Anyone using exim with fastmail.fm's smtp server as smart host?

[Harry Putnam]

I'm trying to setup exim4 in a situation that has got to be pretty
common. (Other than perhaps the choice of smtp server)

In general it is:

single user home machine running debian

send mail to remote addresses by `smart host'

Retrieve mail by fetchmail, or in some accounts just
use Imap and don't fetch the messages.

But in all cases I must use a smarthost. In this case it is the smtp
server `mail.messagingengine.com'. I have successfully setup
sendmail on a debian machine in the past with this same smart host.
It necessitated using an `authinfo' file with a certain syntax.

So my SmartHost is an authenticating Smart host... it also seemed
to require me to masquerade as another mail provider.

I used `newsguy.com' since I have accounts with them. Mail was made
to appear as if it had originated at newsguy.com

Some of those same things, no doubt, will be required, and I've tried
several different configs.

What I hoped is that someone here would be in a similar situation and
might be able to offer some input to get this going.

Call me lazy, but I really really do NOT want to pound thru piles and
piles of exim documentation... . I'm willing to do some reading
but not interested in becoming an exim adept... I doubt I would make
the cut... with 10-15 yrs training.

[Klaus]

Post by Harry Putnam
I'm trying to setup exim4 in a situation that has got to be pretty
common. (Other than perhaps the choice of smtp server)
single user home machine running debian
send mail to remote addresses by `smart host'
Retrieve mail by fetchmail, or in some accounts just
use Imap and don't fetch the messages.
But in all cases I must use a smarthost. In this case it is the smtp
server `mail.messagingengine.com'. I have successfully setup
sendmail on a debian machine in the past with this same smart host.
It necessitated using an `authinfo' file with a certain syntax.
So my SmartHost is an authenticating Smart host... it also seemed
to require me to masquerade as another mail provider.
I used `newsguy.com' since I have accounts with them. Mail was made
to appear as if it had originated at newsguy.com
Some of those same things, no doubt, will be required, and I've tried
several different configs.
What I hoped is that someone here would be in a similar situation and
might be able to offer some input to get this going.
Call me lazy, but I really really do NOT want to pound thru piles and
piles of exim documentation... . I'm willing to do some reading
but not interested in becoming an exim adept... I doubt I would make
the cut... with 10-15 yrs training.

The server (mail.messagingengine.com) doesn't respond to ping nor to an
attempt at connecting through port 25 right now (20/5/2014, 13:30 GMT)

$ swaks -s mail.messagingengine.com -q FIRST-HELO
=== Trying mail.messagingengine.com:25...
^C (manually aborted after a minute or so)

$ ping mail.messagingengine.com
PING mail.messagingengine.com (66.111.4.51) 56(84) bytes of data.
^C
--- mail.messagingengine.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 4030ms

[Harry Putnam]

Post by Klaus
The server (mail.messagingengine.com) doesn't respond to ping nor to an
attempt at connecting through port 25 right now (20/5/2014, 13:30 GMT)
$ swaks -s mail.messagingengine.com -q FIRST-HELO
=== Trying mail.messagingengine.com:25...
^C (manually aborted after a minute or so)
$ ping mail.messagingengine.com
PING mail.messagingengine.com (66.111.4.51) 56(84) bytes of data.
^C
--- mail.messagingengine.com ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 4030ms

,----
| echo -e "`date` \n`ping -c1 mail.messagingengine.com`"
| Wed May 21 22:36:46 EDT 2014
| PING mail.messagingengine.com (66.111.4.52) 56(84) bytes of data.
| 64 bytes from mail.messagingengine.com (66.111.4.52): icmp_seq=1 ttl=53 time=43.8 ms
|
| --- mail.messagingengine.com ping statistics ---
| 1 packets transmitted, 1 received, 0% packet loss, time 0ms
| rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 43.848/43.848/43.848/0.000 ms
`----

One of the first things I did was ping the host to make sure on that
end.

I've never had any trouble pinging it and send mail thru it on a daily
basis from a different host ( running sendmail ).

