i have had to create a new server [Old one died - hardware problems]

So I've installed Slackware 10.2 [it was previously a slackware 10.1]

however now I have a mail problem.

Machines on the local net can no longer send mail - Thunderbird just goes into a asking passowrd loop and never completes.
:- in the /var/log/maillog file
stranger sm-mta[7596]: l3UBARSH007596: Donkey [192.168.2.2] (may be forged): possible SMTP attack: command=AUTH, count=6
stranger sm-mta[7596]: l3UDZ6YI025353: Donkey [192.168.2.2] (may be forged): possible SMTP attack: command=AUTH, count=6


if I telnet to port 25 I can send mail by issing the mail commands directly

and a couple o people seem to be able to send with outlook - btu thunderbird just never does anything

people can receive mail fine

still seems to happen on Slack 11 also - so what have I done.

A few extra bits of info
built a complete new server - with slack 11
installed webmin
added pop3 to the serveices list [and restarted inetd]
configured sendmail to relay for the local network [92.168.2 ]
just using normal logins - not ssl [though you can ssh to the accounts]

mail from local users work

telnet from a user machine to the server port 25
issue relvent
ehlo
from
rcpt
data
commands
mail gets accpted for delivery

run a new version of outlook and point it at server - mail goes and is delivered to user machine [pop3]

run thunderbird and confifure it the same -
mail can be recived by thunderbird
mail will not go via server - asks for a pasword and this does not get accepted

Did you find the problem? I have the same in Slackware 12, using sendmail-slackware-tls-sasl.mc

Aha not been back to this , I used another machine in the end..
this does remimd me to re-look at this.
.. I'll see if OI can get an answer within the week .

You'll get this error if saslauthd is not running.