Server/mail/naming setup theory

Jason Stephenson jason at sigio.com
Sun Apr 18 10:08:00 EDT 2004


Dan Jenkins wrote:

>
> In /etc/postfix/transport, add these lines:
> aol.com smtp:[smtp.bur.adelphia.net]
> netscape.net smtp:[smtp.bur.adelphia.net]
> earthlink.net smtp:[smtp.bur.adelphia.net]
> rcn.net smtp:[smtp.bur.adelphia.net]

I missed a bit of that discussion, but does the above tell postfix to 
actually relay through that server or does it tell postfix to "spoof" 
that server on HELO?

If the latter, it won't work. I've also configured my mail server at 
work to block incoming mail from adsl, cable, and dial-up IPs and host 
names. This is because all of the mail that we receive from those 
domains is spam. When a machine connects to send us mail, our mail 
server does a reverse DNS look up on their IP. It ignores what is sent 
in the HELO, unless the other machine is sending our own IP or host name 
in the HELO, in which case the connection is rejected.

AOL is doing more or less the same thing with their servers.

I have absolutely no problem with doing this because it cuts down on the 
spam we receive and if you are trying to run your own mail server over 
such an account, you are generally in technical violation of your AUP.






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