Sending mail between local users (other than root) fails using sendmail

dbradshaw · 12-27-2007, 11:12 AM

I had a working FC7 system on which I installed the Amanda tape backup. Amanda sends reports to root and I want to re-direct mail to a user “Dave” and then collect Dave’s mail from a Windows machine via Dovecot. When I edit the aliases file to re-direct root’s mail to Dave then root’s mail disappears and does not get delivered to Dave!

It was then that I noticed that I couldn’t send mail between local users i.e. I cannot send mail from ‘root’ to ‘Dave’. This would seem to be the first thing to solve. I do not want to send mail externally and I do not want to receive mail from external servers, I assume that I do not need to configure a domain name (or a host name for that matter) – I have tried various configurations and thoroughly confused myself.

I have therefore configured a new virgin install of Fedora 8 with no changes and it shows the same problem. There is obviously something fundamental that I am missing, all the stuff I have read suggests that if sendmail cannot find a host to forward to it will deliver the mail to the user with the same name on the local machine but I seem to have a problem either with User Unknown or Host Unknown!

Any help or suggestions gratefully received.

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# domainname
(none)

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# hostname
localhost.localdomain

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# more /etc/hosts
# Do not remove the following line, or various programs
# that require network functionality will fail.
127.0.0.1  localhost.localdomain localhost localhost
::1             localhost6.localdomain6 localhost6

[root@localhost ~]#

sending a mail message to root seems ok

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# echo "test mail" | mail -s Subject root
[root@localhost ~]# mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/root": 1 message 1 new
>N  1 root@localhost.local  Thu Dec 27 15:02  16/649   "Subject"
& q
Held 1 message in /var/spool/mail/root

With the verbosity option set this still seems OK

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# echo "test mail" | mail -v -s Subject root
root... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
220 localhost.localdomain ESMTP Sendmail 8.14.1/8.14.1; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:04:02 GMT
>>> EHLO localhost.localdomain
250-localhost.localdomain Hello localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1], pleased to meet you
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-AUTH DIGEST-MD5 CRAM-MD5
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP
>>> MAIL From:<root@localhost.localdomain> SIZE=37 AUTH=root@localhost.localdomain
250 2.1.0 <root@localhost.localdomain>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<root@localhost.localdomain>
>>> DATA
250 2.1.5 <root@localhost.localdomain>... Recipient ok
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
>>> .
250 2.0.0 lBRF42cJ003215 Message accepted for delivery
root... Sent (lBRF42cJ003215 Message accepted for delivery)
Closing connection to [127.0.0.1]
>>> QUIT
221 2.0.0 localhost.localdomain closing connection
You have mail in /var/spool/mail/root

Sending a mail message to Dave however fails and only results in a message to root informing that the mail failed because dave@localhost.localdomain is unknown however the error message can be sent to root@localhost.localdomain successfully.

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# echo "test mail" | mail -v -s Subject Dave
Dave... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
220 localhost.localdomain ESMTP Sendmail 8.14.1/8.14.1; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:06:15 GMT
>>> EHLO localhost.localdomain
250-localhost.localdomain Hello localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1], pleased to meet you
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-AUTH DIGEST-MD5 CRAM-MD5
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP
>>> MAIL From:<root@localhost.localdomain> SIZE=37 AUTH=root@localhost.localdomain
250 2.1.0 <root@localhost.localdomain>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<Dave@localhost.localdomain>
>>> DATA
550 5.1.1 <Dave@localhost.localdomain>... User unknown
503 5.0.0 Need RCPT (recipient)
>>> RSET
250 2.0.0 Reset state
>>> RSET
250 2.0.0 Reset state
root... Using cached ESMTP connection to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
>>> MAIL From:<> SIZE=1061
250 2.1.0 <>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<root@localhost.localdomain>
>>> DATA
250 2.1.5 <root@localhost.localdomain>... Recipient ok
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
>>> .
250 2.0.0 lBRF6FXV003224 Message accepted for delivery
root... Sent (lBRF6FXV003224 Message accepted for delivery)
Closing connection to [127.0.0.1]
>>> QUIT
221 2.0.0 localhost.localdomain closing connection
You have new mail in /var/spool/mail/root

