Issues sending emails to certain domain names

[EntilzaSte]

I am having a problem when trying to send messages to a specific address. The message is being queued and not leaving the queue. I have checked the message tracking and it says that it keeps transfering it to the SMTP queue, but it never leaves.

I have performed a tracert to the destination, and after 20-odd hops it returns okay. Any thoughts?

The return notification is below (with the addresses changed to protect the innocent)

Cheers


Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

Subject: Test of email

Sent: 16/06/2003 16:38

The following recipient(s) could not be reached:

something@something on 17/06/2003 16:41

Could not deliver the message in the time limit specified. Please retry or contact your administrator.

<exchange.domain #4.4.7>

 

[icvanstra]

There are several threads already on this issue here at Tek-tips.

When you look up the MX record for the 'offending' company is it a FQDN (fully qualified domain name) or an IP address. If it is an IP address that may be your problem. Although I have not seen it often, it does happen.

Tough to get the other people to change their DNS records sometimes though...

 

[EntilzaSte]

Could you let me know how to look up a MX record? Is it the same as performing a tracert?

Thanks

 

[Claudek]

Open a command Prompt
type nslookup
type set type=mx
now type in the domain name of the email receipient, eg abc.com

You can also type set type=any
and then type the domain name for extra info

Good command to know btw. have fun.



Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au

 

[EntilzaSte]

Hi,

When doing an nslookup I get the following:

None-Authoritative answer

domain.com MX Preference=10 mail exchanger=mail.domain.com

domain.com internet address=IPAddress

Any ideas? This is really causing me hassle from on high..

Steve

 

[Claudek]

If you need to explain this to higher ups, answer is that the recipient's mail server is not responding in time. It is an issue at their end, not at yours. Basically put, it appears that you can send emails to everyone bar a few addresses. I have had the same issue at one of my clients who were jumping up and down until it was explained to them that we could not fix any problems other email servers had.
Your server is resolving addresses fine and sending mail to the right place. It obviously cannot send the email due to the problem at the other end and basically goes back into the smtp queue until the next retry period. Then again and again til it suceeds at last or gives up and returns a message could not be delivered error.



Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au

 

[EntilzaSte]

Claudek,

Many thanks,

Steve

 

[GRANTK]

Change the number of hops allowed. On the SMTP properties, delivery, advanced, set Maximum Hop Count to 30 or higher. The default in E2K is 15 hops.

 

[Claudek]

I thought about the maximum hop count but the error you get from maximum hop count is different from what EntilzaSte posted.In Maximum hop count errors, you get nondelivery reports that state that the maximum hop count was reached and the message wasn't delivered.
Still can try to increase this and test it out, though do put it back to 15 should it not fix anything.





Claudius (What certifications??)

http://www.iteq.com.au

 

[DannoSV]

I believe the SMTP hops are specific to incoming messages and should not affect outbound mail.

In addition, try telnet'ing to the recipients mail server from your box and see if a successful connection is established. If not, then I would agree with &quot;icvanstra&quot; that the problem is at the recipient mail servers end. This would be a good test.

 

[borgkling2003]

Going back to the first email. I too receive that sort of message when sending to a particular company. I have ask contacts from other company to try their emails and they manage to send the emails in to the account. But my keeps returning with that message. Could it be that my company's domain has been barred on their end?