this may seem incoherent, as I am fiddling with things I know little about.... I'm setting up my list on a new machine & new internet connection. It is very close to all working. Problem is I am on a dynamic COMCAST business class address, and I want to relay email through my COMCAST business server. All works, except that their server will bounce email which doesn't have a "proper" from address. (for those curious, I use DYNDNS service in case my ip changes, but my experience with COMCAST is that won't happen much if at all) Most messages, especially outgoing list messages have valid outgoing from addresses. Problem arises with administrative messages LISTSERV sends to other LISTSERV machines, or in response to requests. Here is an example from my mail log of an administrative outgoing email. This one worked because I relayed it via a server which doesn't refuse these empty paths, but I prefer not to use that relay as I'd need to throttle outgoing messages considerably: --- Nov 7 12:33:52 vetprofhomeipnet postfix/qmgr[986]: 0971439AEBB3: from=<>, size=1733, nrcpt=1 (queue active)Nov 7 12:33:52 vetprofhomeipnet postfix/smtp[1081]: 0971439AEBB3: to=<[log in to unmask]>, relay=vetprof.com[184.173.206.127]:25, delay=0.81, delays=0.01/0.01/0.67/0.11, dsn=2.0.0, status=sent (250 OK id=1TWCJs-0002qr-Og) --- COMCAST's smtp refuses to accept the empty <>. Example: --- Nov 7 12:59:24 vetprofhomeipnet postfix/qmgr[1444]: AABD039AEC09: from=<>, size=1733, nrcpt=1 (queue active) Nov 7 12:59:25 vetprofhomeipnet postfix/smtp[1509]: AABD039AEC09: to=<[log in to unmask]>, relay=smtp.ch3.comcast.net[76.96.107.76]:25, delay=0.66, delays=0/0.01/0.5/0.14, dsn=5.1.0, status=bounced (host smtp.ch3.comcast.net[76.96.107.76] said: 550 5.1.0 <> sender rejected: invalid sender domain (in reply to MAIL FROM command)) --- It is interesting how the actual message *does* contain a From: header, but an empty <> ! I'm appending that message for those interested. I understand from Eric Thomas that such messages with no return path are part of LISTSERV's dealing with issues it doesn't need to worrry about - i.e. a bounce of such a message is not something listserv can do anything with, so no need to have a return path. However, I want to relay via COMCAST and I need *something* in the return path. Does anyone know how to have LISTSERV insert something in the empty <> for outgoing administrative messages? I'd be fine with <[log in to unmask]>. I'd create that account or alias for real bounce handling in a heartbeat. I just want to make the COMCAST server happy. Thanks, Jeff Parke owner of VETPROF list ------- here's the actual administrative message that was being sent in the above examples from mail log ---------- ------- it is just a response to a posting attempt to a fictitious list -------------- Return-Path: <> X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.2.4 (2008-01-01) on drteeth.p.blarg.net X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.0 required=4.5 tests=SPF_HELO_PASS autolearn=disabled version=3.2.4 X-Original-To: [log in to unmask] Delivered-To: [log in to unmask] Received: from mail.avvanta.com (localhost.drteeth.p.blarg.net [127.0.0.1]) by mail.avvanta.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3D736F3937 for <[log in to unmask]>; Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:58 -0800 (PST) Received: from gator214.hostgator.com (gator214.hostgator.com [184.173.197.209]) by mail.avvanta.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1ED6BF3936 for <[log in to unmask]>; Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:58 -0800 (PST) Received: from [24.17.226.1] (port=49209 helo=vetprof.homeip.net) by gator214.hostgator.com with esmtpsa (TLSv1:DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA:256) (Exim 4.80) id 1TWCI0-00022U-TP for [log in to unmask]; Wed, 07 Nov 2012 14:31:56 -0600 Received: from vetprofhomeipnet.local (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by vetprof.homeip.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id F282C39AEBA9 for <[log in to unmask]>; Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:55 -0800 (PST) Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:55 -0800 From: [log in to unmask] Subject: Undelivered mail To: [log in to unmask] Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/report; report-type=delivery-status; boundary="FIFZTTEAGDWMAQLMeMHTIGQZcAJCJO" X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - gator214.hostgator.com X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - blarg.net X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - X-BWhitelist: no X-Source: X-Source-Args: X-Source-Dir: X-Source-Sender: (vetprof.homeip.net) [24.17.226.1]:49209 X-Source-Auth: [log in to unmask] X-Email-Count: 1 X-Source-Cap: dmV0cHJvZjt2ZXRwcm9mO2dhdG9yMjE0Lmhvc3RnYXRvci5jb20= X-BlargAV-Status: No viruses detected, BlargAV v1.1 on localhost.drteeth.p.blarg.net --FIFZTTEAGDWMAQLMeMHTIGQZcAJCJO --> Error description: Error-For: [log in to unmask] Error-Code: 5.1.1 Error-Text: No such list. Error-End: One error reported. --FIFZTTEAGDWMAQLMeMHTIGQZcAJCJO Content-Type: message/delivery-status Reporting-MTA: dns; VETPROF.HOMEIP.NET Final-Recipient: RFC822; [log in to unmask] Action: failed Status: 5.1.1 (No such list) --FIFZTTEAGDWMAQLMeMHTIGQZcAJCJO Content-Type: message/rfc822 Received: from omta02.potomac.co.businessclass.comcast.net (omta02.potomac.co.businessclass.comcast.net [76.96.107.72]) by vetprof.homeip.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id B2AA139AEBA2 for <[log in to unmask]>; Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:55 -0800 (PST) Received: from [10.11.0.210] ([64.120.99.10]) by omta02.potomac.co.businessclass.comcast.net with bizsmtp id LkXu1k0020DSuA801kXuTX; Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:31:55 +0000 Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: (Unverified) Message-Id: <p06240802ccc075b50ee8@[10.11.0.210]> Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2012 12:31:50 -0800 To: [log in to unmask] From: Jeff Parke <[log in to unmask]> Subject: test posting Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed" --FIFZTTEAGDWMAQLMeMHTIGQZcAJCJO-- ############################ To unsubscribe from the LSTOWN-L list: write to: mailto:[log in to unmask] or click the following link: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-PEACH.exe?SUBED1=LSTOWN-L&A=1