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Qmail error message "Sorry, I wasn't able to establish an SMTP connection"

Offline ghorst352

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I am currently using SME Server version 7.5.1 and using Qmail as the MTA.  I have absolutely no issues w/ sending or receiving emails at all, but only with one domain which is intermedia.net (Microsoft Exchange Hosting Company).  One of our contractors which is cardinalco.com which is hosted by intermedia.net cannot send email to us nor can we send to them.  I have looked at everything I can think of such as the mx record, reverse dns, firewall, blah blah blah blah and I cannot figure this out.  I opened up a ticket with Intermedia and they snobbishly said its not our issue.  Kind of funny I have had this server up for years and we speak to several contacts within the US and abroad no issues but only with Intermedia.net.  Anyways if I try to send them an email here is the error message below:

2012-04-09 12:22:10.353679500 starting delivery 5816: msg 46874631 to remote user@cardinalco.com
2012-04-09 12:22:10.353682500 status: local 0/10 remote 1/20
2012-04-09 12:22:10.402986500 delivery 5816: deferral: Sorry,_I_wasn't_able_to_establish_an_SMTP_connection._(#4.4.1)/

Notice the deferral message....

Obviously whoever is reviewing my case will want information regarding my MX record and such so here is a report from MXTOOLBOX.COM. 

*****************************************************************
mx:mydomain.com      mx 

Pref   Hostname   IP Address   TTL      
10   mail.mydomain.com   ip.ip.ip.ip   60 min   SMTP Test   Blacklist Check
dns lookup   ns lookup   whois lookup   spf lookup
*****************************************************************
substituted the domain and ip info above for privacy....

Now our domain is not blacklisted anywhere so that's not the issue, the mx record is not the issue?, so what's the issue??

I have combed the internet with this error message and I am bleeding out of my eyes trying to either fix this or to be able to tell intermedia that its there issue.  Any help is appreciated.   :D


Offline CharlieBrady

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Quote
I have absolutely no issues w/ sending or receiving emails at all

Well, that's not a true statement, is it?

Now our domain is not blacklisted anywhere so that's not the issue, the mx record is not the issue?, so what's the issue??

The issue is that somewhere between your server and 207.5.74.82 (the MX for cardinalco.com) is blocking port 25 connections. That server is open on port 25 from where I sit, so it is not a general block.

Quote
Obviously whoever is reviewing my case will want information regarding my MX record

Your MX record is not relevant - but if it was, you didn't give it to us anyway.

Offline ghorst352

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I'm closing this ticket.  The issue is on their end as I can telnet all day long to anybody else plus I have traced via the email server and router logs, there is nothing block outbound 25 in route to them.   Thanks for your help.  :D


Offline janet

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bhay3s

Is your sme server sending mail direct to other smtp mail servers, or is it sending mail via your ISP's smtp server (check the setting in server manager email panel) ?
The credibility of your server may be the issue, so sending via your ISP may solve this (the smtp Smarthost setting).
Please search before asking, an answer may already exist.
The Search & other links to useful information are at top of Forum.

Offline piran

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I'm closing this ticket.  The issue is on their end...
If 'their end' invisibly opts to implement reverse DNS checking
and 'your end' hasn't got one set up with your ISP then, yes,
the issue *IS* at their end ...but only 'your end' can fix it.

Offline CharlieBrady

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If 'their end' invisibly opts to implement reverse DNS checking ...

It would be highly unlikely that reverse DNS checking would result in failed SMTP connection attempts. Failed SMTP connection attempts are usually due to the host being unavailable (either off the Net or incorrectly listed in DNS) or due to connection filtering/firewalling somewhere along the path.

Offline piran

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Noted. My point being mainly that the OP should
not abnegate an opportunity of fixing what the OP
apparently believes might be an 'other end' issue.

Offline ghorst352

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It would be highly unlikely that reverse DNS checking would result in failed SMTP connection attempts. Failed SMTP connection attempts are usually due to the host being unavailable (either off the Net or incorrectly listed in DNS) or due to connection filtering/firewalling somewhere along the path.



That is my point exactly.  I have exhausted resources on this issue.  But let me repeat it once again, I check my logs religiously and there is nobody on planet earth besides intermedia.net that I have an issue with, nobody.   They refuse to talk to me so therefore I no longer care about the issue.  I recommended they look at their firewall but nope there to good for that.  I could careless at this point so for now we just communicate via gmail.