LinuxQuestions.org - Issues with Receiving and Sending Mails through Postfix in Webmin

Hi ,

I have configured Postfix in Webmin using a Tutorial available on Net. There are couple of issues that I am facing while receiving or sending mails.
Mnetioned below are the details for the main.cg and master.cf.In the beginning I had been able to send mails to my external mails however I cudnt send a reply back to same id in postfix.

Recently , based on some suggestions over a forum I made changes to inet_interfaces and post that I cudnt even send mails internally , I reverted back tha changes but the problem didnt go.

Last lines from maillog

Jan 28 13:09:47 card postfix/smtpd[25846]: fatal: open /etc/postfix/helo_checks: No such file or directory
Jan 28 13:09:48 card postfix/master[24532]: warning: process /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd pid 25846 exit status 1
Jan 28 13:09:48 card postfix/master[24532]: warning: /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd: bad command startup -- throttling
Jan 28 13:10:48 card postfix/smtpd[25851]: fatal: open /etc/postfix/helo_checks: No such file or directory
Jan 28 13:10:49 card postfix/master[24532]: warning: process /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd pid 25851 exit status 1
Jan 28 13:10:49 card postfix/master[24532]: warning: /usr/libexec/postfix/smtpd: bad command startup -- throttling

Details for main.cf

#soft_bounce = no

#
command_directory = /usr/sbin

daemon_directory = /usr/libexec/postfix

#default_privs = nobody

#myhostname = host.domain.tld
#myhostname = virtual.domain.tld
myhostname = mail.cardsanddeals.com
mydomain = cardsanddeals.com
# mail appears to come from. The default is to append $myhostname,
#myorigin = $myhostname
#myorigin = $mydomain
myorigin = $mydomain
#inet_interfaces = all
#inet_interfaces = $myhostname
#inet_interfaces = $myhostname, localhost
#inet_interfaces = localhost
#proxy_interfaces =
#proxy_interfaces = 1.2.3.4

# and /etc/aliases or their equivalent.
#
mydestination = $mydomain, $myhostname, www.$mydomain, mail.$mydomain
#mynetworks_style = class
#mynetworks_style = subnet
#mynetworks_style = host

# Alternatively, you can specify the mynetworks list by hand, in
# which case Postfix ignores the mynetworks_style setting.
#
# Specify an explicit list of network/netmask patterns, where the
# mask specifies the number of bits in the network part of a host
# address.
#
# You can also specify the absolute pathname of a pattern file instead
# of listing the patterns here. Specify type:table for table-based lookups
# (the value on the table right-hand side is not used).
#
#mynetworks = 111.118.214.126/28, 127.0.0.0/8
#mynetworks = $config_directory/mynetworks
#mynetworks = hash:/etc/postfix/network_table

# The relay_domains parameter restricts what destinations this system will
# relay mail to. See the smtpd_recipient_restrictions description in
# postconf(5) for detailed information.
#
# By default, Postfix relays mail
# - from "trusted" clients (IP address matches $mynetworks) to any destination,
# - from "untrusted" clients to destinations that match $relay_domains or
# subdomains thereof, except addresses with sender-specified routing.
# The default relay_domains value is $mydestination.
#
# In addition to the above, the Postfix SMTP server by default accepts mail
# that Postfix is final destination for:
# - destinations that match $inet_interfaces or $proxy_interfaces,
# - destinations that match $mydestination
# - destinations that match $virtual_alias_domains,
# - destinations that match $virtual_mailbox_domains.
# These destinations do not need to be listed in $relay_domains.
#
# Specify a list of hosts or domains, /file/name patterns or type:name
# lookup tables, separated by commas and/or whitespace. Continue
# long lines by starting the next line with whitespace. A file name
# is replaced by its contents; a type:name table is matched when a
# (parent) domain appears as lookup key.
#
# NOTE: Postfix will not automatically forward mail for domains that
# list this system as their primary or backup MX host. See the
# permit_mx_backup restriction description in postconf(5).
#
#relay_domains = $mydestination

# INTERNET OR INTRANET

# The relayhost parameter specifies the default host to send mail to
# when no entry is matched in the optional transport(5) table. When
# no relayhost is given, mail is routed directly to the destination.
#
# On an intranet, specify the organizational domain name. If your
# internal DNS uses no MX records, specify the name of the intranet
# gateway host instead.
#
# In the case of SMTP, specify a domain, host, host:port, [host]:port,
# [address] or [address]:port; the form [host] turns off MX lookups.
#
# If you're connected via UUCP, see also the default_transport parameter.
#
#relayhost = $mydomain
#relayhost = [gateway.my.domain]
#relayhost = [mailserver.isp.tld]
#relayhost = uucphost
#relayhost = [an.ip.add.ress]

