[SOLVED] Change HELO hostname

Mar 19, 2019
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Hello,

I have a question regarding Helo checks.
I would like to change our Helo name to something different then our hostname of proxmox. The reason is that some mailservers who force Helo check are blocking our e-mails currently they see our internal hostname of proxmox server.

In /etc/pmg/templates i've edited the file main.cf.in to a different hostname. After the change external servers were accepting our mail, but we were not receiving any. All incoming mails were accepted/bounced with the message: mail for xxx loops back to myself. I had edited the line: myhostname to our mx adress.

The pmgconfig sync --restart 1 command also gave an error, nextserver: Bootstrap discovery failed. Giving up.
But the change was still done.

So my question is:
Which line do i need to change for HELO so outgoing and incoming mail works as intended?

We are using the latest version 5.1-4.

Thanks in advance.
 
hm - you could try to set the:
'smtp_helo_name' variable in the main.cf.in (after copying it to '/etc/pmg/templates') - see `man 5 postconf`
That should only affect the name your server identifies with when connecting to other servers

Hope this helps!
 
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Reactions: liszca
Hello Stoiko,

You are correct and It's solved now.
At first the 'smtp_helo_name' didnt exist and I didn't think about adding the variable myself.
After I've added smtp_helo_name into main.cf.in in /etc/pmg/templates I did the resync and its working now.

Thank you!
 
for me this 'smtp_helo_name' variable in the main.cf.in did not work (i had it in /var/li/pmg/templates/main.cf.in)
telnet mx1.issoire-linux.org 25 always gave me ... internal FQDN ?

Trying 89.234.140.242...
Connected to mx1.issoire-linux.org.
Escape character is '^]'.
220-mx1.ilinux.dmz10 ESMTP Issoire Linux
220 mx1.ilinux.dmz10 ESMTP Issoire Linux
QUIT
221 2.0.0 Bye
Connection closed by foreign host.


What can be done ?

PMG add to /etc/hosts :

# --- BEGIN PVE ---
10.30.30.31 mx1.issoire-linux.org mx1
# --- END PVE ---

(first install PMG i tried with internal FQDN ... issue , so with external FQDN ... issue !)

BUT if we change PVE Zone ... cluster won't work ? ...
this is mad.
 
Last edited:
The smtp_helo_name is the name postfix uses for outbound connections...
you can try to set the mail_name to the external name (have not tested it)...
 
i create a template and add this (i hace two PMG in cluster) :
nano /etc/pmg/templates/main.cf.in

and add :

# Modif : correction hostname etc
mydomain = issoire-linux.org
[% SWITCH dns.hostname %]
[% CASE 'rmx1' %]
myhostname = mx1.issoire-linux.org
[% CASE 'rmx2' %]
myhostname = mx2.issoire-linux.org
[% CASE %]
myhostname = mxErr.issoire-linux.org
[% END %]

... and it's work, now seeing the good mx name.
 
Last edited:
I was also in need of this (PMG 6.2.5). I succeeded by adding smtp_helo_name to /var/lib/pmg/templates/main.cf.in.

But one question about that: Should I copy this file to /etc/pmg/templates? This folder does actually not exist in my setup. Or has the file system structure maybe changed with PMG 6.x?

And for the change to take effect I needed to make a change in the Mail Proxy relaying configuration (i just changed SMTP port temporarily and immediately back again). After that the /etc/postfix/main.cf got rewritten with the smtp_helo_hostname.

Just a bit unsure how update safe this change is, how frequently /var/lib/pmg/templates/main.cf.in got changed and if proxmox keeps or ask about keeping changes here?
 
Last edited:
But one question about that: Should I copy this file to /etc/pmg/templates?
yes - the directory needs to be created first

Just a bit unsure how update safe this change is, how frequently /var/lib/pmg/templates/main.cf.in got changed and if proxmox keeps or ask about keeping changes here?
from PMG 6.2 on the templates in /etc/pmg/templates (if any) are registered with ucf(1) - should the shipped template change you'll be asked what to do with your modifications

I hope this helps!
 
from PMG 6.2 on the templates in /etc/pmg/templates (if any) are registered with ucf(1) - should the shipped template change you'll be asked what to do with your modifications
@Stoiko Ivanov could this be included in the pmg admin doc?
I was searching for it in the admin doc and could not find it and was wondering what would happen when a shipped template would change.
Your answer is clear.
 
Last edited:
Hi Emrahtolu.

With pleasure.

First start by creating this folder if it doesn't exists on your master node:
Code:
mkdir /etc/pmg/templates

Next copy this file to the new folder you just created:
Code:
cp /var/lib/pmg/templates/main.cf.in /etc/pmg/templates/

Next edit with "nano /etc/pmg/templates/main.cf.in" :
Code:
Around line 22, find this:
mydomain = [% dns.domain %]
myhostname = [% dns.hostname %].[% dns.domain %]

and REPLACE it with this (making sure you change mydomain and myhostname with yours):
# Modif : correction hostname etc
mydomain = domainxyz.net
[% SWITCH dns.hostname %]
[% CASE 'pmg10' %]
myhostname = pmg10.domainxyz.net
[% CASE 'pmg11' %]
myhostname = pmg11.domainxyz.net
[% CASE 'pmg13' %]
myhostname = pmg13.domainxyz.net
[% CASE %]
myhostname = pmgErreur.domainxyz.net
[% END %]

Next you need to force a synch to your slaved:
Code:
 pmgconfig sync --restart 1
Don't worry if you get some "could not change directory to "/root": Permission denied".

It should create the folder on each node, and synch the file main.cf.in in it, you should check.
 
Mail Gateway 8.1.4
I solved it this way:
In /var/lib/pmg/templates/main.cf.in
smtpd_banner = [% pmg.mail.banner %]
smtp_helo_name = [% pmg.mail.banner %]
I set then in GUI under SMTP Banner : ex.ample.com