Sending mail to Dave@localdomain seems more successful (emphasis on ‘seems’)

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# echo "test mail" | mail -v -s Subject Dave@localdomain
Dave@localdomain... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
220 localhost.localdomain ESMTP Sendmail 8.14.1/8.14.1; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT
>>> EHLO localhost.localdomain
250-localhost.localdomain Hello localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1], pleased to meet you
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-AUTH DIGEST-MD5 CRAM-MD5
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP
>>> MAIL From:<root@localhost.localdomain> SIZE=49 AUTH=root@localhost.localdomain
250 2.1.0 <root@localhost.localdomain>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<Dave@localdomain>
>>> DATA
250 2.1.5 <Dave@localdomain>... Recipient ok
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
>>> .
250 2.0.0 lBRF8o2S003269 Message accepted for delivery
Dave@localdomain... Sent (lBRF8o2S003269 Message accepted for delivery)
Closing connection to [127.0.0.1]
>>> QUIT
221 2.0.0 localhost.localdomain closing connection
[root@localhost ~]#

but Dave has no mail

Code:

[Dave@localhost ~]$ mail
No mail for Dave
[Dave@localhost ~]$

However root has mail

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# mail
Mail version 8.1 6/6/93.  Type ? for help.
"/var/spool/mail/root": 6 messages 5 new 6 unread
 U  1 root@localhost.local  Thu Dec 27 15:02  17/659   "Subject"
>N  2 root@localhost.local  Thu Dec 27 15:04  16/649   "Subject"
 N  3 MAILER-DAEMON@localh  Thu Dec 27 15:06  67/2315  "Returned mail: see transcript for details"
 N  4 MAILER-DAEMON@localh  Thu Dec 27 15:08  63/2254  "Returned mail: see transcript for details"
 N  5 MAILER-DAEMON@localh  Thu Dec 27 15:08  62/2244  "Returned mail: see transcript for details"
 N  6 MAILER-DAEMON@localh  Thu Dec 27 15:08  63/2254  "Returned mail: see transcript for details"
&

looking at message 6 shows that the error is Host Unknown – From this I deduce that we can submit mail and Sendmail accepts mail for dave@localdomain but that having accepted the mail it does not know what to do with it.

Code:

--lBRF8o2S003271.1198768130/localhost.localdomain
Content-Type: message/delivery-status

Reporting-MTA: dns; localhost.localdomain
Received-From-MTA: DNS; localhost.localdomain
Arrival-Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT

Final-Recipient: RFC822; Dave@localdomain
Action: failed
Status: 5.1.2
Remote-MTA: DNS; localdomain
Diagnostic-Code: SMTP; 550 Host unknown
Last-Attempt-Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT

--lBRF8o2S003271.1198768130/localhost.localdomain
Content-Type: message/rfc822

Return-Path: <root@localhost.localdomain>
Received: from localhost.localdomain (localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1])
        by localhost.localdomain (8.14.1/8.14.1) with ESMTP id lBRF8o2S003269
        for <Dave@localdomain>; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT
Received: (from root@localhost)
        by localhost.localdomain (8.14.1/8.14.1/Submit) id lBRF8oqu003268
        for Dave@localdomain; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT
Date: Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:08:50 GMT
From: root <root@localhost.localdomain>
Message-Id: <200712271508.lBRF8oqu003268@localhost.localdomain>
To: Dave@localdomain
Subject: Subject

test mail

--lBRF8o2S003271.1198768130/localhost.localdomain--

looking at /var/log/maillog shows the same
[root@localhost ~]# vi /var/log/maillog
Dec 27 15:08:14 localhost sendmail[3232]: lBRF8E6e003232: to=Dave@localdomain, ctladdr=root (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=relay, pri=30049, relay=[127.0.0.1] [127.0.0.1], dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent (lBRF8E2v003233 Message accepted for delivery)