# REJECTING UNKNOWN RELAY USERS
#
# The relay_recipient_maps parameter specifies optional lookup tables
# with all addresses in the domains that match $relay_domains.
#
# If this parameter is defined, then the SMTP server will reject
# mail for unknown relay users. This feature is off by default.
#
# The right-hand side of the lookup tables is conveniently ignored.
# In the left-hand side, specify an @domain.tld wild-card, or specify
# a user@domain.tld address.
#
#relay_recipient_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/relay_recipients

# INPUT RATE CONTROL
#
# The in_flow_delay configuration parameter implements mail input
# flow control. This feature is turned on by default, although it
# still needs further development (it's disabled on SCO UNIX due
# to an SCO bug).
#
# A Postfix process will pause for $in_flow_delay seconds before
# accepting a new message, when the message arrival rate exceeds the
# message delivery rate. With the default 100 SMTP server process
# limit, this limits the mail inflow to 100 messages a second more
# than the number of messages delivered per second.
#
# Specify 0 to disable the feature. Valid delays are 0..10.
#
#in_flow_delay = 1s

# ADDRESS REWRITING
#
# The ADDRESS_REWRITING_README document gives information about
# address masquerading or other forms of address rewriting including
# username->Firstname.Lastname mapping.

# ADDRESS REDIRECTION (VIRTUAL DOMAIN)
#
# The VIRTUAL_README document gives information about the many forms
# of domain hosting that Postfix supports.

# "USER HAS MOVED" BOUNCE MESSAGES
#
# See the discussion in the ADDRESS_REWRITING_README document.

# TRANSPORT MAP
#
# See the discussion in the ADDRESS_REWRITING_README document.

# ALIAS DATABASE
#
# The alias_maps parameter specifies the list of alias databases used
# by the local delivery agent. The default list is system dependent.
#
# On systems with NIS, the default is to search the local alias
# database, then the NIS alias database. See aliases(5) for syntax
# details.
#
# If you change the alias database, run "postalias /etc/aliases" (or
# wherever your system stores the mail alias file), or simply run
# "newaliases" to build the necessary DBM or DB file.
#
# It will take a minute or so before changes become visible. Use
# "postfix reload" to eliminate the delay.
#
#alias_maps = dbm:/etc/aliases
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
#alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases, nis:mail.aliases
#alias_maps = netinfo:/aliases

# The alias_database parameter specifies the alias database(s) that
# are built with "newaliases" or "sendmail -bi". This is a separate
# configuration parameter, because alias_maps (see above) may specify
# tables that are not necessarily all under control by Postfix.
#
#alias_database = dbm:/etc/aliases
#alias_database = dbm:/etc/mail/aliases
alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
#alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases, hash:/opt/majordomo/aliases

# ADDRESS EXTENSIONS (e.g., user+foo)
#
# The recipient_delimiter parameter specifies the separator between
# user names and address extensions (user+foo). See canonical(5),
# local(8), relocated(5) and virtual(5) for the effects this has on
# aliases, canonical, virtual, relocated and .forward file lookups.
# Basically, the software tries user+foo and .forward+foo before
# trying user and .forward.
#
#recipient_delimiter = +

# DELIVERY TO MAILBOX
#
# The home_mailbox parameter specifies the optional pathname of a
# mailbox file relative to a user's home directory. The default
# mailbox file is /var/spool/mail/user or /var/mail/user. Specify
# "Maildir/" for qmail-style delivery (the / is required).
#
#home_mailbox = Mailbox
#home_mailbox = Maildir/

# The mail_spool_directory parameter specifies the directory where
# UNIX-style mailboxes are kept. The default setting depends on the
# system type.
#
#mail_spool_directory = /var/mail
#mail_spool_directory = /var/spool/mail

