Linux

Ask something
Discussion Locked

Email program

0 helpful
5 replies

by afari

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I am able to send a mail to my peers using the same server but when its going to a different system it is rejected with the error message: "We don't relay". eg: A mail from me, say John@scafek.org to bruce@scafek.org is delivered without the error message but from john@scafek.org to say obe@hotmail.com is not possible?
what should i do?

5 replies

by jacob.wilkins

This is actually good security on the part of your MTA. The mail server accepts messages for local delivery. It refuses to relay messages to other mail servers to keep from being used as a SPAM relay.

Not knowing what MTA you are using (Sendmail, Exim, Qmail, Postfix), I can't tell you exactly what to do.

But, somewhere in your config is a paramater that lets you set what IP address or range of IPs for which you will relay mail.

Just add your IP to that list.

by wls

Your mail server is configured to only accept mail for users on that machine. It will not accept mail for other destinations and forward it on your behalf.

This is good. Really. Here's why. Since mail headers can be forged, someone could lie about who they were and have the message passed on by the mail server. This is how spammers cover their tracks. By only accepting mail for people on this machine, the machine can look at the physical connection -- so there's some accountability andtrust happening.

If, however, you have a specific IP address or domain, it is possible to get around this... should the administrator let you.

To sendmail.cf add the line:
FR-o /etc/sendmail.cR

And create a file called sendmail.cR that contains all the domains and IP addresses you want to allow the system to perform relaying on. List one per line:
mydomain.com
yourdomain.com
111.222.333.444

This discussion is closed to new replies.