getting Invalid HELO name in exim log

[gflaten]

Hi,

I'm getting Access denied - Invalid HELO name (See RFC2821 4.1.1.1) in the exim_rejectlog when im trying to send an email using the username and password for the email account.

I can recieve mail but not sent.


-glenn

[Rock]

Hi Glenn,

Let me explain a bit on the these extended HELLO (EHLO) or (HELO) checks first:

These commands (ELHO & HELO) are used to identify the SMTP client (your local machine) to the SMTP server (your VPS). The argument field contains the fully-qualified domain name of the SMTP client if one is available. In situations in which the SMTP client system does not have a meaningful domain name (e.g., when its address is dynamically allocated & no reverse mapping record is available), the client SHOULD send an address literal (see section 4.1.3), optionally followed by information that will help to identify the client system. The SMTP server identifies itself to the SMTP client in the connection greeting reply & in the response to this command.

4.1.3. Address Literals:
Sometimes a host is not known to the domain name system & communication (and, in particular, communication to report & repair the error) is blocked. To bypass this barrier a special literal form of the address is allowed as an alternative to a domain name. For IPv4 addresses, this form uses four small decimal integers separated by dots & enclosed by brackets such as [123.255.37.2], which indicates an (IPv4) Internet Address in sequence-of-octets form.

rfc-ref.org

There are 2 reasons for this error to occur:

1) Extended HELLO (EHLO) or (HELO) check being enabled in Exim Configuration Editor: HELO checking was introduced in 11.24 release version of cPanel, & set to ON/Enabled by default. You can disable this auto-check setting in the Exim Configuration Editor inside of WHM. But doing so will cause you receive more amount of spam. I'd rather recommend setting up a reverse DNS on the IP address from which the emails are being sent from than turning off this helo/ehlo check feature in WHM.

2) The SMTP authentication settings in your email client: If you're getting this error when sending out email from your local machine using an email client, such as Outlook, Thunderbird, etc. please make sure you have authentication turned ON for the outgoing mail. Go into the advanced settings & for the outgoing server, & check "Outgoing server requires authentication, use same settings as incoming server" that should solve your issue.

For Outlook/Outlook Express:

• Click Tools then E-mail Accounts.
• Select "View or change existing e-mail accounts" & click Next.
• Select the email account & click Change.
• Click on "More settings".
• Select "Outgoing Server" tab.
• Check/Enable "My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication".
• Click Ok, Next & Finish.

For Mozilla Thunderbird:

• Go to Tools, then Account Settings, then Outgoing Server (SMTP).
• Select the server that you wish to use to send e-mail & press the Edit button.
• Check the Use name & password option.
• Add your User Name (which will be your full email address).
• Click OK.

Once these steps are done, try to send the email again. Please let know if you continue to experience similar problems..

[gflaten]

Hi thanks for answer.

I don't know if I got it all wrong, but it seems that both of the steps are qualified.

1. I have reverse dns both on my mail client and the smtp server (vps).
(also tested with another customer of mine) and the client also has reverse dns.

2. I also use outgoing authentication.

But I can not connect to port 25 neither. (connection refused)

-glenn

[gflaten]

I also get this message in the exim_mainlog:

TLS error on connection from [<ip address>] (SSL_accept): error:00000000:lib(0):func(0):reason(0)

[Rock]

Originally Posted by gflaten

Hi thanks for answer.

I don't know if I got it all wrong, but it seems that both of the steps are qualified.

1. I have reverse dns both on my mail client and the smtp server (vps).
(also tested with another customer of mine) and the client also has reverse dns.

2. I also use outgoing authentication.

But I can not connect to port 25 neither. (connection refused)

-glenn

Originally Posted by gflaten

I also get this message in the exim_mainlog:

TLS error on connection from [<ip address>] (SSL_accept): error:00000000:lib(0):func(0):reason(0)

Hi Glenn,

If telnet'ing to port 25 doesnt work, it means that it's either being blocked on your local machine/network or at your ISP level. ISPs are cracking down on port 25, preventing users from using 3rd-party SMTP servers, even with authentication. All a well-intentioned but naive attempt to prevent spamming & confusing spammers.. Please try switching off SSL [TLS/SALS, etc] in the email client & using port 587 instead of 25..

[gflaten]

Hi,

I turned of SSL and used 587.. Now it works!

nice

Thanks.

-glenn

[Rock]

Originally Posted by gflaten

Hi,

I turned of SSL and used 587.. Now it works!

nice

Thanks.

-glenn

You're most welcome.. Glad to know that it worked