I'm on a direcpath internet connection that is in no way related to
fastmail but I do have a fastmail email account and the login creds that
goes with it.

[Brian]

We may as well have a record that this thread is related to

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Klaus
The server (mail.messagingengine.com) doesn't respond to ping nor to an
attempt at connecting through port 25 right now (20/5/2014, 13:30 GMT)

One of the first things I did was ping the host to make sure on that
end.
I've never had any trouble pinging it and send mail thru it on a daily
basis from a different host ( running sendmail ).

The server responds to my pings too.

Post by Harry Putnam
I'm on a direcpath internet connection that is in no way related to
fastmail but I do have a fastmail email account and the login creds that
goes with it.

Now that you mention 'login creds', I assure you that the solution to
your problem lies in /etc/exim4.

[Darac Marjal]

Post by Harry Putnam
I'm trying to setup exim4 in a situation that has got to be pretty
common. (Other than perhaps the choice of smtp server)
single user home machine running debian
send mail to remote addresses by `smart host'
Retrieve mail by fetchmail, or in some accounts just
use Imap and don't fetch the messages.
But in all cases I must use a smarthost. In this case it is the smtp
server `mail.messagingengine.com'. I have successfully setup
sendmail on a debian machine in the past with this same smart host.
It necessitated using an `authinfo' file with a certain syntax.
So my SmartHost is an authenticating Smart host... it also seemed
to require me to masquerade as another mail provider.
I used `newsguy.com' since I have accounts with them. Mail was made
to appear as if it had originated at newsguy.com
Some of those same things, no doubt, will be required, and I've tried
several different configs.
What I hoped is that someone here would be in a similar situation and
might be able to offer some input to get this going.
Call me lazy, but I really really do NOT want to pound thru piles and
piles of exim documentation... . I'm willing to do some reading
but not interested in becoming an exim adept... I doubt I would make
the cut... with 10-15 yrs training.

According to
https://www.fastmail.fm/help/technical/servernamesandports.html what you
require is mail.messagingengine.com port 465 (old-style SSL) or port 587
(with STARTTLS). You shouldn't need to pretend to be anyone else to send
your email.

For exim,
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/
suggests to set the smarthost to "mail.messagingengine.com::587" (when
using debconf) and to add a new routing driver. Probably easiest to just
read that page for the information you require, replacing smtp.gmail.com
with mail.messagingengine.com as appropriate.

[Brian]

Post by Darac Marjal
According to
https://www.fastmail.fm/help/technical/servernamesandports.html what you
require is mail.messagingengine.com port 465 (old-style SSL) or port 587
(with STARTTLS). You shouldn't need to pretend to be anyone else to send
your email.

I'd advise port 587 with exim. As you say, the pretence isn't needed.

Post by Darac Marjal
For exim,
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/
suggests to set the smarthost to "mail.messagingengine.com::587" (when
using debconf) and to add a new routing driver. Probably easiest to just
read that page for the information you require, replacing smtp.gmail.com
with mail.messagingengine.com as appropriate.

No new routing driver requires adding with either gmail or fastmail.
gmail also accepts authenticated mail on port 25 whereas fastmail
refuses connections on that port.

[Harry Putnam]

Post by Brian

Post by Darac Marjal
For exim,
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/
suggests to set the smarthost to "mail.messagingengine.com::587" (when
using debconf) and to add a new routing driver. Probably easiest to just
read that page for the information you require, replacing smtp.gmail.com
with mail.messagingengine.com as appropriate.

No new routing driver requires adding with either gmail or fastmail.
gmail also accepts authenticated mail on port 25 whereas fastmail
refuses connections on that port.

Sorry Brian, but even with really good hints I've managed to be
confused about something here. Are you saying above that none of the
editing recommended in above cited URL:
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/

is really needed? Just follow the edits you mention?

[Brian]

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Darac Marjal
For exim,
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/
suggests to set the smarthost to "mail.messagingengine.com::587" (when
using debconf) and to add a new routing driver. Probably easiest to just
read that page for the information you require, replacing smtp.gmail.com
with mail.messagingengine.com as appropriate.

