.ain',
your exim will accept mails addressed to <anyone>@server.mydom.ain,
but forward them according to its configration.

I think, you should bother a bit with exim's "debugging options"...

Regards,
Christian
--
Christian Schmidt | Germany | ChriSchmiLi@gmx.de
PGP Key ID: 0x28266F2C

I followed your instructions to the letter and still it didn't work
.......... that is, until the ISP fixed their DNS !!! Host
lookups were returning blank. Thank you Christian!

Does anybody know why is it that Exim thought that every delivery attempt
was a relay attempt?


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.762 / Virus Database: 510 - Release Date: 9/13/2004

Hello Chris,

Chris Fortune schrieb/wrote:

> Does anybody know why is it that Exim thought that every delivery attempt
> was a relay attempt?

When a client submits a mail to the exim MTA that is not directed to
one of exim's local_domains, exim will automagically think that it is
an attempt to relay.

But most probably your exim's temporary confusion about that question
has been caused by the DNS problems you mentioned: If the MTA asks for
name resolution and receives wrong results, exim will fail in
onterpreting if mails are to accept for local or remote delivery...

Regards,
Christian
--
Christian Schmidt | Germany | ChriSchmiLi@gmx.de
PGP Key ID: 0x28266F2C