[plug] off topic - locating email address

David Campbell campbell at torque.net
Thu Sep 17 15:22:23 WST 1998


*snip*

> Not so.
> If you use the command
> nslookup -type=mx ami.com.au
> 
> you will find that a machine at omen.com.au is listed as a mail exchanger.
> However, you can't address email intended for me to their machine.

*timeout*

A MX record means that the machine will accept email on the behalf of the target
destination. You should also see a "priority number" (lower is prefered), basically
omen.com.au will be asked to spool email should none of the MX record machines
with a lower number are available.
 
Perhaps most people don't know about the forwarding email through a third party.
Perhaps this is what Lindsay is trying to avoid. Basically it works like this:

an email to => user%host1.domain1%host2.domain2 at host3.domain3

will be received by host3.domain3 which will drop everything to the right of 
(and including) the"@". It will notice the "%" in the user name. The default
action is to convert the right most "%" to "@" and then process it.

Hence the email is addressed to user%host1.domain1 at host2.domain2
and is promptly sent to host2.domain2.

host2.domain2 does the same thing (drop the "@###" and convert right most
"%") so the email is now addressed to user at host1.domain1.

If you don't believe this actually occurs, check the email headers of this
message.

David Campbell

=======================================================
campbell at torque.net

Current project list:
a) Maintain Linux ZIP drivers
b) Create Linux chipset specific parport drivers
c) Start on ParSCSI drivers
d) Boot proms for parport devices (socket onto NE2000 cards)

Any assistance to clearing this list most welcome


More information about the plug mailing list