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I'm trying to setup an SMTP server using Postfix. I already have virtual mailboxes and a Dovecot IMAP server running (and working). I can mail [email protected] and see the mail coming in with an IMAP client. However, sending mails from external locations doesn't work.

I did a netcat from internal:

root@cs:/# netcat localhost 25
220 camilstaps.nl ESMTP Postfix (Ubuntu)
helo localhost
250 camilstaps.nl
mail from:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.0 Ok
rcpt to:<[email protected]>
250 2.1.5 Ok
data
354 End data with <CR><LF>.<CR><LF>
Subject: Test

Hello
.
250 2.0.0 Ok: queued as 19CBA412F0

And also tried a netcat from an external server, but that didn't work, I don't get a response (the shell keeps open until I ^C or a timeout occurs).

I thought the server wasn't listening on every IP, so I tried a netstat, and this was the result:

tcp        0      0 0.0.0.0:25              0.0.0.0:*               LISTEN      2378/master
tcp6       0      0 :::25                   :::*                    LISTEN      2378/master

So that can't be the problem, right? But I can't figure out what the problem is.

Here's /etc/postfix/master.cf (it was quite long so I removed the comments):

smtp      inet  n       -       -       -       -       smtpd
pickup    unix  n       -       -       60      1       pickup
cleanup   unix  n       -       -       -       0       cleanup
qmgr      unix  n       -       n       300     1       qmgr
tlsmgr    unix  -       -       -       1000?   1       tlsmgr
rewrite   unix  -       -       -       -       -       trivial-rewrite
bounce    unix  -       -       -       -       0       bounce
defer     unix  -       -       -       -       0       bounce
trace     unix  -       -       -       -       0       bounce
verify    unix  -       -       -       -       1       verify
flush     unix  n       -       -       1000?   0       flush
proxymap  unix  -       -       n       -       -       proxymap
proxywrite unix -       -       n       -       1       proxymap
smtp      unix  -       -       -       -       -       smtp
relay     unix  -       -       -       -       -       smtp
showq     unix  n       -       -       -       -       showq
error     unix  -       -       -       -       -       error
retry     unix  -       -       -       -       -       error
discard   unix  -       -       -       -       -       discard
local     unix  -       n       n       -       -       local
virtual   unix  -       n       n       -       -       virtual
lmtp      unix  -       -       -       -       -       lmtp
anvil     unix  -       -       -       -       1       anvil
scache    unix  -       -       -       -       1       scache
maildrop  unix  -       n       n       -       -       pipe
  flags=DRhu user=vmail argv=/usr/bin/maildrop -d ${recipient}
uucp      unix  -       n       n       -       -       pipe
  flags=Fqhu user=uucp argv=uux -r -n -z -a$sender - $nexthop!rmail ($recipient)
ifmail    unix  -       n       n       -       -       pipe
  flags=F user=ftn argv=/usr/lib/ifmail/ifmail -r $nexthop ($recipient)
bsmtp     unix  -       n       n       -       -       pipe
  flags=Fq. user=bsmtp argv=/usr/lib/bsmtp/bsmtp -t$nexthop -f$sender $recipient
scalemail-backend unix  -       n       n       -       2       pipe
  flags=R user=scalemail argv=/usr/lib/scalemail/bin/scalemail-store ${nexthop} ${user} ${extension}
mailman   unix  -       n       n       -       -       pipe
  flags=FR user=list argv=/usr/lib/mailman/bin/postfix-to-mailman.py
  ${nexthop} ${user}

And postconf -n gives:

alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
append_dot_mydomain = no
biff = no
broken_sasl_auth_clients = yes
config_directory = /etc/postfix
home_mailbox = Maildir/
inet_interfaces = all
inet_protocols = all
mailbox_command =
mailbox_size_limit = 0
mydestination = $myhostname, localhost.$mydomain, $mydomain, localhost
myhostname = camilstaps.nl
mynetworks = 127.0.0.0/8 [::ffff:127.0.0.0]/104 [::1]/128
myorigin = /etc/mailname
readme_directory = no
recipient_delimiter = +
relayhost =
smtp_tls_note_starttls_offer = yes
smtp_tls_security_level = may
smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache
smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name (Ubuntu)
smtpd_client_restrictions = permit_mynetworks permit_inet_interfaces permit_sasl_authenticated permit_tls_clientcerts reject_unauth_destination
smtpd_recipient_restrictions = permit_sasl_authenticated,permit_mynetworks,reject_unauth_destination
smtpd_relay_restrictions = permit_mynetworks permit_sasl_authenticated defer_unauth_destination
smtpd_sasl_auth_enable = yes
smtpd_sasl_local_domain =
smtpd_sasl_path = private/auth-client
smtpd_sasl_security_options = noanonymous
smtpd_sasl_type = dovecot
smtpd_tls_CAfile = /etc/ssl/certs/cacert.pem
smtpd_tls_auth_only = no
smtpd_tls_cert_file = /etc/ssl/certs/smtpd.crt
smtpd_tls_key_file = /etc/ssl/private/smtpd.key
smtpd_tls_loglevel = 1
smtpd_tls_received_header = yes
smtpd_tls_security_level = may
smtpd_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtpd_scache
smtpd_tls_session_cache_timeout = 3600s
smtpd_use_tls = yes
tls_random_source = dev:/dev/urandom
virtual_gid_maps = static:5000
virtual_mailbox_base = /home/vmail/
virtual_mailbox_domains = /etc/postfix/vhosts
virtual_mailbox_maps = hash:/etc/postfix/vmaps
virtual_minimum_uid = 1000
virtual_uid_maps = static:5000
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  • Most consumer ISPs block both incoming and outgoing port 25 connections. Are you sure your ISP isn't blocking it? Most provide a relay service for this purpose (outgoing). Can you try to connect to another port 25 destination from the external location?
    – gertvdijk
    Commented Jun 4, 2013 at 11:17
  • @gertvdijk you were right, I checked on another server and it worked. Thanks and apologies! Would you like to write an answer or shall I just delete the question?
    – user125111
    Commented Jun 4, 2013 at 11:24

1 Answer 1

3

The problem turned out to be that my ISP blocked port 25.

I tested from an other server, which didn't have it blocked, and it worked.

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