Postfix/Network config out of the box - was: Re: Please participate in the Ubuntu Popularity Contest !

[Scott Kitterman]

On Sun, 16 Jul 2006 15:39:26 -0500 "Christofer C. Bell" 
<christofer.c.bell at gmail.com> wrote:

>postfix is not properly configured out of the box because Ubuntu is
>not properly configured out of the box.  You need to make the
>following changes to your system:
>
>* In /etc/hosts:
>
>+ Remove the line that references IP address 127.0.1.1.
>+ Remove the hostname from the line that references IP address 127.0.0.1.
>+ Create a correct entry for your machine with IP address, FQDN, and 
hostname.
>
>* In /etc/hostname
>
>+ Set the name to your FQDN.
>
>* In /etc/postfix/main.cf
>
>+ Set the variable 'myname' to your FQDN.
>
>* Avoid any use of the Networking control panel as it will silently
>add your hostname or FQDN to the 127.0.0.1 IP address (if you do use
>the tool, then edit /etc/hosts again to remove it).
>
>Verify that the above changes have worked thusly:
>
>$ hostname
>(returns FQDN)
>
>$ hostname -f
>(returns FQDN)
>
>$ telnet localhost 25
>Use the HELO command, this should return either your FQDN or your IP
>address enclosed in brackets.  (Usage: HELO some.domain.com).
>
>If the check procedure indicates that your changes have not taken
>effect, then reboot your machine and try them again, they should be
>working then.
>
>The danger in the Ubuntu setup is that it can (and will) land your
>machine in the CBL blacklist for having a non-RFC compliant mail
>system.  The non-compliance is that your machine responds with either
>localhost, localhost.localdomain, or 127.0.0.1 to a HELO command.
>
>Note that if you configure your Ubuntu system correctly prior to
>installing postfix, then postfix will install properly configured out
>of the box (with a correct 'myname' entry).
>
I'm not sure which Ubuntu version you are using, but I've built two Postfix 
servers recently using the Ubuntu Dapper server install and I don't recall 
having to edit those files.  I don't have access to SSH where I am now, but 
I'll look at those files tomorrow when I do.

I did mess this up once and get myself on CBL, but that was with SUSE.

While I don't agree that the default config is broken as you say, your 
suggestions for testing look good.

Scott K