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Getting ISP to Understand & Set Up rDNS - HowIn
MTUser2012
Member
Can anyone help me please explain rDNS to my wireless Internet provider so that he can give me an rDNS entry? My provider allows me to host my own website, and I have a fixed IP, but there is no rDNS entry for my IP. Consequently, any mail that I send is labeled as spam. I am located in a rural area, and my provider supplies broadband wireless.
I have tried sending my provider information on what rDNS is, but the guy that runs things seems completely perplexed by what I am asking for.
Is this stuff really complicated for an ISP to set up? Is it something that can be simply implemented? Is it possible that this is beyond his control even though he is assigning me the IP?
Comments
Bypass local guys, call corporate. I don't know about where you live, but everywhere around here your broadband techs are phone guys or cable TV guys. There is almost never someone at the local level who actually understands networking. Those guys are usually traveling location to location to address issues that the local guys can't.
Yes maybe whois the IP and perhaps go above the ISP.. possibly a provider up the chain actually owns the ip's who you could ask? Or, buy a $15/year cheapie leb, set up postfix and allow your ip for relay, then use it as a smarthost/relay.. then do proper ptr on the leb ip..
this
Thanks for the help. Now that I understand that I could control it myself, I'd rather follow @twain's suggestion. So:
Where can I find a VPS to do what I need? Would something like the one described in @jarland's signature do the trick?
@twain, I conceptually understand what you say, but I don't have the technical skills to to carry it out presently. What should I Google to learn about how to do it? Just take you sentence and stick in search?
Does your ISP have a mail server that you can use as a smarthost? They should have a mail server that will relay for the IPs they provision.
Sure, any 128M VPS should do the trick. Maybe even 64M.
I'm not an expert on Postfix; many others might clarify further, but I believe it's pretty much just a matter of installing postfix (apt-get install postfix for Debian/Ubuntu, if not already present, would recommend a Debian VPS vs CentOS because of lower memory usage), then edit the mynetworks line in /etc/postfix/main.cf
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8, your_relay_ip/32
You should also set other relevant information in this file like myhostname etc (myhostname should typically match the hostname of the server and also the PTR record)
then restart postfix, /etc/init.d/postfix restart
You should be able to request the PTR on the VPS IP from the provider or often via the SolusVM (or whatever CP) VPS panel.
Why not go through google... solves many issues.
@twain. Thank you that is very helpful. I have a VPS so now I can try. Your instructions are great and I now have enough information to Google more.
@ATHK I agree. Sometimes it helps to know what to Google. That is what I was asking here.
If you have a static IP I could set you up a postfix relay that only allows your IP to relay through it in about 5 - 10 minutes.
You don't have to buy a VPS from me at all, in fact you would probably be better off getting one as close to you as possible but either way give me a shout if and when you want any help.
128mb is fine BTW.
I think that he's talking about google apps mail (with your own domain). Or maybe.. not?
BRAVO! I like it! Not all usera do this, so simple, yet so powerful.
To my knowledge, rDNS cannot be setup via residential providers. I may be wrong, someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks! ^TG
It can, depends on provider, BUT, many RBLs are filtering out residential ranges, no matter PTR or not.
Best way is to get a LEB for relay, one you can setup PTR yourself is best. Even better, you can get your mail on it putting there a fully-fledged email system with webmail, POP3/IMAP/SMTP, web page for your domain, etc.
Freeware panels can do this, you can pay 30 $ or so for a 256 VM or so which is about right for such a task.
They even have configurable spam filters AV, but it may help to have more memory if enabling all those.
My provider offers it, then again they can't really be classed as residential (any more).
@Spirit and @ATHK: Sorry, I see what you mean. I missed the allusion to use Google mail, and interpreted it as a suggestion that I use Google to solve my problem.
@MTUser2012
My apologies! I was in a rush I was referring to google apps mail as Spirit said.
@MTUser2012, As some have said (assuming you are in the US)
1) If you are on a "residential" link (i.e., Comcast, for example) --> good luck, I am not aware that they will do this
- RBL's will filter you anyway
2) If you are on a "business class" link (something they try to upsell anyone who they detect are hosting websites, etc) --> they will do it, just ask to speak with their Tier 2 support (the guys that actually know what they are doing) and tell them you want "reverse lookup" or "PTR record" or "DNS Delegation" for the IP. The bonus is that the business class customers (at least those with a static IP) are placed on a different subnet (even if from a house in a residential neighborhood) and are less likely to be blacklisted by other providers.
This works for Comcast and RCN; not sure about other providers.
But keep in mind:
1) I would advise against sending email directly from your home IP (and do as others have said and just use an SMTP smarthost via VPS that you have set the rDNS on. or via some other service). In this crazy world, you don't want emails being sent from your home IP address .... for a number of reasons.
2) Some providers (whose users will be receiving your email) will blacklist you anyway. THE litmus test IMHO (of whether your setup is working well) is to try send email to someone in response to a Craigslist Ad; if it makes it without getting bounced, you are doing OK ... they have some of the most aggressive spamfiltering (based on IP) that I have seen.
Hope this helps. Good luck
@ Geekalot. Thanks for your thoughtful and thorough response to my request. What is great is that I came here hoping to get help on the rDNS issue and ended up with a superior solution. And, I'll learn something more about running my own sites by setting up the postfix server as a relay. So all in all a wonderful experience.