Name resolution and mail problem

Mark_Andrews at isc.org Mark_Andrews at isc.org
Sun Oct 24 05:56:57 UTC 1999


> 
> I'm trying to debug mail delivery errors to a domain. The system that
> cannot deliver is running BIND 8.2.2 and sendmail 8.9.3. I also have a
> system running a BIND 4 (think it's 4.9.7) and sendmail 8.8.8 that has
> no problem delivering the same message.
> 
> I want to think that the site has some DNS configuration problems and
> that the BIND 8 is less forgiving than the BIND 4 counterpart. Below are
> some of the checks I made.
> 
> The thing I thought might be an error is that the name servers listed
> for whois are not given any NS records for the domain (or the SOA) when
> I get a dump for the primary nameserver (see the last section).
> 
> 

	I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for things to be fixed.

	Whomever is answering domain at usunwired.net is incapable
	of seeing the errors of his / her ways.

	Mark

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From: "Domain Administrator" <domain at usunwired.net>
To: Mark_Andrews at isc.org
Date: Sat, 23 Oct 1999 23:04:51 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
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Subject: Re: Name resolution and mail problem 
Reply-to: domain at usunwired.net
Priority: normal
In-reply-to: <199910232327.JAA18111 at bsdi.dv.isc.org>
References: Your message of "Sat, 23 Oct 1999 18:04:01 EST."             <199910232303.QAA12689 at isrv3.pa.vix.com> 
X-mailer: Pegasus Mail for Win32 (v3.11)
Status:   

1.  We advertise what we want.
2.  Since dns1 and dns2 don't go down, you won't get 
told to go to ns3 or ns4.  Read the line dipstick.
3.  A bounced email is by definition an email sent to a 
non existent email address that is return to the sender.  
The email you received was an auto reply with 
instructions that told where to send inquiries.  

4. Why don't you get with the program genius and read a 
little of what goes on?

As  of this point, I will no longer respond to any pointless 
    emails such as this.  When you have something 
    intelligent to say, let me know.