Dec 27 15:08:14 localhost sendmail[3235]: lBRF8E2v003233: to=<Dave@localdomain>, ctladdr=<root@localhost.localdomain> (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp, pri=120341, relay=localdomain, dsn=5.1.2, stat=Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:14 localhost sendmail[3235]: lBRF8E2v003233: lBRF8E2v003235: DSN: Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:14 localhost sendmail[3235]: lBRF8E2v003235: to=<root@localhost.localdomain>, delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=local, pri=31590, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent
Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3240]: lBRF8W9S003240: from=root, size=39, class=0, nrcpts=1, msgid=<200712271508.lBRF8W9S003240@localhost.localdomain>, relay=root@localhost
Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3241]: lBRF8WTs003241: from=<root@localhost.localdomain>, size=331, class=0, nrcpts=1, msgid=<200712271508.lBRF8W9S003240@localhost.localdomain>, proto=ESMTP, daemon=MTA, relay=localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]
Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3240]: lBRF8W9S003240: to=Dave@localdomain, ctladdr=root (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=relay, pri=30039, relay=[127.0.0.1] [127.0.0.1], dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent (lBRF8WTs003241 Message accepted for delivery)

Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3243]: lBRF8WTs003241: to=<Dave@localdomain>, ctladdr=<root@localhost.localdomain> (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp, pri=120331, relay=localdomain, dsn=5.1.2, stat=Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3243]: lBRF8WTs003241: lBRF8WTs003243: DSN: Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:32 localhost sendmail[3243]: lBRF8WTs003243: to=<root@localhost.localdomain>, delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=local, pri=31580, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent
Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3268]: lBRF8oqu003268: from=root, size=49, class=0, nrcpts=1, msgid=<200712271508.lBRF8oqu003268@localhost.localdomain>, relay=root@localhost
Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3269]: lBRF8o2S003269: from=<root@localhost.localdomain>, size=341, class=0, nrcpts=1, msgid=<200712271508.lBRF8oqu003268@localhost.localdomain>, proto=ESMTP, daemon=MTA, relay=localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]
Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3268]: lBRF8oqu003268: to=Dave@localdomain, ctladdr=root (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=relay, pri=30049, relay=[127.0.0.1] [127.0.0.1], dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent (lBRF8o2S003269 Message accepted for delivery)

Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3271]: lBRF8o2S003269: to=<Dave@localdomain>, ctladdr=<root@localhost.localdomain> (0/0), delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=esmtp, pri=120341, relay=localdomain, dsn=5.1.2, stat=Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3271]: lBRF8o2S003269: lBRF8o2S003271: DSN: Host unknown (Name server: localdomain: host not found)
Dec 27 15:08:50 localhost sendmail[3271]: lBRF8o2S003271: to=<root@localhost.localdomain>, delay=00:00:00, xdelay=00:00:00, mailer=local, pri=31590, dsn=2.0.0, stat=Sent

Sendmail.mc shows that sendmail should accept mail for localhost.localdomain which it does.

Code:

[root@localhost ~]# vi /etc/mail/sendmail.mc
dnl #
dnl DAEMON_OPTIONS(`Name=MTA-v4, Family=inet, Name=MTA-v6, Family=inet6')
dnl #
dnl # We strongly recommend not accepting unresolvable domains if you want to
dnl # protect yourself from spam. However, the laptop and users on computers
dnl # that do not have 24x7 DNS do need this.
dnl #
FEATURE(`accept_unresolvable_domains')dnl
dnl #
dnl FEATURE(`relay_based_on_MX')dnl
dnl #
dnl # Also accept email sent to "localhost.localdomain" as local email.
dnl #
LOCAL_DOMAIN(`localhost.localdomain')dnl
dnl #
dnl # The following example makes mail from this host and any additional
dnl # specified domains appear to be sent from mydomain.com
dnl #
dnl MASQUERADE_AS(`mydomain.com')dnl
dnl #
dnl # masquerade not just the headers, but the envelope as well
dnl #
dnl FEATURE(masquerade_envelope)dnl
dnl #
dnl # masquerade not just @mydomainalias.com, but @*.mydomainalias.com as well
dnl #
dnl FEATURE(masquerade_entire_domain)dnl
dnl #
dnl MASQUERADE_DOMAIN(localhost)dnl
dnl MASQUERADE_DOMAIN(localhost.localdomain)dnl
dnl MASQUERADE_DOMAIN(mydomainalias.com)dnl
dnl MASQUERADE_DOMAIN(mydomain.lan)dnl
MAILER(smtp)dnl
MAILER(procmail)dnl
dnl MAILER(cyrusv2)dnl

