MX record problem

[M.Ashcraft at epixtech.com]

Scott,

First you must create an A record for your mail server so that once I know
the name I can connect to it.
in your db file this is

mail      IN   A    192.160.1.1

You  can then use an MX record to redirect mail addressed to the domain
this is a db file for  to the host mail. (the @ is optional)

@    IN   MX   10   mail

if you have more than one mail host for the domain you can list multiple MX
records with different hosts at the end and change the priority (the
number).  The lowest number has highest priority.

Sendmail and other mailers check for MX records for the host portion of the
e-mail address to determine the IP address to send the mail to.  If they
find an MX record,  they look for an A record for the host referred to in
the MX record and use that IP address to send the e-mail.  If this fails
they look for A records for the host portion of the e-mail address.  If the
find the MX record points to a CNAME they are unhappy and may or may not
deliver the mail depending on the mail implementation and configuration.
As this configuration is at the remote site, which you do not control, do
not use a CNAME on the right side of an MX record unless you don't want
your e-mail delivered.  I think newer versions of bind will help you by
rejecting the CNAME usage in MX records as well.

Some mail servers do this checking to verify that they can reply to an
e-mail message to block SPAM as well.  If you are not configured properly
your users may not be able to send mail.

The MX record allows you to direct mail for user at domain.com to the host
mail.domain.com.

also see  http://www.acmebw.com/  Go to "ask Mr. DNS" at the top then click
on "browse all questions and answers grouped by category"   and check out
the "electronic-mail related questions" section. (and any others of
interest.)  The searching doesn't always work but everything is there in by
category.

Hope this helps,

Mike


--
Mike Ashcraft, Sr. Network Engineer
epixtech, Inc.
M.Ashcraft at epixtech.com



                                                                                                                             
                    "Scott.Wiseman"                                                                                          
                    <scott.wiseman at realesta        To:     bind-users at isc.org                                                
                    tenet.com>                     cc:                                                                       
                    Sent by:                       Subject:     MX record problem                                            
                    bind-users-bounce at isc.o                                                                                  
                    rg                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                    06/15/00 05:21 PM                                                                                        
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             





can I just have this record to resolve mail
DB.DOMAIN


          IN MX mail.remaxhost.com

     of do I have to say

mail IN A ip address


          IN MX mail.remaxhost.com
DOES THIS MEAN
DOMAIN.COM          IS THE MAIL SERVER
AND IF I WANT MAIL.DOMAIN.COM TO ALSO BE THE MAIL SERVER
I HAVE TO USE




mail IN A ip address