[NCLUG] Mail Routing Wierdness

[Michael Dwyer]

So we've got this company we work with, and they can't get E-mail from
us.  Last time I tried to get mail through, their MX was down.  This
time, the machine is back, but it won't seem to accept mail from me.

What is stranger is that they report that nobody else has these
problems.  I cannot imagine what could be the problem.  Our mail system
isn't exceptionally strange in any way.  Does someone see anything
strange in the log below?  Is there possibly anything I'm doing 
wrong, here? 

Script started on Thu Nov 29 10:53:03 2001
root at tim:~# nslookup
Default Server:  tim.sixthdimension.com
Address:  192.168.1.212

> set querytype=MX
> administaff.com
Server:  tim.sixthdimension.com
Address:  192.168.1.212

administaff.com	preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail.administaff.com
administaff.com	nameserver = a.ns.administaff.com
administaff.com	nameserver = ns.administaff.com
mail.administaff.com	internet address = 206.50.56.250
a.ns.administaff.com	internet address = 206.50.56.53
ns.administaff.com	internet address = 206.50.56.250
> server ns.administaff.com
Default Server:  ns.administaff.com
Address:  206.50.56.250

> administaff.com.
Server:  ns.administaff.com
Address:  206.50.56.250

administaff.com	preference = 10, mail exchanger = mail.administaff.com
> set querytype=any
> mail.administaff.com
Server:  ns.administaff.com
Address:  206.50.56.250

mail.administaff.com	internet address = 206.50.56.250
> root at tim:~# 
root at tim:~# ping 206.50.56.250
PING 206.50.56.250 (206.50.56.250): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 206.50.56.250: icmp_seq=0 ttl=111 time=173.1 ms
64 bytes from 206.50.56.250: icmp_seq=1 ttl=111 time=154.5 ms
64 bytes from 206.50.56.250: icmp_seq=2 ttl=111 time=119.1 ms

--- 206.50.56.250 ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 119.1/148.9/173.1 ms
root at tim:~# telnet mail.administaff.com 25
Trying 206.50.56.250...
Connected to mail.administaff.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 kingfw01.administaff.com Generic SMTP handler
HELO test at sixthdimension.com
250 kingfw01.administaff.com talking to sixd49.customer.frii.net
([216.17.169.49])
mail from: mdwyer at sixthdimension.com
250 mdwyer at sixthdimension.com OK
rcpt to: nobody at administaff.com
553 Bad command format
rcpt to: postmaster at administaff.com
553 Bad command format
RCPT TO: postmaster at administaff.com
553 Bad command format
REST
500 Command unrecognized
HELP
214 Help not supported by this implementation
^]
telnet> close
Connection closed.
root at tim:~# telnet mail.administaff.com 25
Trying 206.50.56.250...
Connected to mail.administaff.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 kingfw01.administaff.com Generic SMTP handler
HELO 6d.com
250 kingfw01.administaff.com talking to sixd49.customer.frii.net
([216.17.169.49])
MAIL FROM: mdwyer at 6d.com
250 mdwyer at 6d.com OK
RCPT TO: postmaster at 6d.administaff.com
553 Bad command format
RCPT TO:postmaster at administaff.com
553 Bad command format
^]
telnet> close
Connection closed.
root at tim:~# telnet mail.sixthdimension.com 25
Trying 216.17.150.20...
Connected to solo.sixthdimension.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 solo.sixthdimension.com ESMTP
HELO 6d.com
250 solo.sixthdimension.com
MAIL FROM: mdwyer at 6d.com
250 ok
RCPT TO: mdwyer at sixthdimension.com
250 ok
DATA
354 go ahead
This is a test message.
.
250 ok 1007060532 qp 8435
REST
502 unimplemented (#5.5.1)
QUIT
221 solo.sixthdimension.com
Connection closed by foreign host.
root at tim:~# 
Script done on Thu Nov 29 11:02:37 2001