# The mailbox_command parameter specifies the optional external
# command to use instead of mailbox delivery. The command is run as
# the recipient with proper HOME, SHELL and LOGNAME environment settings.
# Exception: delivery for root is done as $default_user.
#
# Other environment variables of interest: USER (recipient username),
# EXTENSION (address extension), DOMAIN (domain part of address),
# and LOCAL (the address localpart).
#
# Unlike other Postfix configuration parameters, the mailbox_command
# parameter is not subjected to $parameter substitutions. This is to
# make it easier to specify shell syntax (see example below).
#
# Avoid shell meta characters because they will force Postfix to run
# an expensive shell process. Procmail alone is expensive enough.
#
# IF YOU USE THIS TO DELIVER MAIL SYSTEM-WIDE, YOU MUST SET UP AN
# ALIAS THAT FORWARDS MAIL FOR ROOT TO A REAL USER.
#
#mailbox_command = /some/where/procmail
#mailbox_command = /some/where/procmail -a "$EXTENSION"

# The mailbox_transport specifies the optional transport in master.cf
# to use after processing aliases and .forward files. This parameter
# has precedence over the mailbox_command, fallback_transport and
# luser_relay parameters.
#
# Specify a string of the form transport:nexthop, where transport is
# the name of a mail delivery transport defined in master.cf. The
# :nexthop part is optional. For more details see the sample transport
# configuration file.
#
# NOTE: if you use this feature for accounts not in the UNIX password
# file, then you must update the "local_recipient_maps" setting in
# the main.cf file, otherwise the SMTP server will reject mail for
# non-UNIX accounts with "User unknown in local recipient table".
#
#mailbox_transport = lmtp:unix:/var/lib/imap/socket/lmtp

# If using the cyrus-imapd IMAP server deliver local mail to the IMAP
# server using LMTP (Local Mail Transport Protocol), this is prefered
# over the older cyrus deliver program by setting the
# mailbox_transport as below:
#
# mailbox_transport = lmtp:unix:/var/lib/imap/socket/lmtp
#
# The efficiency of LMTP delivery for cyrus-imapd can be enhanced via
# these settings.
#
# local_destination_recipient_limit = 300
# local_destination_concurrency_limit = 5
#
# Of course you should adjust these settings as appropriate for the
# capacity of the hardware you are using. The recipient limit setting
# can be used to take advantage of the single instance message store
# capability of Cyrus. The concurrency limit can be used to control
# how many simultaneous LMTP sessions will be permitted to the Cyrus
# message store.
#
# To use the old cyrus deliver program you have to set:
#mailbox_transport = cyrus

# The fallback_transport specifies the optional transport in master.cf
# to use for recipients that are not found in the UNIX passwd database.
# This parameter has precedence over the luser_relay parameter.
#
# Specify a string of the form transport:nexthop, where transport is
# the name of a mail delivery transport defined in master.cf. The
# :nexthop part is optional. For more details see the sample transport
# configuration file.
#
# NOTE: if you use this feature for accounts not in the UNIX password
# file, then you must update the "local_recipient_maps" setting in
# the main.cf file, otherwise the SMTP server will reject mail for
# non-UNIX accounts with "User unknown in local recipient table".
#
#fallback_transport = lmtp:unix:/var/lib/imap/socket/lmtp
#fallback_transport =

# The luser_relay parameter specifies an optional destination address
# for unknown recipients. By default, mail for unknown@$mydestination,
# unknown@[$inet_interfaces] or unknown@[$proxy_interfaces] is returned
# as undeliverable.
#
# The following expansions are done on luser_relay: $user (recipient
# username), $shell (recipient shell), $home (recipient home directory),
# $recipient (full recipient address), $extension (recipient address
# extension), $domain (recipient domain), $local (entire recipient
# localpart), $recipient_delimiter. Specify ${name?value} or
# ${name:value} to expand value only when $name does (does not) exist.
#
# luser_relay works only for the default Postfix local delivery agent.
#
# NOTE: if you use this feature for accounts not in the UNIX password
# file, then you must specify "local_recipient_maps =" (i.e. empty) in
# the main.cf file, otherwise the SMTP server will reject mail for
# non-UNIX accounts with "User unknown in local recipient table".
#
#luser_relay = $user@other.host
#luser_relay = $local@other.host
#luser_relay = admin+$local

# JUNK MAIL CONTROLS
#
# The controls listed here are only a very small subset. The file
# SMTPD_ACCESS_README provides an overview.

