sendmail configuration

[E. Wong]

For some reason, I keep getting a notification in /var/adm/syslog/syslog.log with the following info:

Unable to get canonical name of client, err = 0

Where can I look into (/etc/mail/sendmail.cf maybe?) to correct this.

E.

[Santosh Nair_1]

This just means that sendmail doesn't know the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the server. Check that the domain name is set in /etc/resolv.conf. Also make sure the FQDN is one of the aliases for the machine in the /etc/hosts file. Finally set your /etc/nsswitch.conf file and restart sendmail (/sbin/init.d/sendmail stop && /sbin/init.d/sendmail start)

-Santosh

[Tor-Arne Nostdal]

Check also your file: sendmail.cw

This file should contain all possible names that "this" host might be known as.
if you have a host entry like

127.0.0.1 localhost
192.192.100.20 myhost MYHOST backuphost

example:
localhost
myhost
myhost.foo
myhost.foo.com
MYHOST
MYHOST.foo
MYHOST.foo.com
backuphost
backuphost.foo
backuphost.foo.com

stop and start sendmail
/sbin/init.d/sendmail stop
/sbin/init.d/sendmail start

(or try kill -HUP on the sendmail process)

to activate.

[E. Wong]

Guys,

I am still getting the same error. I did went through your change requests and even rebooted my box!

I did notice however that once I run:
/usr/lib/sendmail -d0.4,37.1

the system returns:
======= SYSTEM IDENTITY (after readcf)===
(short domain name) $w = abcsrvr
(canonical domain name) $j = $w.$Y.$D
(subdomain name) $m = abcsrvr.MY.DOMAIN
(node name) $k = abcsrvr
=================================

What is that $j variable? Could it be configurable somewhere?

[A. Clay Stephenson · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Look in /etc/mail/sendmail.cf. Search for $j and you will see the $j macro and a pretty good explanation of what it does and how to set it. Before you change sendmail.cf make a safe copy so that you don't kill sendmail by accident. Make your changes to sendmail.cf and stop/start sendmail and your syslog messages should disappear.

Regards, Clay

[someone_4]

Hi,
What does your /var/adm/syslog/mail.log
tell you? Also are you trying to send mail to an outside box on your network or just local users? What output do you get when you do
echo test | sendmail -v root@localhost
or
echo test | sendmail -v user@anydomain.com


Richard

[E. Wong]

Clay,

You've got the missing link! Thanks for the tip. Also thanks to all participating peers for your ideas.

E.