[NSRCA-discussion] Bounces

[Thomas D. Simes]

On Thu, 9 Feb 2006 11:08:56 +1100
"Koenig, Tom" <Tom.Koenig at actewagl.com.au> wrote:

> 
> So is there a way to make the list =15?? I suppose this is a silly
> question not being an IT guy??
> 
> Tom

Presuming a symmetric path between your server and the list server (not
an unreasonable assumption), normally the path is only three "Received"
hops long:

Received: from steelhead.netexpress.com (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by steelhead.netexpress.com (8.13.5/8.13.5) with ESMTP id
k1909a2M060627;	Wed, 8 Feb 2006 15:09:57 -0900 (AKST)
	(envelope-from nsrca-discussion-bounces at lists.nsrca.org)
Received: from gateway02.actewagl.com.au (gateway02.actewagl.com.au
	[202.14.248.111])
	by steelhead.netexpress.com (8.13.5/8.13.5) with SMTP id k1909UK7060623
	for <nsrca-discussion at lists.nsrca.org>;
	Wed, 8 Feb 2006 15:09:32 -0900 (AKST)
	(envelope-from Tom.Koenig at actewagl.com.au)
Received: from semailbox02.actewagl.production.com.au 
	([192.168.252.4]unverified) by gateway02.actewagl.com.au with InterScan
	Message Security Suite; Thu, 09 Feb 2006 11:07:34 +1100

But something is periodically causing the mail to bounce around inside
your systems until the "Received" count hits 15.  At that point one of
the machines on your side cries "uncle!" and spits the message back out
to the originating server with a permanent error like this:

Reporting-MTA: dns; filter2
Received-From-MTA: DNS; [202.14.247.5]
Arrival-Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 02:36:25 +1100 (EST)

Final-Recipient: RFC822; tom.koenig at actewagl.com.au
Action: failed
Status: 5.2.2
Remote-MTA: DNS; gateway02.actewagl.com.au
Diagnostic-Code: SMTP;
	552 gateway02.actewagl.com.au: your "received:" header counts
	of 16 exceeds maximum setting 15
Last-Attempt-Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2006 02:36:37 +1100 (EST)

Making a guess based on your header info, this Microsoft knowledgebase
article might be a good place to point your IT folks at:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303734&Product=iis50

Specifically the Maximum hop count setting under the Advanced Delivery
dialog box.  That being said, upping the hop count is just treating the
symptom in my opinion.  15 hops should be enough to get a message nearly
anywhere in the modern Internet.  Instead, the problem to solve is
determining what causes the periodic mail looping to the point where
your servers kick back undelivered mail.  This isn't a setting that can
be changed on a per-sender basis, nor is it a problem that is only
affecting incoming NSRCA mailing list messages.


Tom
 
======================================================================
   "Z-80 system stack overflow.  Shut 'er down Scotty, the system's
         sucking mud" - Error message on TRS 80 Model-16B

Thomas D. Simes                                 simestd at netexpress.com 
======================================================================