Postfix - 500 Syntax Error

Discussion in 'Server Operation' started by chrisg, Feb 1, 2013.

  1. chrisg

    chrisg New Member

    I have set up a postfix server in front of Exchange.

    Things seem to have been running fine then lately I got a report from two different domains that are rejecting emails from us.

    This is the message from the bounced emails: host mini.tetherinc.com[67.1xx.1xx.xx] said: 500 Syntax
    error, command unrecognized (in reply to DATA command)

    So I ssh'd into my postfix server and tried a manual telnet e-mail. This is what happens:

    root@antispam:~# telnet 67.1xx.1xx.xx 25
    Trying 67.1xx.1xx.xx...
    Connected to 67.1xx.1xx.xx.
    Escape character is '^]'.
    220 mini.tetherinc.com ESMTP Service ready
    HELO antispam.appart.com
    250 Requested mail action okay, completed
    mail from: [email protected]
    250 Requested mail action okay, completed
    rcpt to: [email protected]
    250 Requested mail action okay, completed
    data
    500 Syntax error, command unrecognized


    Any ideas on what could possibly be causing this? It is only two domains that have shown this error but they are very important domains that we need to be able to e-mail with no problems. Please help!!:confused:
     
  2. falko

    falko Super Moderator Howtoforge Staff

    Are there any errors in your mail log (in the /var/log/ directory)?
     
  3. chrisg

    chrisg New Member

    There are no errors in the log file when I attempt to send to that domain. It reads as if the e-mail goes thru, then gets rejected and an NDR gets sent back containing the error 500 Syntax error, command unrecognized (in reply to DATA command)
     
  4. falko

    falko Super Moderator Howtoforge Staff

    Maybe those external servers blacklisted your mail server. It is possible that they were configured to reply with a (misleading) 500 error.
     
  5. chrisg

    chrisg New Member

    I have solved the issue for one of the domains. It was un-related. After getting more information from the user I found out she was using an accounting program to send the emails therefore relaying which the other server denied.

    I still am having an issue with the server giving me the syntax error.

    This is a client who emailed us asking for a quote and then we couldn't respond so I don't think we were blacklisted as it was not a domain we were emailing previously. Also, our domain doesn't appear on any of the blacklists on the internet when doing a quick search.
     

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