I have an Ubuntu 11.10 server running Postfix/Dovecot for e-mail sending/receiving and MUA access. Everything was running well until such time that smartphones and remote users became popular. Even though I have SASL installed and the alleged proper settings in main.cf to allow remote users to submit and send e-mail, they are forced to send through the relay_domains setting. Once I add their recipient domain to the list in relay_domains, the users can send e-mail via their smartphones.

I don't wish to set up an open relay, but isn't there some way to wildcard the settings in relay_domain so that I don't have to have users getting "relay access denied" on domains that I haven't entered yet? Not to mention the delays and confusion of having them submit domains in advance.

Will publish main.cf file if needed, but not until requested. If this is not the right forum, my apologies and please point me to the right one.

Thanks,

Well you would update smtpd_recipient_restrictions to include permit_sasl_authenticated, so you would then permit local networks, mail to you and any authenticated remote user.

I have done that already. It is why I said that I have installed SASL and the alleged proper settings in main.cf. I have heavily tested the SASL authentication, even by checking /var/log/mail.log entries and as best I can tell, users are authenticating.

However, when they authenticate, instead of allowing their mail to be sent wherever they desire, it requires their recipient domain name to be listed in the relay_domains= section of main.cf. As soon as I place their recipient's domain there, they can send mail. But, that is a slow, awkward method. I can't see that very large systems would put up with this method of remote user mail (mainly smarthpones) for very long. I grow tired of it as well, but I can find no real solution other than an open MTA. I don't like that solution either.

Since I know pretty sure that SASL is authenticating the user, I would just like a way to wildcard some or all of the domain settings that have to be placed in relay_domains. Is there such an animal?

permit_sasl_authenticated *IS* the wildcard.

OK, I noticed it now. I had smtpd_client_restrictions set up. I didn't know there was another one for recipient restrictions. Loaded it and tested; it's functional now. Thanks,