[SOLVED] Zimbra on NAT network without Split DNS

[mikeyes]

I am planning to setup a Zimbra Server on a private NAT network to deliver mail and receive mail from the internet as well as the local LAN.

I have read and understand all of the Split DNS documents but think there might be an easier way for simple networks. Wanted to see if anyone else thought that this might work or if I will need to setup Split DNS.

My current network consists of a Windows Terminal Server 2003 (NON DOMAIN setup) and a few workstations. I do not run internal DNS but relay everything to the ISP DNS. My domainname.com is purchased through an external registrar and the mail.domainname.com as well as domain MX settings are setup with the registrar's DNS server.

server hostname = mail.domainname.local
smtp server hostname set in zimbra = mail.domainname.com
zimbra domain = domainname.com

If user a@domainname.com sends an email to b@domainname.com the server will do a DNS lookup for domainname.com with the ISP's DNS. It will see that my primary MX record is set to mail.domainname.com. It would then get the IP address of mail.domainname.com (which would return as a public IP) and since it could not reach that address the email would fail delivery.

Here is the question if I put an entry into my server /etc/hosts file of "internal ip = mail.domainname.com" then the server should get that address after it does the MX lookup and could then find itself and deliver the mail?

[mikeyes]

After I tested it it does not work. Postfix does a DNS lookup and ignores the hosts file. nm

[ECB]

We have the same setup exactly, only we do have an internal DNS server.

We too serve users inside the LAN and send and receive mail from the internet. This is why our server is in the LAN.

We have a public IP and MX record for our Zimbra server. The server sits on the LAN behind a Firewall/NAT. Port forwarding is used to direct all needed ports (SMTP/IMAP4/POP3/etc.) to the Zimbra server.

We are trying to install the Zimbra server but failing at the MX record check in the install script. The installer checks for an MX record but receives the public IP of the Zimbra server. Since the server has a private IP the check fails and the installation quits.

How can we install Zimbra servers behind a NAT?

Thanks very much!

[uxbod]

ECB please stop opening old threads by posting to them I have already moved your thread and responded to it :- http://www.zimbra.com/forums/install...not-found.html