Mail Server Problems

[madcat]

I've set up POP accounts at my hosting service. When I send mail to the account, I get this little message sent back:

The following addresses had permanent fatal errors -----
<[e-mail]>
(reason: 550 5.1.1 User unknown)
-------------------------------------------------

It seems that after transferring the domain to the new DNS's - the mail server address was still set to the old host's mail server. I've contacted the new host who told me that they have changed the mail server to the correct name-

Will this take time to resolve or should the process be instantaneous. It's been quite a while and these folks would like their email;)

[amoore]

Assuming that using "theirsite.com" in your example was referring to the new host the DNS is set up properly. That means that the change needs to be made in thier mail server. Those changes should be instant.

[madcat]

Thanks amoore- this is what I was afraid of.

[bcc1234]

Once your zone is modified with the correct MX record, it takes some time to propagare the new state of the zone.

[madcat]

could you give me a ballpark?

[bcc1234]

Check the ttl on the mx record or on the zone. That's your estimate. Although, dumb companies like aol don't care about it and cache for as long as they like.

[madcat]

Check the ttl on the mx record or on the zone.

Ahhh...Thanks, I've done some reading on the subject.

I appreciate your help bcc1234

[edited by: madcat at 5:55 am (utc) on Dec. 19, 2002]

[Mardi_Gras]

The MX record tells computers on the net which host should handle e-mail for a given domain. That information will need to propogate before you can be assured all mail is going to the new host.

[amoore]

since the mail is already going to the new host and getting an error back from it makes me believe that the MX record is already being picked up by the sending mail server. Unfortunately, the new mail server is sending back an error. Wouldn't that make you think that the new mail server needs a little adjustment? If that's the case, then it can happen immediately.

[bcc1234]

If the problem is on the new mail server itself - then it can be fixed immediately.

[madcat]

Well it's been a full day and still problems. I set up four POP accounts. Three of them receive their mail as intended - One account seems to be having a problem. The mail on this one account is bounced back as an unknown user or something to that affect.

It seems the technical staff at my host is in a bit of quandary as well...I just see test mail after test mail followed by the failed error messages.

Although two did arrive in the inbox somehow or another? What could this be?

[bcc1234]

What could this be?

Hmm, a case of incompetent admins at the hosting company...