MX records and finger

[#1]

Hi all,
I've been setting up a mail server and I set my 'mx and 'A' record over 60 hours ago and the mx record has been promulgated but my 'A' record still points to f9.... is this right?
Regards

[#2]

Forgot to mention the finger bit, when i send the finger string to postmaster@autoturn.force9.net I cat back a 502 unimplemented [#5.5.1]..
any ideas on this anyone?
regards

[#3]

Can you give some more info? Can you confirm - are you a force9 customer setting up a mail server on your own premises, to have mail delivered to it via your f9 broadband connection? Is the domain hosted by f9? Am I right in assuming that you've set an 'A' record pointing to your static IP address using the PlusNet "configure domain" section of the portal?

[#4]

Yes I'm a f9 broadband user and the server is setup on my own premises. the domain is hosted by f9 and the 'A' record is pointing to my static ip. This I setup over two days ago via the configure domain section in the portal.

[#5]

OK - thanks for clarifying that. So you've created an 'A' record for something like mail.mydomain.co.uk pointing to your IP address, you've selected SMTP in the "Mail Settings" box, and in the advanced settings, deleted the default MX record, and replaced it with mail.mydomain.co.uk ?
If I'm reading your post correctly, if you check the records for your domain, the MX record does correctly point to mail.mydomain.co.uk
The 'A' record for mail.mydomain.co.uk points to a force9 IP address rather than your static one? Is that correct?
What are you using to check the 'A' record?
Are you getting mail delivered?

[#6]

If your domain is hosted on PN then to get all mail delivered to your IP address all you do is select SMTP on the domains page for that domain. No need to set any MX or A record manually, PN do that for you with the SMTP setting.
The only time you would need to set-up an A record is if you wanted the domain (www.domain.tld) to point somewhere else other than your PN webspace.

[#7]

thanks notheruser,
This is what I've setup.
Left field                                    Type    Pri        Right field
mail.mydomain.co.uk.      a                                  81.174.139.xxx 
mydomain.co.uk.                        mx        5          mail.my domain.co.uk. 
                                                  mx      20        mx.last.plus.net. 
After 3 day I'd expect this if to be promulgated around the net but what I get is the mx records are correct and the 'A'  record pointing at 212.159.8.1 !!!
I'm using http://network-tools.com (dns records) to check the dns records and nslookup.
I was told by f9 to leave the mx.last.plus.net in to catch my mails if the server is down.
Peter, what I've done is what PN help pages said to do. I also spoke with f9/PN CS people and they confirmed this. So I'm really confused about using just the SMTP checkbox..
Ian

[#8]

In the domain settings, which of the three radio buttons have you got set - SMTP, POP3 or Other?

[#9]

gilesyit - I think the left field should simply be mail rather than mail.mydomain.co.uk - the system will assume the mydomain.co.uk
I think what you've done is create an A record for mail.mydomain.co.uk.mydomain.co.uk
In the MX record, you don't need the left field.
212.159.8.1 points to regd.plus.net - whatever it is?!

[#10]

Jelv, I used the "other" button.
notheruser, the left field has a dot on the end of it (mail.mydomain.co.uk.) which if I understand fqdn's is the same as just entering "mail" without a dot.
As regards to the mx left field I just entered the as the instructions on the f9/PN site. ( http://www.plus.net/support/email/setup/smtp_mail.shtml )
I would have thought that when I do a dns record search mr static IP should be stated instead of the 212.159.8.1 address.
Other sources of info I've used  ( http://www.petri.co.il/configure_mx_records_for_incoming_smtp_email_traffic.htm )
BR
Ian

[#11]

Ian
sorry - I assumed you were using SMTP rather than 'Other'
see the examples in paragraph 10 here - http://www.plus.net/support/domains_and_dns/hosting/domain_management.shtml?supportb=domain_t5mailbo...
There are some differences between the examples here, and the ones on the page you are using.
You're right about the fqdn and the dot, but it might be worth trying just "mail" in the left field for the A record just to see if it makes any difference.
You're right a dns record search should show your static IP address and not the 212.... one.
There may be some problem with the f9 software - I've just created a test entry of an A record on my own domain, and the web interface says that it was succesful. Ten minutes on, I've run external tests against ns1.plusnet.co.uk, ns2.plusnet.co.uk, ns1.force9.net, and ns2.force9.net - all say no such A record exists. You'd expect information to propogate through f9/plusnet's own nameservers fairly quickly.

[#12]

notheruser,
I see what you mean about the left field in the mx record I will amend the record but the 'A' record looks right to me.
When I queried f9 about update time on their ns thet reckon it takes 2 hrs before you see any results. If you could monitor your changes after the 2 hour period I'd appreciate it.
Q. how do you run external checks against the f9/PN NS's.
BR
Ian

[#13]

Ian - happy to do that - I'll test later this evening and let you know the result. I usually test using dnsstuff.com which has got some really good tools. Apart from that, I remote desktop to a server in wok and just use nslookup against BT's nameservers (we've got a BT leased line).
I'm not sure that changing the MX records will solve the problem since your own tests show MX as being correct - it looks like your A record is the part that's giving you bother.

[#14]

look forward to your response..
Many thanks
ian

[#15]

4 hours gone, and still no response to test
So I've added a couple more A records pointing to the same IP to see how that goes
home.mydomain.co.uk
and
home2.mydomain.co.uk.
let's see how that goes.