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Reverse DNS causing gray listing of incoming emails

I have a client that is not receiving emails from some of the bigger providers like yahoo and hotmail because their IP address is being perceived as a problem. The problem stems from the fact that when you do an NSLOOKUP on their Exchange server's IP address, it doesn't point back to their mailserver.

If you NSLOOKUP mail.domainname.com it resolves correctly to their IP address, say 99.99.99.99 as an example.

However, if you NSLOOKUP 99.99.99.99 it does NOT resolve back to mail.domainname.com. It goes to adsl-99-70-47-155.dsl.ipltin.sbcglobal.net.

The emails is obviously hosted internally on an Exchange Server 2003. The ISP is AT&T who claims that they can't help because we don't use their email services. Network Solutions claims they don't provide Reverse DNS help, either.

To whom should I be asking for a solution? AT&T, Network Solutions, or is this something I should configure on my own Exchagne server? Until I can get 99.99.99.99 to point back to mail.domainname.com, bigger email tubes are going to continue to bounce emails that try to reach my exchange server.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

losip

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Dan Arseneau

Once you have a rDNS record, you shouldn't be further concerned about lookups. As losip explained, the owner of the subnet (ATT) should be able to provide you the reverse record for your MX record. Any host that provides DNS services will not argue when you ask them for a reverse entry. It's common sense that if you have an MX record, you will be asking for an rDNS record.

losip

The trouble is that the MX record will be on DNS servers for the domain name which are not necessarily owned or controlled by the ISP but are more likely controlled by you.

The reverse DNS record is (nearly) always on the DNS servers operated by the ISP because it is they that own the subnet. Delegation of the subnet 99.70.47.152/29 can only be done with the goodwill of the ISP and their processes often make this difficult.

The differing administration of the domain MX record and the reverse DNS record often means it takes some effort to get this organised.

IndyNCC

ASKER

Thank you. I will contact AT&T today to see what I can get done. I will report back.

IndyNCC

ASKER

I was directed, by AT&T to a DNS request form at http://attis-dns.sbcglobal.net. However, I wasn't given much instruction by the tech I was talking to so I hope I filled it out correctly. i didn't know whether I was supposed to call it a Reverse DNS or a Reverse Delegation so I went with the Reverse DNS and filled out the form accordingly. I suppose I now have to wait 72 hours to see if it propogates?

Thanks.

losip

I'm glad you're making progress. As I understand it (http://www.ripe.net/rs/reverse/), Reverse DNS is where AT&T put the required entry on their DNS servers and Reverse DNS Delegation is where they pass it over to you to create and maintain the rDNS entry. If this is right, then Reverse DNS should do you fine.

IndyNCC

ASKER

The form worked and my nslookup now resolves both forward and reverse.

Thanks for your help!