Virtual domain - SMTP 451 rejection problem

AlexMorris · 9 Aug 2007, 07:25 PM

It appears that FastMail is arbitrarily rejecting mail for one of my domains. Two of my friends have reported difficulties sending mail to me at that domain, but have been able to send mail without any problem to another FastMail hosted domain.

The first time it was reported to me was on July 13th. I sent a request to webmaster AT fastmail.fm, with the subject line "Non-delivery of e-mail from one whitelisted sender", but the mail was ignored.

The bounce message my friend received was thus:

"66.111.4.72 does not like recipient.
Remote host said: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access
denied Giving up on 66.111.4.72. I'm not going to try again; this message
has been in the queue too long."

The same thing happened a couple of days ago, with another friend. He got the following bounce message:

" ----- Transcript of session follows -----
... while talking to in1.smtp.messagingengine.com.:
>>> DATA
<<< 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied
<alex@web.messagingengine.com>... Deferred: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied
<<< 554 5.5.1 Error: no valid recipients
... while talking to in2.smtp.messagingengine.com.:
>>> DATA
<<< 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied
<alex@web.messagingengine.com>... Deferred: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied
<<< 554 5.5.1 Error: no valid recipients"

For the avoidance of doubt, neither of my friends was sending mail to "alex@web.messagingengine.com". They were both sending to alex@mydomain.

Can someone from FastMail offer an explanation for why incoming mails to that domain are being bounced in this manner, yet mails to another FM-hosted domain are being allowed through without demur?

Mod: I have fixed the "live" email address to avoid spambots.

robmueller · 10 Aug 2007, 01:55 PM

You're using a CNAME record for your domain.

DON'T USE CNAME RECORDS FOR YOUR DOMAIN IF YOU WANT TO USE THEM FOR EMAIL.

I've added a note to the FAQ about this.

http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...m#VirtualCNAME

Rob

AlexMorris · 11 Aug 2007, 02:44 AM

Thank you for the information. I have now removed all CNAME records. Since I don't really have a website, and use my domain primarily for e-mail, the absence of a website is no great hardship for me.

There appears to be a conundrum, though. http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...FSWebOwnDomain stipulates the requirement for CNAME records if using FM for a website, yet http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...m#VirtualCNAME indicates that CNAME records are verboten if using FM for e-mail provision.

This suggests that one may use FastMail for either e-mail or web hosting, but not both.

BritTim · 11 Aug 2007, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexMorris;426309There appears to be a conundrum, though. [url

http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts/VFSWeb.htm#VFSWebOwnDomain[/url] stipulates the requirement for CNAME records if using FM for a website, yet http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...m#VirtualCNAME indicates that CNAME records are verboten if using FM for e-mail provision.

This suggests that one may use FastMail for either e-mail or web hosting, but not both.

My reading of the FAQ is that you should have a CNAME for www.<your-domain> but not for <your-domain>. This implies that, with FM, you would not be able to have a website at <your-domain> but would need to always use some prefix, such as 'www'. In practice, this is surely not too onerous a restriction.

**Shelded** · 12 Aug 2007, 04:11 AM

Using your independent DNS host such as ZoneEdit --
Use A records for the web site http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...VirtualWebOnly

Use MX records to direct your mail to Fastmail.

What's not working?

robmueller · 13 Aug 2007, 01:41 PM

Email and web hosting are fine:

http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...ualEmailAndWeb

It's easier if you point the name servers for your domain to us anyway, and control your DNS records via the Options -> Custom DNS screen. There's some standard records for web/email hosting on those screens that just work, and you can switch to point web or email anywhere you want any time...

Rob

9 Aug 2007, 07:25 PM	#1
AlexMorris Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Posts: 132	Virtual domain - SMTP 451 rejection problem It appears that FastMail is arbitrarily rejecting mail for one of my domains. Two of my friends have reported difficulties sending mail to me at that domain, but have been able to send mail without any problem to another FastMail hosted domain. The first time it was reported to me was on July 13th. I sent a request to webmaster AT fastmail.fm, with the subject line "Non-delivery of e-mail from one whitelisted sender", but the mail was ignored. The bounce message my friend received was thus: "66.111.4.72 does not like recipient. Remote host said: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied Giving up on 66.111.4.72. I'm not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too long." The same thing happened a couple of days ago, with another friend. He got the following bounce message: " ----- Transcript of session follows ----- ... while talking to in1.smtp.messagingengine.com.: >>> DATA <<< 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied <alex@web.messagingengine.com>... Deferred: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied <<< 554 5.5.1 Error: no valid recipients ... while talking to in2.smtp.messagingengine.com.: >>> DATA <<< 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied <alex@web.messagingengine.com>... Deferred: 451 4.7.1 <alex@web.messagingengine.com>: Relay access denied <<< 554 5.5.1 Error: no valid recipients" For the avoidance of doubt, neither of my friends was sending mail to "alex@web.messagingengine.com". They were both sending to alex@mydomain. Can someone from FastMail offer an explanation for why incoming mails to that domain are being bounced in this manner, yet mails to another FM-hosted domain are being allowed through without demur? Mod: I have fixed the "live" email address to avoid spambots. Last edited by Sherry : 10 Aug 2007 at 02:37 AM.

12 Aug 2007, 04:11 AM	#5
Shelded Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USA Northwest Posts: 3,853	Fastmail does host both. Using your independent DNS host such as ZoneEdit -- Use A records for the web site http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...VirtualWebOnly Use MX records to direct your mail to Fastmail. What's not working?

10 Aug 2007, 01:55 PM	#2
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,102 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	You're using a CNAME record for your domain. DON'T USE CNAME RECORDS FOR YOUR DOMAIN IF YOU WANT TO USE THEM FOR EMAIL. I've added a note to the FAQ about this. http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...m#VirtualCNAME Rob

11 Aug 2007, 02:44 AM	#3
AlexMorris Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: England Posts: 132	Thank you for the information. I have now removed all CNAME records. Since I don't really have a website, and use my domain primarily for e-mail, the absence of a website is no great hardship for me. There appears to be a conundrum, though. http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...FSWebOwnDomain stipulates the requirement for CNAME records if using FM for a website, yet http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...m#VirtualCNAME indicates that CNAME records are verboten if using FM for e-mail provision. This suggests that one may use FastMail for either e-mail or web hosting, but not both.

13 Aug 2007, 01:41 PM	#6
robmueller Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 6,102 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	Email and web hosting are fine: http://www.fastmail.fm/docs/faqparts...ualEmailAndWeb It's easier if you point the name servers for your domain to us anyway, and control your DNS records via the Options -> Custom DNS screen. There's some standard records for web/email hosting on those screens that just work, and you can switch to point web or email anywhere you want any time... Rob