Re: [exim] How to debug R=dnslookup T=remote_smtp defer (99)…

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Author: Chris Searle
Date:  
To: Jethro R Binks
CC: exim-users
Subject: Re: [exim] How to debug R=dnslookup T=remote_smtp defer (99): Cannot assign requested address

On 29. nov. 2007, at 09.41, Jethro R Binks wrote:

> On Wed, 28 Nov 2007, Chris Searle wrote:
>
>> 2007-11-28 10:07:36 <addresssnipped>@yahoo.com R=dnslookup
>> T=remote_smtp defer (99): Cannot assign requested address
> ...
>> I was wondering if this has anything to do with the previous change
>> made (setting the outgoing IP for a domain to one of the 6 on the
>> box).
>>
>> The sending address is rscounselling.co.uk. This has MX
>>
>> rscounselling.co.uk.    54731   IN      MX      5
>> family.chrissearle.org.

>>
>> Which in turn is
>>
>> family.chrissearle.org. 801     IN      A       78.47.168.122

>>
>> And the sending IP set in the remote_smtp transport is (from /etc/
>> exim4/interfaces)
>>
>> rscounselling.co.uk: 78.147.168.122
>>
>> 78.147.168.122 is one of the IP aliases on this box.
>
> You are sure that all your IPs are assigned to a network interface
> on your
> box? Can you ping those IP addresses, from both the box, and some
> other
> local (LAN) host, and maybe from some more remote host should traffic
> filters permit?


This is a good point. I've done a little more testing over the last
day or so:

The box has (/sbin/ifconfig | grep "inet addr"):

           inet addr:88.198.38.80  Bcast:88.198.38.95  Mask: 
255.255.255.224
           inet addr:78.47.168.122  Bcast:78.47.168.127  Mask: 
255.255.255.248
           inet addr:78.47.168.123  Bcast:78.47.168.127  Mask: 
255.255.255.248
           inet addr:78.47.168.124  Bcast:78.47.168.127  Mask: 
255.255.255.248
           inet addr:78.47.168.125  Bcast:78.47.168.127  Mask: 
255.255.255.248
           inet addr:78.47.168.126  Bcast:78.47.168.127  Mask: 
255.255.255.248
           inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0


Now - until recently - my remote_smtp looked like:

remote_smtp:
debug_print = "T: remote_smtp for $local_part@$domain"
driver = smtp


All mail went out using 78.47.168.126

I changed it to

remote_smtp:
debug_print = "T: remote_smtp for $local_part@$domain"
driver = smtp
interface = ${lookup{$sender_address_domain}lsearch{/etc/exim4/
interfaces}{$value}{88.198.38.80}}

And /etc/exim4/interfaces looks like

chrissearle.org: 78.47.168.125
chrissearle.net: 78.47.168.125
longship.org: 78.47.168.124
rscounselling.co.uk: 78.147.168.122
searle.me.uk: 78.147.168.122
wegner.no: 78.147.168.122
ochs.no: 78.147.168.123
hunnor.net: 78.147.168.123
kosacsaba: 78.147.168.123
brastad.org: 78.147.168.123
grumblesmurf.org: 78.47.168.123

Mail started going out using these IP addresses.

But!

Then I spotted the above problem. The cannot assign issue.

So - I set the following:

remote_smtp:
debug_print = "T: remote_smtp for $local_part@$domain"
driver = smtp
interface = 88.198.38.80


And the issue went away.

So - it does appear to be an issue with the lookup.

However - testing that lookup with exim4 -be

exim4 -be '${lookup{chrissearle.org}lsearch{/etc/exim4/interfaces}
{$value}{88.198.38.80}}'
78.47.168.125

And - all of the 78 series are in active use as apache2 hosts. I can
ping them both from the mail host and externally.

Chris Searle
net_exim.org@???