URGENT : Mail delivery issues, please help

Now almost always when I try to send a message from my Outlook client, the message sits in the outbox for nearly 30 seconds then does go out... This was not happening at all before I started this thread.
Click to expand...

This is very interesting, because I have the same problem since about a week. I did switch to using IMAPs (secure), so I thought it was related to this, but it seems not, because I did some testing just now:

in my case the sending is only slow to email addresses on the same server. External email addresses are processed immediately. This also applies to sending through the webmail interface.

I did not update to the latest version of DirectAdmin yet, still on 1.30.2. I did not change any other software recently.

There was a brief outage of this server about 2 weeks ago where the server had to be rebooted (not responding anymore) and the cause could not be located, so perhaps there is another issue. (considering that you have trouble reaching your server now and then)

Thoughts and places to look for causes are very welcome!

Thank you,

Harro
 
Ok... this is just more info. I also have problems with sending through a webmail interface. In SquirrelMail I get this:
ERROR: Connection dropped by IMAP server.
Query: EXPUNGE

and in Uebi I get this: It was not possible to send this e-mail

Uggg!
 
Ok... more data for you.

I have been thinking that my issue might be a KISS firewall issue... but now I am not so sure. I went into the system at the terminal with the intent to remove KISS and reinstall the script. When I get in to retrieve the script from Steve's Geocities address, it will not resolve. Hmmm... maybe things are pointing to an issue with the bind setup? I have NOT changed anything myself and the only thing I have updated is the DA version several days ago as stated in the original post. NOTE this though... all of the websites come up clean.

thoughts?
 
Ok... here is YET a little more info for this puzzle. i have been thinking now that the issue is related to how the server is resolving addresses... so I have done some research on the forums and noticed that it is stated that the resolv.conf file should be something like this:

nameserver 127.0.0.1
nameserver my.isp.dns.number1
nameserver my.isp.dns.number2

Ok, mine looked a bit different and I am unsure if this would make any difference at all... REMEMBERING that I haven't changed any of this stuff and the problems just seemed to start happening out of the blue. My setup was like this, without the loopback number:

search nhouse.com
nameserver my.isp.dns.number1
nameserver my.isp.dns.number2

When I try putting in the loopback number at the top and remove the search option, I could then do a dig command and stuff would happen... before then. the dig command would report "no servers could be reached." Also, when I tried it with the loopback number, I started getting calls from clients that they suddenly got a BIG dose of error messages saying email couldn't be delivered (non deliverable).

What gives? If the looback number wasn't in there before and it worked... geeze, I am getting more confused!?!
 
It appears that either your local DNS isn't resolving or your firewall is blocking outgoing packets.

To check your DNS first run:
Code: 
$ cat /etc/resolv.conf

Then using the IP# of one of those nameservers, try:
Code: 
$ dig @xx.yy.zz.aa gmail.com mx
and
Code: 
$ dig @xx.yy.zz.aa www.directadmin.com
Make sure you have at least two external cacheing nameservers listed here, and that if one is busy resetting, then the other one is available. (Generally you get these from your upstream provider.)

If neither work, get new ones from your provider.

Jeff
 
Jeff, thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. I will have to do this from the local terminal in the morning as I still can't access it via SSH... grumble.:mad:

This is REALLY driving me nuts. Do you think there could have been anything in the last DA update that would alter the DNS or Exim? I am almost at wits end.
 
Please... I need some more input folks. I am drowning here...

Here is another question... in the last DA update, I notice that there was some sort of change with the DNS administration. Specifically the ability to add new records (SRV and AAAA records in dns zones). Could this DA update possibly have gone astray and made my problem? Which brings me to another question. "If" I wanted to roll back a DA update, how exactly would I do it? I have searched the forums and haven't found a clear way to do it.
 
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More info... (please help)?

I have just turned off KISS and then ran a stop command on iptables just to be sure and I still cannot connect via SSH (Putty) and the mail issues persist. The main issue seems to be with the SMTP side... still. when you try to send a message, it sits in the outbox for 30 seconds or so... then appears to go out.

I can then verify that it IS in the queue but just sits there and doesn't deliver and when you check the log on the individual message, it says something like "2007-10-25 13:54:55 [email protected] R=lookuphost defer (-1): host lookup did not complete"

help
 
Hello,

There 2 possible causes for the "host lookup did not complete" error.

1) the lookup is failing due to dns server problems. The servers being used by your box will be listed in /etc/resolv.conf.
What I usually do is add the exact code:
Code: 
nameserver 127.0.0.1
to the very top of the /etc/resolv.conf so that your own namesever is used for lookups.

2) The other possibility is that you have a daily limit setup in /etc/virtual/limit. Anything other than 0 is a daily limit. The count is stored in /etc/virtual/usage/username if in fact the limit file is non-zero. If it's non-zero and you've hit your daily limit, then any email sent by that account will get that error (dns lookup is disabled to prevent outbound mail) and email won't leave.

John
 
Thanks John... I will do this an report back here with the results. Is there a real need for the following to be in that file?

search nhouse.com

It is in my resolv file now and ns1.nhouse.com / ns2.nhouse.com are my nameservers.
 
