Mail server with multiple IP addresses

[jms1]

One of the accounts from which I will be reporting spam is handled by an ISP whose MX record points to one name which resolves to multiple IP addresses. I've done the test message several times now, in an attempt to gather the server IPs, but as yet it's only picking up one of the IP addresses. I have manually inspected the headers of the messages being sent to me and they are being processed by the other servers.

My question is this: should I have to keep trying the test messages over and over until the IP list is populated with all of the IP addresses of their servers? And will I have to re-register the mailhost every time they add a new server to their pool?

Or is just having the shared name on the "names" list good enough, and the parser will recognize any of the IP's which that name points to as valid mailhosts for my reporting account?

Woud it help to change from a single MX record to multiple equal-priority MX records pointing to the individual machines? If so, I can have them do this (I built the servers involved and still assist them with various issues on a consulting basis.)

The ISP in this case is kua.net, if somebody wants to check the DNS records to verify what I'm describing here. They currently have two servers in the pool and are in the process of upgrading the others (there are four altogether.)

[StevenUnderwood]

This is an unofficial answer as I have no direct knowledge of the code. The fact that the same host name appears for multiple IP addresses should not cause problems with mailhosts finding the correct source. It appears to use both the IP and name during the parsing. My forwarding service, netforward has 3 MXes pointing to the same 3 IPs each. Eventually, all the servers were added but not initially.

You could wait for an official response here, but officailly, I'm supposed to tell you to email deputies<at>spamcop.net with mailhosts in the subject as described in the pinned item.

[dbiel]

jms1, I am confused by your question.

The mailhost file does not list the IP addresses of the mailhosts, it only lists the IP addresses of the relays.

Where are you getting the information about what IP addresses are "listed"?

[Ellen]

One of the accounts from which I will be reporting spam is handled by an ISP whose MX record points to one name which resolves to multiple IP addresses. I've done the test message several times now, in an attempt to gather the server IPs, but as yet it's only picking up one of the IP addresses. I have manually inspected the headers of the messages being sent to me and they are being processed by the other servers.

My question is this: should I have to keep trying the test messages over and over until the IP list is populated with all of the IP addresses of their servers? And will I have to re-register the mailhost every time they add a new server to their pool?

Or is just having the shared name on the "names" list good enough, and the parser will recognize any of the IP's which that name points to as valid mailhosts for my reporting account?

Woud it help to change from a single MX record to multiple equal-priority MX records pointing to the individual machines? If so, I can have them do this (I built the servers involved and still assist them with various issues on a consulting basis.)

The ISP in this case is kua.net, if somebody wants to check the DNS records to verify what I'm describing here. They currently have two servers in the pool and are in the process of upgrading the others (there are four altogether.)

19056[/snapback]

If the DNS/rDNS/DNS is correct then it should be OK. The easiest way to check this is to take a couple of emails that show the other IPs and parse them --- any emails will do. If the parse looks OK then there shouldn't be a problem. If it doesn't send me the tracking urls from the parse and cancel the reports.

Don't use quick submit or quick reporting for a while and look at all the parse outputs to make sure that they look OK