No new routing driver requires adding with either gmail or fastmail.
gmail also accepts authenticated mail on port 25 whereas fastmail
refuses connections on that port.

Sorry Brian, but even with really good hints I've managed to be
confused about something here. Are you saying above that none of the
http://www.manu-j.com/blog/wordpress-exim4-ubuntu-gmail-smtp/75/
is really needed? Just follow the edits you mention?

The single thing you you need to learn from that page is that you want to
use "mail.messagingengine.com::587" for the smarthost. Do NOT use port
465 and IGNORE everything else, including mentions of "routing drivers,
otherwise you will end up in a mess.

The edits I advise are all that is needed.

[Harry Putnam]

First off, so many thanks are due to posters on this thread. You've
reduced a really vast amount of docu into a few paragraphs of just the
right stuff for my situation.

With my muddled thinking & incomplete background, I would have a been
a very long time getting to the stage offered in this thread.

Thank you one and all

I don't mean to say I now have it running smoothly.

I got caught up in a full scale move of my househld to a new
property. I't wore me down to where I have suspended work on the mail
configuring stuff.

I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

[Brian]

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)

In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.

mail.messagingengine.com::587

Edit /etc/exim4/password.client to have

mail.messagingengine.com:***@domain:password

Only you know what user and domain you signed up to fastmail with.

[Harry Putnam]

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

[Chris Bannister]

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

Maybe that should be when you do:
# dpkg-reconfigure update-exim4.conf.conf
--
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people
who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the
oppressing." --- Malcolm X

[Brian]

Post by Chris Bannister

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

# dpkg-reconfigure update-exim4.conf.conf

Definitely not.

[Brian]

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

Please read what you wrote in

https://lists.debian.org/***@newsguy.com

Make the two edits to update-exim4.conf.conf, save and do

service exim4 restart

[Harry Putnam]

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

Please read what you wrote in
Make the two edits to update-exim4.conf.conf, save and do
service exim4 restart

I just went ahead before your answers showed up, editing three things.
password.client (adding my creds )
exim4.conf.template ( changed satellite to internet)
update-exim4.conf.conf (dc_smarthost mail.messagingengine.com::587)

And it worked... Finally I'll leave you alone.

It is really hard to just break thru all the lingo and information in
the exim man pages to arrive at 3 small edits to make it all work.

Thank you sir for your time and patience.

[Harry Putnam]

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam

Post by Brian

Post by Harry Putnam
I'll be back at it in 2wks or so.. I suspect it will be pretty simple
now.

It should be after what follows: :)
In update-exim4.conf.conf change 'satellite' to 'internet'. There is a
crucial addition to make to dc_smarthost.
mail.messagingengine.com::587

There is no mention of satellite or internet in the file you cited
above. Perhaps you mean exim4.conf.template?

Please read what you wrote in
Make the two edits to update-exim4.conf.conf, save and do
service exim4 restart

Apparently in all my fiddling, having changed the line in
exim4.conf.template from satellite to internet, It has corrected
update-exim4.conf.conf so that it reads:

dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'
dc_other_hostnames=''
dc_local_interfaces='127.0.0.1 ; ::1'
dc_readhost=''
dc_relay_domains=''
dc_minimaldns='false'
dc_relay_nets=''
dc_smarthost='mail.messagingengine.com::587'
CFILEMODE='644'
dc_use_split_config='false'
dc_hide_mailname='false'
dc_mailname_in_oh='true'
dc_localdelivery='mail_spool'

------- ------- ---=--- ------- -------

At any rate what you suggested was really all that was necessary.

It works just fine now.

Thanks for cutting thru all the mess I posted and having the patience
to stay with it.

That is such an easy configuration ... I think I'll switch my other
hosts to exim4 too.

[Brian]

Post by Harry Putnam
Apparently in all my fiddling, having changed the line in
exim4.conf.template from satellite to internet, It has corrected
dc_eximconfig_configtype='smarthost'

A little apology from me here. This line is exactly what you need.
Please read all references about changing 'satellite' to 'internet' as
meaning change 'satellite' to 'smarthost'.

Glad you are up and running.