> 
> > 1.  ns3 and ns4 are no longer in operation, so they don't 
> > matter.
> 
>  So why the hell are you still advertising them is the
>  zone data.
> 
> > dns1 and dns2 are in operation and don't go down.
> 
>  Irrelevent if they have just told you to go to ns3 and ns4.
> 
> > 
> > 2.  The following contact emails for usunwired.com listed 
> > with Internic are completely valid.  I have manually verified 
> > them.
> > U.S. Unwired Admin  (US69-ORG) admin at USUNWIRED.COM
> > US Unwired Admin  (UU7-ORG)  domain at USUNWIRED.NET
> > 
>  This was the automated response I received:
> 
> Received: from isrv3.pa.vix.com (isrv3.pa.vix.com [204.152.184.182]) 
>  by bb.rc.vix.com (8.9.1/8.9.1) via ESMTP id SAA24379
>  for <marka at bb.rc.vix.com>; Fri, 22 Oct 1999 18:37:32 -0700 (PDT)
>  env-from (admin at usunwired.net)
> Received: from usunwired.net (mail.usunwired.net [207.191.51.249]) 
>  by isrv3.pa.vix.com (8.9.1/8.9.1) via SMTP id SAA28584
>  for <marka at isc.org>; Fri, 22 Oct 1999 18:37:32 -0700 (PDT)
>  env-from (admin at usunwired.net)
> Date:     Fri, 22 Oct 1999 20:37:29 CDT
> Message-Id: <9910222037.AA00565 at usunwired.net>
> From: "admin " <admin at usunwired.net>
> Reply-To: <admin at usunwired.net>
> To: <Mark_Andrews at isc.org>
> Subject:  automated response
> X-Mailer: <SMTP32 v980922>
> Precedence: bulk
> Status:   
> 
> The following email addresses are set up to handle problems with various
> aspects of US Unwired's Internet Service:
> 
> abuse at usunwired.net  (abuse and/or hacking complaints)
> postmaster at usunwired.net (email support related inquiries)
> webmaster at usunwired.net (web support related inquiries)
> support at usunwired.net (dialup support related inquiries)
> network at usunwired.net (dedicated network customer support)
> info at usunwired.net (general non-support information)
> customer at usunwired.net (billing related information)
> 
> Please direct your inquiries to one of the above addresses.  
> The sending of a message to all above addresses is considered,
> by our terms of service, to be Unsolicited Commercial Email (SPAM) 
> and will be dealth with accordingly.  Thank You.
> 
> > 3.  As for MX and NS lookups, NS lookups don't mean a thing if the MX
> > records in the DNS are not set correctly.  As I stated, our MX records
> > are fine and we don't have problems with anyone within our domains
> > sending or receiving email.
> 
>  You are not aware of problems.  It should be patently clear that
>  there are problems or else it would not have been raised as a
>  problem in the first place.
> 
>  Mark
> > 
> > > 
> > >  I wasn't talking about the MX records.  Try looking at the
> > >  NS records first.  It also helps if the nameservers listed
> > >  are answering, i.e. ns3 and ns4 are not answering.
> > > 
> > >  Also fix you contact information with the Internic so that
> > >  it does not generate automatic bounce backs.  The address
> > >  listed there are so people can report problems with the
> > >  DNS to you.  It's not polite for them to bounce.
> > > 
> > >  Mark
> > > 
> > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> usunwired.com ns @a.root-servers.net 
> > > ; (1 server found)
> > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > ;; got answer:
> > > ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 10
> > > ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 2 ;;
> > > QUERY SECTION: ;;	usunwired.com, type = NS, class = IN
> > > 
> > > ;; ANSWER SECTION:
> > > usunwired.com.		2D IN NS	DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET.
> > > usunwired.com.		2D IN NS	DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET.
> > > 
> > > ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
> > > DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET.	2D IN A		207.191.50.250
> > > DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET.	2D IN A		207.191.51.250
> > > 
> > > ;; Total query time: 320 msec
> > > ;; FROM: bsdi.dv.isc.org to SERVER: a.root-servers.net  198.41.0.4 ;;
> > > WHEN: Sun Oct 24 08:35:14 1999 ;; MSG SIZE  sent: 31  rcvd: 114
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> ns usunwired.com @DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET 
> > > ; (1 server found)
> > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > ;; got answer:
> > > ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 10
> > > ;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL:
> > > 2 ;;
> > QUERY SECTION: ;;	usunwired.com, type = NS, class = IN
> > > 
> > > ;; ANSWER SECTION:
> > > usunwired.com.		1D IN NS	ns4.usunwired.net.
> > > usunwired.com.		1D IN NS	ns3.usunwired.net.
> > > 
> > > ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
> > > ns4.usunwired.net.	1D IN A		208.215.35.8
> > > ns3.usunwired.net.	1D IN A		208.215.35.7
> > > 
> > > ;; Total query time: 375 msec
> > > ;; FROM: bsdi.dv.isc.org to SERVER: DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET  207.191.50.250
> > > ;; WHEN: Sun Oct 24 08:35:31 1999 ;; MSG SIZE  sent: 31  rcvd: 112
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > The MX records for usunwired.com are as follows.  As 
> > > > you can see, there are no problems with our DNS.
> > > > 
> > > > usunwired       IN      MX      10   mail.usunwired.com.
> > > > usunwired       IN      MX      20    backmail.usunwired.net.
> > > > 
> > > > mail    IN      A       207.191.51.246
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > >  As you have seen, the NS rrsets in the parent zone bear no
> > > > >  relation to those in the child zone.  It is only BIND 4's
> > > > >  permissiveness that allows this to work.  BIND 8 classifies
> > > > >  answers according to there source and won't replace ones
> > > > >  from a more credible source (the servers for the zone) with
> > > > >  ones from a less credible source (the parent zone).
> > > > > 
> > > > >  This can lead to deadlocks occuring.
> > > > > 
> > > > >  The nameservers in the parent zone should always agree with
> > > > >  those in the child zone except when the zone is being moved
> > > > >  to new servers.  During that period the child should contain both
> > > > >  the old and new nameservers.
> > > > > 
> > > > >  Mark
> > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I'm trying to debug mail delivery errors to a domain. The system
> > > > > > that cannot deliver is running BIND 8.2.2 and sendmail 8.9.3. I
> > > > > > also have a system running a BIND 4 (think it's 4.9.7) and
> > > > > > sendmail 8.8.8 that has no problem delivering the same message.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I want to think that the site has some DNS configuration
