Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter JS
  • Start date Start date
J

JS

Is it proper to insert an A record for the IP address of your mailserver.
What I have in DNS is:

host - mail1.mydomain.com
mx - pointing to the above
reverse lookup


AOL sez they cannot allow mail traffic unless they see an A record for the
IP itself???

Thanks
 
In
JS said:
Is it proper to insert an A record for the IP address of
your mailserver. What I have in DNS is:

host - mail1.mydomain.com
mx - pointing to the above
reverse lookup


AOL sez they cannot allow mail traffic unless they see an
A record for the IP itself???
Click to expand...

Yes, an MX record must point to a mail server name with an "A" record. Do
not confuse an "A" record with an Alias record, an alias record is a CNAME.
MX record must NEVER point to a CNAME.
 
OK... I have

host (A) mail1.mydomain.com 209.180.124.x
MX points to mail1.mydomain.com
Reverse lookup in place with ISP.

This is all that is needed.....correct
 
KC said:
OK... I have

host (A) mail1.mydomain.com 209.180.124.x
MX points to mail1.mydomain.com
Reverse lookup in place with ISP.
Click to expand...

One more thing -- it's probably already true or even
automatic but -- your SMTP server must also be set
to MATCH the name it reports to the one in the MX
and the reverse.

For machines with one name, in the domain whose
email they serve, and with a cooperating ISP for the
reverse this usually works out automatically but it
is possible to have some (semi) arbitrary reverse
record, or a non-domain machine handle your email.

Many email servers handle the email for MANY
domains -- it works because all of the MX records
point to the same name in one domain, with the
matching reverse record and the SMTP reporting
(helo server.ourdomain.com) the same name.
 
Thanks...thought I was going crazy for a moment. What AOL was asking for did
not make any sense.
 
In
JS said:
Thanks...thought I was going crazy for a moment. What AOL was asking
for did not make any sense.
Click to expand...

AOL may also be asking for an SPF record for your domain. I had to do that
for a number of my clients when I requested their domain names be put on
their white list before AOL would accept it.

Here's more info for AOL:
http://postmaster.info.aol.com/whitelist/

Here's info on SPF and how to create the record (in case they ask you for
it):
www.spf.pobox.com


--
Regards,
Ace

Please direct all replies ONLY to the Microsoft public newsgroups
so all can benefit.

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees
and confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft Windows MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services

Security Is Like An Onion, It Has Layers
HAM AND EGGS: A day's work for a chicken;
A lifetime commitment for a pig.
 
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