QMail - email problem when no internet

[AlexandreAmant]

Hi,
we are running Qmail on a rehat 9 as a server. We have an internet gateway with a permanent connection. When there is an internet connection, everything works fine. When the internet connection is down, the mails won't go out of the outlook outbox until the connection comes back.

I don't know what the problem could be as I don't see why QMail or outlook would need an internet connection to send & receive a mail on the LAN ? Even internal email does not work anymore.

Thanks in advance,

@lex

 

[RhythmAce]

It would seem that your server it set to relay based on MX. If it can't find a dns server, it won't be able to resolve addresses. I don't use qmail so I can't tell you specifically how to do this but you can turn off relaying based on MX or have your server accept unresolved addresses.

 

[flugh]

not that proper configuration isn't the best option, but if you're on a LAN, why not install a caching/forwarding dns server? that way no other programs will be broken by lack of internet connection either.


----
JBR

 

[AlexandreAmant]

Thanks for your replies.

I have a local DNS running on the machine I try to send the email from, but I could not find any MX entry for my server. Could that be the problem ?

Also, what I don't understand is that I have all my machines in the /etc/hosts file of each machine, so the DNS should not be an issue, or am I missing something ?

Thanks,

@lex

 

[AlexandreAmant]

Hi,

Anyone got any more idea ? Or am I the only one with this problem ???

I'd appreciate your comments !

Thanks,

@lex

 

[ericbrunson]

Most MTAs rely on the MX records, which the /etc/hosts file can't provide. You need to add MX records to your DNS server.

 

[sleipnir214]

If messages don't leave the outbox in Outlook, it sounds like your workstations can't resolve the IP address of the mail server.

Whatever you're calling the mail server in the "SMTP server" settings in Outlook, is that machine name and IP address configured in the hosts files of your workstations?



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[AlexandreAmant]

Sleipnir214,

Yes it is. And in Outlook, I put the IP address anyway in the "smtp server" fields, but I have it in the hosts file.

Any good and easily configurable DNS you would recommend ?

Thanks,

@lex

 

[stefanwagner]

Have you in host.conf

order hosts,bind

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[sleipnir214]

Domain name servers aren't necessary. The standard is that the IP stack search the hosts file first, then use DNS and other means to resolve machine names to IP addresses.

Did you edit the correct file? It will be [windows install]\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. Not lmhosts, hosts.


Keep in mind, however, that the problem is not one with Linux or qmail, but rather with name resolution in Win32. If you need advice as to the nitty-gritty details of the Win32 IP stack, you must post your questions in the appropriate forum.



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[AlexandreAmant]

Thanks. I'll post a post in the win32 forum about that.

Yes, I've got the server in my hosts file.

Stefanwagner: I don't have a hosts.conf file on the win client (is that a problem ?)

Thanks !

 

[stefanwagner]

Yes - the problem is, that you posted to a linux-forum, with a headline 'QMail'. If the problem is on the win-client, your post to that win32 forum should help.

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