> > > > > > problems and that the BIND 8 is less forgiving than the BIND 4
> > > > > > counterpart. Below are some of the checks I made.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > The thing I thought might be an error is that the name servers
> > > > > > listed for whois are not given any NS records for the domain (or
> > > > > > the SOA) when I get a dump for the primary nameserver (see the
> > > > > > last section).
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ here are the errors from sendmail that syslogd logged ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Oct 22 08:09:40 6C:mx1 sendmail[156362]: MAA127462:
> > > > > > to=<mguidry at usunwired.com>, delay=20:04:43,
> > > > > > xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp, relay=usunwired.com.,
> > > > > > stat=Deferred: Name server: usunwired.com.: host name lookup
> > > > > > failure Oct 22 08:19:05 6C:mx1 sendmail[163413]: HAA163588:
> > > > > > to=<mguidry at usunwired.com>, delay=00:44:46, xdelay=00:00:15,
> > > > > > mailer=esmtp, relay=usunwired.com., stat=Deferred: Name server:
> > > > > > usunwired.com.: host name lookup failure Oct 22 08:20:14 6C:mx1
> > > > > > sendmail[163413]: MAA127462: to=<mguidry at usunwired.com>,
> > > > > > delay=20:15:17, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp,
> > > > > > relay=usunwired.com., stat=Deferred: Name server:
> > > > > > usunwired.com.: host name lookup failure
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ I can resolve the domain name, FWIW ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > nslookup usunwired.com
> > > > > > Server:  mx1.nichols.com
> > > > > > Address:  0.0.0.0
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Name:    usunwired.com
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.51.5
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ dig finds the A record, but cannot get the MX records ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): dig usunwired.com
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> usunwired.com
> > > > > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > > > > ;; got answer:
> > > > > > ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 4
> > > > > > ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2,
> > > > > > ADDITIONAL: 0 ;; QUERY SECTION: ;;      usunwired.com, type = A,
> > > > > > class = IN
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; ANSWER SECTION:
> > > > > > usunwired.com.          23h59m34s IN A  207.191.51.5
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
> > > > > > usunwired.com.          23h59m34s IN NS  ns3.usunwired.net.
> > > > > > usunwired.com.          23h59m34s IN NS  ns4.usunwired.net.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; Total query time: 10 msec
> > > > > > ;; FROM: mx1.nichols.com to SERVER: default -- 0.0.0.0
> > > > > > ;; WHEN: Fri Oct 22 08:34:08 1999
> > > > > > ;; MSG SIZE  sent: 31  rcvd: 96
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): dig usunwired.com mx
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> usunwired.com mx
> > > > > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > > > > ;; res_nsend[signed] to server default -- 0.0.0.0: Connection
> > > > > > timed out
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ same thing for host ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): host usunwired.com
> > > > > > usunwired.com has address 207.191.51.5
> > > > > > root(mx1):
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ found their name servers ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): whois usunwired.com
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Registrant:
> > > > > > US-Unwired (USUNWIRED-DOM)
> > > > > >    One Lakeshore Drive Ste 1900
> > > > > >    Lake Charles, LA 70602
> > > > > >    US
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >    Domain Name: USUNWIRED.COM
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >    Administrative Contact:
> > > > > >       U.S. Unwired Admin  (US69-ORG)  admin at USUNWIRED.COM
> > > > > >       (800) 673-2200
> > > > > > Fax- (318) 497-3442
> > > > > >    Technical Contact, Zone Contact:
> > > > > >       US Unwired Admin  (UU7-ORG)  domain at USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > >       (800) 673-2200
> > > > > > Fax- (318) 497-3442
> > > > > >    Billing Contact:
> > > > > >       U.S. Unwired Admin  (US69-ORG)  admin at USUNWIRED.COM
> > > > > >       (800) 673-2200
> > > > > > Fax- (318) 497-3442
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >    Record last updated on 11-May-1999.
> > > > > >    Record created on 07-Nov-1997.
> > > > > >    Database last updated on 21-Oct-1999 04:53:13 EDT.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >    Domain servers in listed order:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >    DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET           207.191.50.250
> > > > > >    DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET           207.191.51.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ do an nslookup on the first server to look for MX and find
> > > > > > two
> > > > > > ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): nslookup
> > > > > > Default Server:  mx1.nichols.com
> > > > > > Address:  0.0.0.0
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > server DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Default Server:  DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.50.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > ls -t mx USUNWIRED.COM.
> > > > > > [DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET]
> > > > > > $ORIGIN usunwired.com.
> > > > > > @                       1D IN MX        20
> > > > > > backmail.usunwired.net.
> > > > > >                         1D IN MX        10 mail
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > mail.USUNWIRED.COM.
> > > > > > Server:  DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.50.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Name:    mail.USUNWIRED.COM
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.51.246
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > backmail.usunwired.net.
> > > > > > Server:  DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.50.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Non-authoritative answer:
> > > > > > Name:    backmail.usunwired.net
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.51.251
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ however I cannot get a regular nslookup to resolve their
