Re: [9fans] SMTP Woes

["Russ Cox" <rsc@swtch.com>]

> 9top% upas/smtp -d -as -h yourdomain.dom 'net!$smtp' dho devon.odell@gmail.com
> expanding /net!$smtp
> sending /net/dns 'smtp.gmail.com mx'
> dns: dns: resource does not exist
> mxdial trying /net/net!smtp.gmail.com!smtp
> smtp: connection timed out (net!smtp.gmail.com)

Your network connection is timing out (as it says).

Yourdomain.dom is used for various purposes
during the smtp conversation.  Smtp didn't even
bother looking for the MX of gmail.com.
So both of those are irrelevant.

Smtp did look to see if there was an MX for
smtp.gmail.com, but it didn't find one so it is
trying to connect directly.  That's just fine too.

You have a good error right there:

> mxdial trying /net/net!smtp.gmail.com!smtp
> smtp: connection timed out (net!smtp.gmail.com)

The network connection smtp is trying to make is timing out.
You don't have a mail problem; you have a network problem.
At least that is simpler.

Try connecting with a simple program:

  con -l tcp!smtp.gmail.com!smtp

When that fails, verify that you can resolve the name
smtp.gmail.com using ndb/dnsquery.

When that succeeds, try connecting directly to the IP address:

  con -l tcp!209.85.133.109!smtp

When that fails, make sure you can connect to other
systems:

  con -l tcp!plan9.bell-labs.com!http

When that succeeds, try connecting to the SMTP port using
a different operating system or machine on the same network.

It could be that your ISP is blocking external SMTP connections,
for example.

Russ