split dns isn't working for me....

[lucidblue]

hola all! I'm hoping someone can be of assistance. I've followed the tutorial and have been able to install zimbra pretty easily, it's on ubuntu 6.06.1, the only thing that's not working out for me is the dns stuff I think... I can't even get the local mail to route to the local users.

Oh yeah.. I'm using bind9, so the only things I had to change were where I put the 'forwarders' section I think. But, I can nslookup google.com and that works fine, so I'm thinking that's configured right.

But, if I do 'nslookup mail.MYDOMAIN.com' it says SERVFAIL and that it couldn't find it. the first thing it says when I run nslookup is server: --my local IP and address: --my local IP#53

So, I'm thinking my problem is there. The configuration that I'm hoping for(and maybe you can tell me if this will work) is this:

right now the domain in question is parked at 1and1.com, I'm hoping that I can just have the domain forwarded to the static IP and then in the advanced DNS section of they're control panel have the mail servers be 'www.MYDOMAIN.com' --

so in theory I would think that should forward everything to the static IP, ... and then the router would forward everything to the zimbra box.

I don't think I need dns lookups because I have to forward all outgoing mail through the isp's smtp servers (although, I may need dns to be able to lookup the 'smtp.isp.com', so I may need it after all).

I think ultimatley I will just endup making the hostname for the system www.MYDOMAIN.COM, since this is the only thing that we'll be using the domain name for, but I can't test that on this box because it's a residential line and port 25 is blocked... I'm affraid if I don't have my split dns working correctly then all local mail would shoot out to the internet and then come back, but that just seems silly to me when they should be able to just be routed locally..

I've been playing with this in a VM, so it's a little hard to 'cut & paste', but I'll re type anything that will help if that's needed. and if there are any log files that might help me figure out what's going on that would be great too...

*** Also, I haven't found anything good about actually how to take your domain name from the registrar's parked area and move it to work with your own server, so if anyone knows about that, I'm all ears.
thanks

-lb

[mmorse]

moved to a thread of it's own (totally different thing)

-do a 'dig mx domain.com' and 'dig mx mail.domain.com' and post you results here
Hide out your domain if you want and either leave the leave the first 2 or 3 ip sections-makes it easier for us to comprehend or make all the same ip's xxx.xxx.xxx.aaa -a different ip would be .bbb etc
-Just check the enable dns lookups box in admin console anyway
-Don't do the www in the name if you end up naming the box that

You need to clarify this for us-or it's a waste of time:

Originally Posted by lucidblue

(in one section) I have to forward all outgoing mail through the isp's smtp servers
(in another section) it's a residential line and port 25 is blocked...

Question: How blocked are we talking? Is the final resting point of the box going to be at your residential (port 25 blocked) line? How are you planning to get mail in? Is it fully blocked, or does just all outbound traffic have to go out through your ISP's relay? (still doesn't take care of incoming mail)

[lucidblue]

thanks for the reply!
A> The dns lookup is checked, I haven't tried turning that off yet.
B> I'm not sure what I'll name the box, I'd like to do something that's easy, but it's looking now that I may be able to use a static IP, BUT I'd like to know what I'm doing wrong just incase.

To answer your question, on MY line, the one I'm testing on (which can't work very well) I just found that port 25 is blocked both ways. The end product will be on a static IP that (I think) will let 25 through, but it makes you forward all mail on that port throught the isp's smtp server, which doesn't require authentication, so that should be fine.

** Edit for clarity: the one I'm testing on (which can't work very well) I just found out that port 25 is blocked both ways. The end product will be on a static IP that (I think) will let port 25 come in, but it makes you forward all mail on that port out to the isp's smtp server....

and, when I do 'nslookup mail.mydomain.com' (which is in the /etc/hosts), it says
server: 192.168.1.103
address: 192.168.1.103#53

(something like 'domain name not found') error: SERVFAIL

let me know how I can be more specific
thanks again!
-lb

[mmorse]

on MY line, the one I'm testing on (which can't work very well) I just found that port 25 is blocked both ways.

I really wouldn't consider this a test box...
I know your trying to "get local mail to route to the local users" but honestly what's the end game in your test?
Just to see how zimbra works mailing yourself a few things? (just try the hosted demo) -I have a hard time grasping the point of your setup...

[lucidblue]

really, thanks again for the reply, I totally agree with you, I'll be able to test better when I can set it up on the static IP that does allow the incomming mail. Originally I was just seeing how hard it was to install, but I felt like if I can't get the local mail to route correctly, how can I expect to get it working then either?...

Thanks tho

[lucidblue]

I think this post answers some questions for me, I think a lot of my issue was that I don't understand dns to really grasp what I'm trying to do, but, if I can just set this box up on a static IP, and not behind a router, I think it'll be quite a bit easier for me, thanks tho, I didn't know what I was looking for.

DNS in a nutshell part two (For dummies)