> > > > > > first MX host ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): nslookup mail.usunwired.com
> > > > > > Server:  mx1.nichols.com
> > > > > > Address:  0.0.0.0
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > *** mx1.nichols.com can't find mail.usunwired.com: Non-existent
> > > > > > host/domain root(mx1): nslookup backmail.usunwired.net Server:
> > > > > > mx1.nichols.com Address:  0.0.0.0
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Non-authoritative answer:
> > > > > > Name:    backmail.usunwired.net
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.51.251
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ same thing for dig ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): dig mail.usunwired.com
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> mail.usunwired.com
> > > > > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > > > > ;; res_nsend[signed] to server default -- 0.0.0.0: Connection
> > > > > > timed out root(mx1): root(mx1): dig backmail.usunwired.net
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ; <<>> DiG 8.2 <<>> backmail.usunwired.net
> > > > > > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > > > > > ;; got answer:
> > > > > > ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 4
> > > > > > ;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2,
> > > > > > ADDITIONAL: 2 ;; QUERY SECTION: ;;      backmail.usunwired.net,
> > > > > > type = A, class = IN
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; ANSWER SECTION:
> > > > > > backmail.usunwired.net.  23h48m52s IN A  207.191.51.251
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
> > > > > > USUNWIRED.NET.          1d23h29m7s IN NS  DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET.
> > > > > > USUNWIRED.NET.          1d23h29m7s IN NS  DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
> > > > > > DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET.     1d23h29m7s IN A  207.191.50.250
> > > > > > DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET.     1d23h29m7s IN A  207.191.51.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > ;; Total query time: 12 msec
> > > > > > ;; FROM: mx1.nichols.com to SERVER: default -- 0.0.0.0
> > > > > > ;; WHEN: Fri Oct 22 09:04:30 1999
> > > > > > ;; MSG SIZE  sent: 40  rcvd: 139
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ now I dump all their records and see a possible problem
> > > > > > with the NS data ] --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > root(mx1): nslookup
> > > > > > Default Server:  mx1.nichols.com
> > > > > > Address:  0.0.0.0
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > server DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Default Server:  DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET
> > > > > > Address:  207.191.50.250
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > > ls -t any USUNWIRED.COM.
> > > > > > [DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET]
> > > > > > $ORIGIN usunwired.com.
> > > > > > @                       1D IN SOA       ns1.usunwired.net.
> > > > > > admin.usunwired.net. (
> > > > > >                                     1999102101      ; serial 1H 
> > > > > >                                                 ; refresh 30M   
> > > > > >                                              ; retry 1W         
> > > > > >                                         ; expiry 1D )           
> > > > > >                                     ; minimum
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                         1D IN NS        ns3.usunwired.net.
> > > > > >                         1D IN NS        ns4.usunwired.net.
> > > > > >                         1D IN A         207.191.51.5
> > > > > >                         1D IN MX        20
> > > > > >                         backmail.usunwired.net. 1D IN MX       
> > > > > >                         10 mail
> > > > > > newmail                 1D IN A         207.191.3.73
> > > > > > localhost               1D IN A         127.0.0.1
> > > > > > mail                    1D IN A         207.191.51.246
> > > > > > www                     1D IN A         207.191.51.5
> > > > > > ftp                     1D IN CNAME     www
> > > > > > @                       1D IN SOA       ns1.usunwired.net.
> > > > > > admin.usunwired.net. (
> > > > > >                                     1999102101      ; serial 1H 
> > > > > >                                                 ; refresh 30M   
> > > > > >                                              ; retry 1W         
> > > > > >                                         ; expiry 1D )           
> > > > > >                                     ; minimum
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > -- [ They list SOA=ns1.usunwired.net and NS=ns3.usunwired.net,
> > > > > > NS=ns4.usunwired.net, but no NS records
> > > > > >      for DNS1.USUNWIRED.NET or DNS2.USUNWIRED.NET (from whois) ]
> > > > > >      --
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > So my questions are - is this a malformed setup, and is this
> > > > > > something that BIND 4 allows but BIND 8 doesn't?  Or perhaps it
> > > > > > is sendmail that is being more strict?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I don't mind getting in touch with their admin to go over any
> > > > > > problems, but I am not sure if the problem is theirs or not. 
> > > > > > That's why I am looking for some guru help...
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Thanks,
> > > > > > Brian
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > Brian Sommers
> > > > > > Nichols Research
> > > > > > sommersb at nichols.com
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > --
> > > > > Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
> > > > > 1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
> > > > > PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org
> > > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > --
> > > Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
> > > 1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
> > > PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> --
> Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
> 1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
> PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org
> 


--
Mark Andrews, Internet Software Consortium
1 Seymour St., Dundas Valley, NSW 2117, Australia
PHONE: +61 2 9871 4742                 INTERNET: marka at isc.org


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