Mail Service problems 10.4.6

[Johnny.Deee]

'copy of pm sent to Ric'

I have read the post that LGG(Pippa) started a while back and you seem to be the most helpful person i've found with regards to OSX mail server, so i'm begging for your help!!! I'll give you a little bit of background 1st.

A while back someone targetted our server as an open relay and all hell broke loose, suffice to say that BT stopped our ip adresses and I had to switch off the mail service. I eventually sorted that out with various bits of help from here there and everywhere, cleared the 1gb mail queue, changed the ip address of our server to another one we had available, and started the mail server up again.

We weren't using the mail server at the time but now I want to get it working. Following your advice to Pippa i'm nearly there but I can't get it fully working.

The problems i'm having at the moment are:

I can't send mail from any of the clients.

Any email sent to our domain: ourdomain.co.uk gets bounced.
I know that the clients are connecting to the server cos they show up in the connections pane in server admin and one of the accounts downloaded 25 or so, bounced messages from our little open relay problem.

That account shows up in the Maintenance/Accounts pane but none of the others do (i'm presuming that this is because none of them have sent or received anything yet).

Any way I know i'm waffling on and I should have started a thread with this but out of courtesy I thought i'd ask if you could help 1st and I'll start one if you have time to help me out!

At my wits end!!!

John


PS. I, like Pippa, am a little bit out of my depth here, I have used terminal but only when someone tells me exactly what to type!

 

[Ric]

Hi there John and welcome, thanks for reposting !

'The problems i'm having at the moment are:

I can't send mail from any of the clients.

What errror messages do they get ?

Any email sent to our domain: ourdomain.co.uk gets bounced.

Can you send (e-mail address removed) a couple so that I can read the 'bounce' info ?

I know that the clients are connecting to the server cos they show up in the connections pane in server admin and one of the accounts downloaded 25 or so, bounced messages from our little open relay problem.

That account shows up in the Maintenance/Accounts pane but none of the others do (i'm presuming that this is because none of them have sent or received anything yet).

That's right, untill they send or receive they don't show up !

Let me have the logs and emails and we'll see what we can do !

Is the Mac that the Mail Server running on providing any other services ?

Can the Server be erased and the software reloaded ? Was this done after you found out that it was running an open relay ? Are you happy that it is secure ?

Can you give me a Network Topology (email it, if you want), what plugs where etc blahblah modem to Sonic Firewall to 24 Port Switch to G5 running Server software (if you see what I mean )

regards

Ric

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

thanks for all the info you have emailed...

In one of your logs...

Apr 27 11:57:06 host217-34-x-x postfix/smtpd[3009]: fatal: net/mask pattern 217.34.x.x/28 has a non-null host portion; specify 217.34.x.x/28 if this is really what you want
Apr 27 11:57:07 host217-34-x-x postfix/master[2987]: warning: process /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd pid 3009 exit status 1
Apr 27 11:57:07 host217-34-x-x postfix/master[2987]: warning: /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd: bad command startup -- throttling

I have blanked out par of the IP address for privacy !

This is repeated over and again in the logs...the Mail server isn't set up correctly !

Was this originally a 10.3 Server that has been upgraded to 10.4 or did you just get 10.4 Server ?

I notice on the Screen grab of the Active services...you are not running DNS ?

Who is handling DNS services for you ? Have you set up the correct records for the Mail server ?

Have you set up Port Forwarding on your Switches/Routers ?

Double check the IP addresses !

I shall have a good look through everything later tonight.

regards

Ric

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

can you also go into Terminal and type:

postconf -n

Then select everything/copy and email it to me !

regards

Ric

 

[Johnny.Deee]

Hi there,

thanks for all the info you have emailed...

Thank you for giving me some of your time!

This is repeated over and again in the logs...the Mail server isn't set up correctly !

OK, I didn't really expect to have done it right!!!

Was this originally a 10.3 Server that has been upgraded to 10.4 or did you just get 10.4 Server ?

No, it has only ever had 10.4 on it.

I notice on the Screen grab of the Active services...you are not running DNS ?

I thought i read in the other post that i didn't need to have it running?

Who is handling DNS services for you ? Have you set up the correct records for the Mail server ?

BT are. I think i have, i will email you screen grab of settings. I know that the DNS record for the website points to the right place, try it, i know the sites a bit **** but there are only so many things i can do at once LOL!!!

Have you set up Port Forwarding on your Switches/Routers ?

Double check the IP addresses !

I don't think that i can and wouldn't know what it was anyway!
The ADSL router is a BT one and there isn't really anything that i can configure without invalidating BT warrantees (ie. installing different firmware). As far as i know the switch doesn't have any configuration settings.

We have 13 IP addresses, BT sold us a bit of a curve ball, didn't know about NAT back then and we didn't have a server and as i said before the router is not configurable for NAT.

Hope that answers a few things, If you need any more info let me know.


John

 

[Ric]

Hi there John,

the best way is for me to 'look' at your server !

I can see that you have Apple Remote Desktop on it.

If you want I can have an hour now.

You will need to allow access... go to System Preferences Sharing CLick on Apple Remote Access-->Then click on Access privileges-->Tick Guests May request permission to control screen

I understand if you don't want to do it this way !

regards

Ric

 

[Johnny.Deee]

Hi Ric,

I am not sure about this, no offence but i hardly know you, still, surely it would be safer to create an account for you rather than opening it up to guests?

Let me know what you think.


John

 

[Ric]

Hi John no problem !

I do this as part of my 'real' life !

Apple Remote Desktop...open for guests is different to what you are thinking...when someone with ARD trys to connect to your Server you are asked if they can have permission...so it's actually safer than giving someone an account.

There are quite a few 'bits' wrong with your Mail Server, and from experience it's easy (for me) to get my hands dirty and fix it.

However, I understand. I shall instead try and do a few "How to Setup Mail Services in Tiger Server" videos over the weekend.

regards

Ric

 

[Johnny.Deee]

It is obviously gonna be easier (for me anyway!) if i let you 'get your hands dirty' so i have switched remote desktop on for you.

I usually switch the server off over the weekend so if you need it left on let me know.

Cheers,

John

 

[Ric]

Hi John,

I am currently downloading the latest version of OS X Server from Apple, as I only have 10.3 Server at home !

As you can see it's got a bit to go...so my Bandwith is a bit full at the minute !

2.5GB download !

I will just check the ARD connection though. It may be better to turn the Mac off as normal at the weekend. (How do people access the website ?)

regards

Ric