[nylug-talk] Is this usual?

[Ron Guerin]

Henning Follmann wrote:
> On Sat, Jan 19, 2008 at 01:16:17AM -0500, Kevin Mark wrote:
>> Hi,
>>> By the way, what is the problem? And did it ever get resolved?
>>> -- 
>> Its email related ( I posted about it on here). They told me to add the
>> offending domain to their white list. I am waiting for this to see if it
>> works. http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2007/12/msg00678.html
>> See the link for details.
>> -K
> 
> I read the thread on debian-user and it looks like that your email
> server is the problem, not verizon.
> 
> As stated on the list, you are using your own smtp server which cannot
> be resolved. Most server deny email from these type of setups.

I think at least some of Kevin's confusion comes from this:

<debian-user at lists.debian.org>:
82.195.75.100 does not like recipient.
Remote host said: 550 5.7.1 <debian-user at lists.debian.org>: Recipient
address rejected:

A user might read this and actually think that it means what it clearly
says, which is that it's a mail server rejecting a recipient, when in
fact it's the Debian mail server rejecting the SENDER, which is Kevin's
email address or IP address (it's not yet clear which)

Verifying this is easy enough:

  ~ telnet 82.195.75.100 25
  220 liszt.debian.org ESMTP Postfix

Indeed, the server with an ax to grind is Debian's.  Decoding the rest
of it, you get that (IIRC) Debian's rejecting Kevin's mail because
postmaster at kevinssendingaddress isn't valid, and because
abuse at kevinssendingaddress doesn't work.  Admittedly this seems a bit
hard to believe because it shows questionable judgment to block solely
on rfc-ignorant.org.

My guess is that the other stuff mentioned matters too, and probably
more.  And although I don't know what IP Kevin's mail server is on, I'm
guessing it's probably dynamic IP space, and it's a tough ride trying to
get mail accepted from a host on a dynamic IP address, or any range of
IPs that ISPs have self-submitted as "home service" addresses.  I
believe Verizon is one of the ISPs that publishes its home DSL address
range for the purpose of everyone else blocking SMTP connections from
those addresses.

- Ron