Ok, I have made the change you suggested and this is a result of a test from SquirrelMail to my Gmail account... it bounced as an unroutable address, here is the exact info:

------ This is a copy of the message, including all the headers. ------

Return-path: <[email protected]>
Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=www.nhousemedia.com)
by webserver.nhouse.com with esmtp (Exim 4.60)
(envelope-from <[email protected]>)
id 1Il96Q-0006fs-Ok
for [email protected]; Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:14:50 -0500
Received: from 72.4.44.2
(SquirrelMail authenticated user [email protected])
by www.nhousemedia.com with HTTP;
Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:14:50 -0500 (CDT)
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:14:50 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: teste after John
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Reply-To: [email protected]
User-Agent: SquirrelMail/1.4.8
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Importance: Normal

So, what do you think? To give you more detail to consider... before I made the change in the resolv.conf file, neither webmail programs would send mail.
 
also check the /etc/hosts for a line that looks something like:

::1 localhost

the ::1 character usually throw everything off, causing problems.
Make it so that the ::1 is actually:
127.0.0.1 localhost
so that you don't have ::1 in the /etc/hosts at all.

And the "search nhouse.com" at the top is not important (to my knowledge)

John
 
Ok, I have checked the hosts file and it didn't have the ::1 in it. Hmmm... what now? I don't think it is a quota thing either. I checked the /etc/virtual/limit file and it is a 0
:(

also, YUM cannot resolve a connection and WGET and SSH still do not work.
 
Yet more details... after I have made the change(s) that John described, I just got a couple of people calling me to say that all of their mail was bouncing back... when they are using my server.

Also, I now get this error in a website that was working without a snag before all of this stuff started. I am going to place it here so MAYBE this will jog someones thinking about what could be causing the issue.

The site: http://www.hickmanrealty.com/property/viewlisting.php?id=1113

The errors: Warning: fsockopen() [function.fsockopen]: php_network_getaddresses: getaddrinfo failed: Name or service not known in /home/hickman/domains/hickmanrealty.com/public_html/property/viewlisting.php on line 463

Warning: fsockopen() [function.fsockopen]: unable to connect to www.google.com:80 in /home/hickman/domains/hickmanrealty.com/public_html/property/viewlisting.php on line 463
Success (0)

Anyone?
 
Ok, so if you're now using your local dns server for lookups, we'll do some tests to ensure that it works.

Try:

Code: 
dig MX gmail.com @127.0.0.1

dig www.google.com

dig www.google.com @127.0.0.1

dig www.google.com @localhost
which should give us an idea of what is and is not working..

John
 
BIG SIGH... John I really appreciate your help and I hate to put off this discussion but I had to leave the server terminal for an appointment and I still cannot log in via SSH. I will do this in the morning and post the results for you... again, my apologies for the delay. I will email you to let you know when I have run the tests.

Bless you!
 
Good Day... John, I hope you are there and have time to assist again. Here is the results of the tests:

dig MX gmail.com @127.0.0.1
Click to expand...
AUTHORITY SECTION
518400 IN NS C.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. (there were 13 servers listed)
QUERYTIME: 83ms
SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1)
WHEN: Fri Oct 26 11:13:59 2007
MSGSIZE rcvd: 238
dig www.google.com
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same results with different root servers listed.
dig www.google.com @127.0.0.1
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same.
dig www.google.com @localhost
Click to expand...
Pretty much the same with one small difference in this line...
SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(localhost)

Another note... ALL of the email that tries to send gets immediately bounced back with this information... this one was attempted from SquirrelMail.

HEADERS
Return-path: <>
Envelope-to: [email protected]
Delivery-date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:36:20 -0500
Received: from mail by webserver.nhouse.com with local (Exim 4.60)
id 1IlSAW-0006Sy-7E
for [email protected]; Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:36:20 -0500
X-Failed-Recipients: [email protected]
Auto-Submitted: auto-replied
From: Mail Delivery System <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:36:20 -0500

This is another example from the control panels queue interface:

HEADERS:
1IlS97-0006Ro-T1-H
mail 8 12
<>
1193416493 0
-ident mail
-received_protocol local
-body_linecount 97
-allow_unqualified_recipient
-allow_unqualified_sender
-frozen 1193416493
-localerror
XX
1
[email protected]

144P Received: from mail by webserver.nhouse.com with local (Exim 4.60)
id 1IlS97-0006Ro-T1
for [email protected]; Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:34:53 -0500
072 X-Failed-Recipients: [email protected],
[email protected]
029 Auto-Submitted: auto-replied
064F From: Mail Delivery System <[email protected]>
022T To: [email protected]
059 Subject: Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender
053I Message-Id: <[email protected]>
038 Date: Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:34:53 -0500

LOGS:
2007-10-26 11:34:53 Received from <> R=1IlS96-0006Rl-TT U=mail P=local S=4087 T="Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender"
2007-10-26 11:34:53 routing failed for [email protected] F=<>: Unrouteable address
*** Frozen (delivery error message)
 
Ok, the root servers is the "wrong" answer for the lookups.
Likely, your named.conf has some settings to prevent any queries from going "out" to do real lookups. I'm guessing local domains would work fine.

You can compare your named.conf to the default we normally provide if you dont' have one:

www.directadmin.com/named.conf

John
 
Ok... I will try these settings out in the named.conf file... I know mine is a bit different... I will tell you the results here. I hope this would correct things... even though I am still confused as to why this would have happened in the first place since I didn't alter either the named.conf or the resolv.conf files before all of this started.
 
Ok... I have tried using this standard template in the options area at the top... there was no real difference except it seemed that now instead of email immediately bouncing back, it grinds away for a few seconds and then returns the bounce message. It still reports the message as an Unrouteable address.

Forgive me for my lack of knowledge... but in my named.conf file, it has a lot of zone references below what your default file shows.... that is right, right?
 
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