# The header_checks parameter specifies an optional table with patterns
# that each logical message header is matched against, including
# headers that span multiple physical lines.
#
# By default, these patterns also apply to MIME headers and to the
# headers of attached messages. With older Postfix versions, MIME and
# attached message headers were treated as body text.
#
# For details, see "man header_checks".
#
#header_checks = regexp:/etc/postfix/header_checks

# FAST ETRN SERVICE
#
# Postfix maintains per-destination logfiles with information about
# deferred mail, so that mail can be flushed quickly with the SMTP
# "ETRN domain.tld" command, or by executing "sendmail -qRdomain.tld".
# See the ETRN_README document for a detailed description.
#
# The fast_flush_domains parameter controls what destinations are
# eligible for this service. By default, they are all domains that
# this server is willing to relay mail to.
#
#fast_flush_domains = $relay_domains

# SHOW SOFTWARE VERSION OR NOT
#
# The smtpd_banner parameter specifies the text that follows the 220
# code in the SMTP server's greeting banner. Some people like to see
# the mail version advertised. By default, Postfix shows no version.
#
# You MUST specify $myhostname at the start of the text. That is an
# RFC requirement. Postfix itself does not care.
#
#smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name
#smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name ($mail_version)

# PARALLEL DELIVERY TO THE SAME DESTINATION
#
# How many parallel deliveries to the same user or domain? With local
# delivery, it does not make sense to do massively parallel delivery
# to the same user, because mailbox updates must happen sequentially,
# and expensive pipelines in .forward files can cause disasters when
# too many are run at the same time. With SMTP deliveries, 10
# simultaneous connections to the same domain could be sufficient to
# raise eyebrows.
#
# Each message delivery transport has its XXX_destination_concurrency_limit
# parameter. The default is $default_destination_concurrency_limit for
# most delivery transports. For the local delivery agent the default is 2.

#local_destination_concurrency_limit = 2
#default_destination_concurrency_limit = 20

# DEBUGGING CONTROL
#
# The debug_peer_level parameter specifies the increment in verbose
# logging level when an SMTP client or server host name or address
# matches a pattern in the debug_peer_list parameter.
#
debug_peer_level = 2

# The debug_peer_list parameter specifies an optional list of domain
# or network patterns, /file/name patterns or type:name tables. When
# an SMTP client or server host name or address matches a pattern,
# increase the verbose logging level by the amount specified in the
# debug_peer_level parameter.
#
#debug_peer_list = 127.0.0.1
#debug_peer_list = some.domain

# The debugger_command specifies the external command that is executed
# when a Postfix daemon program is run with the -D option.
#
# Use "command .. & sleep 5" so that the debugger can attach before
# the process marches on. If you use an X-based debugger, be sure to
# set up your XAUTHORITY environment variable before starting Postfix.
#
debugger_command =
PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin
xxgdb $daemon_directory/$process_name $process_id & sleep 5

# If you can't use X, use this to capture the call stack when a
# daemon crashes. The result is in a file in the configuration
# directory, and is named after the process name and the process ID.
#
# debugger_command =
# PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin; export PATH; (echo cont;
# echo where) | gdb $daemon_directory/$process_name $process_id 2>&1
# >$config_directory/$process_name.$process_id.log & sleep 5
#
# Another possibility is to run gdb under a detached screen session.
# To attach to the screen sesssion, su root and run "screen -r
# <id_string>" where <id_string> uniquely matches one of the detached
# sessions (from "screen -list").
#
# debugger_command =
# PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin; export PATH; screen
# -dmS $process_name gdb $daemon_directory/$process_name
# $process_id & sleep 1

# INSTALL-TIME CONFIGURATION INFORMATION
#
# The following parameters are used when installing a new Postfix version.
#
# sendmail_path: The full pathname of the Postfix sendmail command.
# This is the Sendmail-compatible mail posting interface.
#
sendmail_path = /usr/sbin/sendmail.postfix

# newaliases_path: The full pathname of the Postfix newaliases command.
# This is the Sendmail-compatible command to build alias databases.
#
newaliases_path = /usr/bin/newaliases.postfix

# mailq_path: The full pathname of the Postfix mailq command. This
# is the Sendmail-compatible mail queue listing command.
#
mailq_path = /usr/bin/mailq.postfix

# setgid_group: The group for mail submission and queue management
# commands. This must be a group name with a numerical group ID that
# is not shared with other accounts, not even with the Postfix account.
#
setgid_group = postdrop

# html_directory: The location of the Postfix HTML documentation.
#
html_directory = no

# manpage_directory: The location of the Postfix on-line manual pages.
#
manpage_directory = /usr/share/man

# sample_directory: The location of the Postfix sample configuration files.
# This parameter is obsolete as of Postfix 2.1.
#
sample_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.3/samples

