Tech Support > Computer Hardware > Routers > Your thoughts on dual PIX 501 access - redundant SOHO access
Your thoughts on dual PIX 501 access - redundant SOHO access
Posted by mh on May 6th, 2004


I have recently implemented dual PIX 501 SOHO access..

PIX 501 #1 is connected to a local cable provider

PIX 501 #2 is connected to a local adsl provider

Each PIX serves up 10 local DHCP addresses


Everything works well...


Now for the challenge.... SMTP



Each of the local providers blocks if they think your are relaying...

I used to be able to get away with this using a local SMTP server but not anymore



Any thoughts , ideas ....

Posted by Roger L on May 6th, 2004


Silly question, why do you need to relay?
Sounds like it would be easier to set up your own email server.

Thank again, you are not one of those spammers.


--
Hope this helps,
Roger L
http://www.sellusedcisco.com
Your best option and price for selling used Cisco equipment!

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Posted by mh on May 7th, 2004


I used to use ADR (SMTP server) on all my PCs for this very reason.

However, many ISPs now won't accept SMTP sessions from addresses that
fall into what they consider "dial-up addresses (i.e. DHCP addresses
on cable modems).

So I am faced with ensuring that I am using either ISP#1's SMTP server
or ISP#2 SMTP server depending on which PIX granted my PC an IP
address

Posted by on May 7th, 2004


Why am I thinking SPAMmer?!?

Would you care to share with us what you need this for?

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Posted by Walter Roberson on May 8th, 2004


In article <e092fc23.0405070509.75cb0f0d@posting.google.com>,
mh <merv.hrabi@rogers.com> wrote:
:However, many ISPs now won't accept SMTP sessions from addresses that
:fall into what they consider "dial-up addresses (i.e. DHCP addresses
n cable modems).

:So I am faced with ensuring that I am using either ISP#1's SMTP server
r ISP#2 SMTP server depending on which PIX granted my PC an IP
:address

Your topology is not designed for redundancy or load-balancing, so
it isn't obvious to us why you implimented it that way. You are now
seeing one of the side effects of not having properly planned.

One approach you could use would be to configure a dhcprelay
on the PIXes. That would result in the DHCP requests being passed
on to the ISP, which would either complain because you are asking
for multiple IPs, or else would return DHCP information. The DHCP information
returned from the ISP will likely include the smtp exchanger information.
Your PCs would then detect that information and the examine the IP
address granted, and would deduce the appropriate mail return
address from that. You could probably extract the information with
a few perl calls into the registry.

I'm not saying I suggest this. Odd requirements trigger odd
configurations.
--
Sub-millibarn resolution bio-hyperdimensional plasmatic space
polyimaging is just around the corner. -- Corry Lee Smith

Posted by mh on May 9th, 2004


It is designed to allow for backup access in the event my cable
provider access fails and I actually gave it quite a bit of thought.


I could have just simply changed the config on the original PIX from
DHCP(cable) to PPPOE (ADSL) it the event of a cable outage but since
PIX 501s are inexpensive, I decided to implement a 2nd PIX. Since I am
paying for the DSL, I want to use it on a regular basis. I have a
number of ways of load balancing and that aspects works just fine.

So redundancy and load balancing are not an issue for me.

I knew I would have a issue with SMTP and I have a number of solutions
that I can use. The reason I posted was to see if others had a
similiar setup and what approaches they took to deal with SMTP ...

Posted by Roger L on May 10th, 2004


Exactly what I thought. I am sure plenty here would be willing to help a
SPAMMER. LOL


--
Hope this helps,
Roger L
http://www.sellusedcisco.com


Your best option and price for selling used Cisco equipment!
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