[exim] Help in interpetting a log line

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Author: Alain Williams
Date:  
To: Exim Users
Subject: [exim] Help in interpetting a log line
Hi,

I am trying to understand the reason why exim has decided to fail sender verification, so that I can say something to the sys admin at the
sending site. The 2 lines in the exim log file are below, I have difficulty understanding them because there are so many
different machines mentioned. I have not tried to obscure the sites since that might destroy the understanding.

    2008-09-26 10:40:09 H=mr40-iz.mailpoalim.co.il (mr40.mailpoalim.co.il) [212.68.154.40] sender verify fail for <miki.nachmani@???>: response to "MAIL FROM:<>" from mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il [212.68.154.51] was: 501 Empty sender address is not allowed
    2008-09-26 10:40:09 H=mr40-iz.mailpoalim.co.il (mr40.mailpoalim.co.il) [212.68.154.40] F=<miki.nachmani@???> rejected RCPT <a.trager-lewis@???>: Sender verify failed


So, I deduce:
* mr40-iz.mailpoalim.co.il is the verified name of the machine that connecte to my client's server, it has the IP address 212.68.154.40
* mr40.mailpoalim.co.il is the name that was given in the HELO line
* mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il is 212.68.154.51, this is the first listed MX for bhimail.co.uk

It is not clear to me which machine is saying: ''Empty sender address is not allowed'' - I think mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il

I think that what is happening is that exim is connecting to mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il to see if it will accept mail to miki.nachmani@???
and as part of it sends:
    MAIL FROM:<>            
which mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il objects to. Which suggests that that machine will not accept bounces.



So, I can either:

1) tell the sysadmins that look after mr51-iz.mailpoalim.co.il to fix their machines

2) fix my machine so that in acl_check_rcpt I have:
    require verify = sender/callout=mailfrom=postmaster@$qualify_domain


3) fix my machine as (2) but only for certain domains:

    require sender_domains = lsearch;/etc/exim/WontTakeBounces
        verify = sender/callout=mailfrom=postmaster@$qualify_domain


    require sender_domains = !lsearch;/etc/exim/WontTakeBounces
        verify = sender/callout=mailfrom=postmaster@$qualify_domain



Which would be better and why ?

--
Alain Williams
Linux/GNU Consultant - Mail systems, Web sites, Networking, Programmer, IT Lecturer.
+44 (0) 787 668 0256 http://www.phcomp.co.uk/
Parliament Hill Computers Ltd. Registration Information: http://www.phcomp.co.uk/contact.php
Past chairman of UKUUG: http://www.ukuug.org/
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