Should I use bind for SPF records?

[Res]

Mike,

On Sun, 19 Oct 2008, Mike Halloran wrote:

> I have a site that I created that is running on my local computer with
> a static IP address. So far, I have been using godaddy for the DNS
> entries. I am sending mail from my server using sendmail. Since gmail,
> hotmail, etc cannot resolve an SPF record, they are automatically
> saying the e-mails are spam.

Hotmail says everything is spam unless you use hotmail, or the end
recipient whitelists you (this is not junk), gmail is not that bad, yet.
Hotmail also test for SenderID, I dont think they test for SPF (as we know 
it) at all, SenderID is broken, very seriously broken, if you use mailing 
lists especially so, so if you use a milter on your MTA , dont use SID 
checking.

> I can see that Godaddy supports SPF entries, but I have heard that I
> should set up the SPF entry on my server using bind. How does the
> receiving server know where to resolve the SPF entry?

The authoritative DNS zone file has the SPF info.

If you can use the RR  SPF then use it, else use TXT entry, most free DNS 
places allow you to at least create a TXT entry for your zone name

replace 1.2.3.4 with your IP

          TXT     "v=spf1 ip4:1.2.3.4 a mx -all"
          TXT     "spf2.0/pra ip4:1.2.3.4 a mx -all"

The last one is only to keep micro$lop hotmail happy, its SenderID format.

If they allow you to create  SPF RR type then also enter:

          SPF     "ip4:1.2.3.4 a mx -all"

Also it is important to note that your reverse DNS entry for your IP, can 
be your biggest downfall, if it has any pointers to a home user, such as 
cable, dsl, dial, ppp, cpe, whatever in it, chances are you will be scored 
high in tests and in many many cases rejected outright due to being in the 
"home user" group, so talk to your ISP and have your IP changed to the 
same name your machnies hostname is, doing this betters your chance of 
emails getting being accepted by most MA's, especially those at decent 
ISP's.


-- 
Res