# readme_directory: The location of the Postfix README files.
#
readme_directory = /usr/share/doc/postfix-2.3.3/README_FILES
notify_classes = bounce, delay, resource
smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_non_fqdn_recipient reject_unknown_recipient_domain permit_mynetworks permit_sasl_authenticated reject_unauth_destination reject_non_fqdn_hostname reject_invalid_hostname check_helo_access pcre:/etc/postfix/helo_checks check_sender_mx_access cidr:/etc/postfix/bogus_mx reject_rbl_client zen.spamhaus.org reject_rbl_client cbl.abuseat.org reject_rbl_client dnsbl-1.uceprotect.net permit
virtual_alias_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/virtual

Details for master.cf

#
# Postfix master process configuration file. For details on the format
# of the file, see the master(5) manual page (command: "man 5 master").
#
# ==========================================================================
# service type private unpriv chroot wakeup maxproc command + args
# (yes) (yes) (yes) (never) (100)
# ==========================================================================
smtp inet n - n - - smtpd
#submission inet n - n - - smtpd
# -o smtpd_enforce_tls=yes
# -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
# -o smtpd_client_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#smtps inet n - n - - smtpd
# -o smtpd_tls_wrappermode=yes
# -o smtpd_sasl_auth_enable=yes
# -o smtpd_client_restrictions=permit_sasl_authenticated,reject
#628 inet n - n - - qmqpd
pickup fifo n - n 60 1 pickup
cleanup unix n - n - 0 cleanup
qmgr fifo n - n 300 1 qmgr
#qmgr fifo n - n 300 1 oqmgr
tlsmgr unix - - n 1000? 1 tlsmgr
rewrite unix - - n - - trivial-rewrite
bounce unix - - n - 0 bounce
defer unix - - n - 0 bounce
trace unix - - n - 0 bounce
verify unix - - n - 1 verify
flush unix n - n 1000? 0 flush
proxymap unix - - n - - proxymap
smtp unix - - n - - smtp
# When relaying mail as backup MX, disable fallback_relay to avoid MX loops
relay unix - - n - - smtp
-o fallback_relay=
# -o smtp_helo_timeout=5 -o smtp_connect_timeout=5
showq unix n - n - - showq
error unix - - n - - error
discard unix - - n - - discard
local unix - n n - - local
virtual unix - n n - - virtual
lmtp unix - - n - - lmtp
anvil unix - - n - 1 anvil
scache unix - - n - 1 scache
#
# ====================================================================
# Interfaces to non-Postfix software. Be sure to examine the manual
# pages of the non-Postfix software to find out what options it wants.
#
# Many of the following services use the Postfix pipe(8) delivery
# agent. See the pipe(8) man page for information about ${recipient}
# and other message envelope options.
# ====================================================================
#
# maildrop. See the Postfix MAILDROP_README file for details.
# Also specify in main.cf: maildrop_destination_recipient_limit=1
#
maildrop unix - n n - - pipe
flags=DRhu user=vmail argv=/usr/local/bin/maildrop -d ${recipient}
#
# The Cyrus deliver program has changed incompatibly, multiple times.
#
old-cyrus unix - n n - - pipe
flags=R user=cyrus argv=/usr/lib/cyrus-imapd/deliver -e -m ${extension} ${user}
# Cyrus 2.1.5 (Amos Gouaux)
# Also specify in main.cf: cyrus_destination_recipient_limit=1
cyrus unix - n n - - pipe
user=cyrus argv=/usr/lib/cyrus-imapd/deliver -e -r ${sender} -m ${extension} ${user}
#
# See the Postfix UUCP_README file for configuration details.
#
uucp unix - n n - - pipe
flags=Fqhu user=uucp argv=uux -r -n -z -a$sender - $nexthop!rmail ($recipient)
#
# Other external delivery methods.
#
ifmail unix - n n - - pipe
flags=F user=ftn argv=/usr/lib/ifmail/ifmail -r $nexthop ($recipient)
bsmtp unix - n n - - pipe
flags=Fq. user=foo argv=/usr/local/sbin/bsmtp -f $sender $nexthop $recipient

Also when I ran a test on some open relay tool , I couldnt connect to port 25

Output from netstat

[root@card log]# netstat -an | grep :25
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:25 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 1 0 127.0.0.1:25 127.0.0.1:33085 CLOSE_WAIT

Don't understand why do we see two entries now for port 25. Previously I saw only one with 0.0.0.0

Also, there is this one user that I have created "Abc" have dome mapping like abc@example.com

But when I was using the same user to send mail , I received it with an id as abc@server.example.com

Please ignore my ignorance over the subject. Would be great if somebody could provide their valuable inputs.

many thanks