SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this?

HCL Domino Domino Forum
1

Greetings.

Many, many times daily the Mail Routing Events log shows:

SMTP Server: 0 message[s] received

The funny thing is that sometimes an IP will connect, and deliver messages, and then the same IP will connect, and not deliver messages. Here’s a snapshot of the log:

07/16/2004 07:16:43 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) connected

07/16/2004 07:16:44 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) connected

07/16/2004 07:16:44 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 0 message[s] received

07/16/2004 07:16:44 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 0 message[s] received

07/16/2004 07:16:44 AM SMTP Server: Message 0043736F (MessageID: ) received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 1 message[s] received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: Message 00437396 (MessageID: ) received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) connected

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: Message 0043739E (MessageID: ) received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 1 message[s] received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) connected

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 1 message[s] received

07/16/2004 07:16:45 AM SMTP Server: c-67-164-159-220.client.comcast.net (67.164.159.220) disconnected. 0 message[s] received

We are using blacklists, policies preventing mail for non-existent users, banned content rules, and virus protection software, but when one of those processes blocks an incoming message, the log explicitly explains what happens.

I am a little curious what has happened when the log just says “0 message[s] received.”

Can anyone shed some light ?

Thank you.

David R. Noble

2

Subject: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

a spammer delivering messages with invalid addresses, if you don’t allow non-existant names it will throw away the message. do you log high enough for that to show up?

a mail server doing address validation, ie your in the middle of sending a message to say ibm.com and their server connects back to your server and starts a mesage but aborts once it gets a reply from the RCPT TO: command so it can check if the from address is valid or not. this ones not very likely with a hostname like that though.

3

Subject: RE: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

I found a couple of entries to add to the server notes.ini that has seemed to help. Not sure which one does the trick, but it has helped receiving email and also on some the delays we were experiencing. They are:

SMTPNonStandardMIMETermination=1

SMTPNonStandardLineTermination=1

4

Subject: RE: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

I have same problem.

Where do you put

SMTPNonStandardMIMETermination=1

SMTPNonStandardLineTermination=1

?

Thanks for your help

5

Subject: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

http://chris-linfoot.net/plinks/CWLT-5WADL5

6

Subject: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

Hi

I have the same type of log entries.

You get “0 messages recieved…” when you anti-relay restrictions, use blacklists etc.

It just shows that someone had a SMTP connection to your server and all messages from the connector was refused.

regards

Jesper Kiaer

http://www.jezzper.com

7

Subject: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

What about a timeout connection between the two servers?

8

Subject: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

Be glad it didn’t drop messages. It is probably a home PC with a virus. I don’t think a “comcast client” (probably a cable user) would be running their own SMTP server. You might want to alert comcast to the issue.

On the end of why it didn’t deliver the message, it could be timeout or it could be some type of firewall rule. Or perhaps the virus doesn’t want to send you mail, just to see if you’re thereby running a telnet command to open the port and then closing it?

9

Subject: RE: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

Based on the volume of mail that our virus scanner quarantines, and the number of peers/friends/acquaintances/long-lost-relatives/etc. who ask me to fix their computer after it has been afflicted with God-knows-what, I assume about 50% of the home computers in the U.S. are infested with viruses or other malicious software.

In the case of the log file I attached, I agree it is probably a home computer infected with a virus. However, my logs are full of these types of messages from many domains and IP addresses.

I don’t believe it is a timeout issue. I also don’t believe it is a firewall rule. (I think I have ruled out those possibilities.) However, the virus & telnet port ping may be a good explanation.

I am still curious if other folks have these entries in their logs, by what volume, and if there are other explanations.

Note: I use the Mail Analysis application available through www.openntf.org, and I believe these “0 message[s] received” errors are being recorded in the “Unknown Reason” field that describes the mail delivery failure.

David R. Noble

10

Subject: RE: SMTP Server disconnected. 0 message[s] received. What causes this ?

We have the same issues and have found out that we are not receiving emails or email is being delayed (by days) from different companies. When I look at the log it shows the same message - 0 message(s) received. I have not been able to pinpoint what is happening. I’ve been told it is at the firewall and then of course they say it is the notes server. If you find out what is causing this, please post it. Thanks!!! Dianna Brackeen