> The reverse DNS entry on the server's IP should match one of > the server's forward DNS names, for example > "mail.netinteraction.com" or "mx1.netinteraction.com", so > that it can be easily recognized by other sites as a > legitimate mail server.
this is good advice.
Right now, the reverse entry is > "208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com", which is not very helpful.
the .226 PTR hostname has a matching A record.
ig 208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com.
; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> 208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com. ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch ;; got answer: ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 4 ;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 2 ;; QUERY SECTION: ;; 208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com, type = A, class = IN
;; ANSWER SECTION: 208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com. 1H IN A 208.151.247.226
... which is better than nothing, but what's wrong with self-explanatory "mx1" has a label instead of useless "208-151-247-226"
Your SMTP greeting:
%telnet 208.151.247.226 25 Trying 208.151.247.226... Connected to 208-151-247-226.netinteraction.com. Escape character is '^]'. 220 netinteraction.com
Best practice is have the PTR + A records match (you do but with a sucky label) and have the PTR hostname be used as the SMTP greeting hostname and as the HELO hostname.
I have two questions. The first question is how should I respond to these folks?
follow their advice, but they don't have grounds for rejecting you for your sucky "style" decisions. :))
Is there any merit whatsoever in what they are saying?
yep
Does anyone have a reference that I can point them to that clearly states why this is incorrect?
Any reference that says their suggestion is incorrect would be incorrect.
The 2nd question is even if these guys are not respecting valid configurations, is there a "best
practice" that would make my life easier when it comes to overzealous ISPs?
see above. make the 4 hostnames match, 2 in DNS, 2 in SMTP.
Len
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