When Dave sends mail to Dave something very similar happens

Code:

[Dave@localhost ~]$ echo "test" | mail -v -s Subject Dave
Dave... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
220 localhost.localdomain ESMTP Sendmail 8.14.1/8.14.1; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:48:46 GMT
>>> EHLO localhost.localdomain
250-localhost.localdomain Hello localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1], pleased to meet you
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-AUTH DIGEST-MD5 CRAM-MD5
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP
>>> MAIL From:<Dave@localhost.localdomain> SIZE=32 AUTH=Dave@localhost.localdomain
250 2.1.0 <Dave@localhost.localdomain>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<Dave@localhost.localdomain>
>>> DATA
550 5.1.1 <Dave@localhost.localdomain>... User unknown
503 5.0.0 Need RCPT (recipient)
>>> RSET
250 2.0.0 Reset state
/home/Dave/dead.letter... Saved message in /home/Dave/dead.letter
Closing connection to [127.0.0.1]
>>> QUIT
221 2.0.0 localhost.localdomain closing connection

Code:

[Dave@localhost ~]$ echo "test" | mail -v -s Subject Dave@localdomain
Dave@localdomain... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
220 localhost.localdomain ESMTP Sendmail 8.14.1/8.14.1; Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:51:19 GMT
>>> EHLO localhost.localdomain
250-localhost.localdomain Hello localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1], pleased to meet you
250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-SIZE
250-DSN
250-ETRN
250-AUTH DIGEST-MD5 CRAM-MD5
250-DELIVERBY
250 HELP
>>> MAIL From:<Dave@localhost.localdomain> SIZE=44 AUTH=Dave@localhost.localdomain
250 2.1.0 <Dave@localhost.localdomain>... Sender ok
>>> RCPT To:<Dave@localdomain>
>>> DATA
250 2.1.5 <Dave@localdomain>... Recipient o]
354 Enter mail, end with "." on a line by itself
>>> .
250 2.0.0 lBRFpJH6003453 Message accepted for delivery
Dave@localdomain... Sent (lBRFpJH6003453 Message accepted for delivery)
Closing connection to [127.0.0.1]
>>> QUIT
221 2.0.0 localhost.localdomain closing connection
[Dave@localhost ~]$ mail
No mail for Dave

gilead · 12-28-2007, 03:30 PM

Have you tried sending mail to a local user whose user-name is all lower case? If the username was steve, with a home directory of /home/steve and a mail spool of /var/spool/mail/steve, try sending mail to each of; steve, steve@localhost and steve@localhost.localdomain.

You shouldn't be able to send to localdomain, because it doesn't resolve. According to your hosts file, localhost will resolve and localhost.localdomain will resolve, but that's all.

choogendyk · 12-28-2007, 04:37 PM

also, I'm not sure if it didn't get copied correctly or what, but why do you have localhost twice on the 127.0.0.1 line?

dbradshaw · 12-29-2007, 01:06 AM

Nice one gilead, creating a user with a lower case logon name of steve allows me to send mail from root to steve, steve@localhost & steve@localhost.localdomain which as you correctly point out should all resolve to the user steve on the local machine.

Sending mail to Steve, Steve@localhost & Steve@localhost.localdomain and even sTeve all result in mail successfully being delivered to steve. Somewhere there must be a conversion to lowercase to prevent mail being rejected if incorrectly capitalised.

choogendyk - I haven't edited (yet) the hosts file as far as I know so I assume the reason localhost is in there twice is down to the installer.

Thanks both