it seems like smtp-auth just doesn't work. this is my startup file for the smtpd daemon:
exec /usr/local/bin/softlimit -m 5000000 \ /usr/local/ucspi-tcp/bin/tcpserver -v -R -l "$LOCAL" -x /etc/tcp.smtp.cdb -c "$MAXSMTPD" \ -u "$QMAILDUID" -g "$NOFILESGID" 0 smtp /var/qmail/bin/qmail-smtpd /var/qmail/bin/auth_smtp /bin/true 2>&1
There is no need to to add any arguments to qmail-smtpd. To enable auth_smtp set the SMTPAUTH environment var. The rest will be done by qmail-smtpd.
Might help if the doc http://www.lifewithqmail.org/ldap/ is updated to reflect this. I know it's Henning's doc, but... ;)
DS
