You can query the RBLs individually by taking an ip address (e.g.,
11.22.33.44) and placing it in reverse order:
dig 44.33.22.11.bl.spamcop.net
and tagging the RBL at the end and the result will tell you if the ip
address is listed in that RBL database or not. If you see "status:
NOERROR", and a response like:
44.33.22.11.bl.spamcop.net. 2048 IN A 127.0.0.2
then that ip address is listed in that RBL database. If you see "status:
NXDOMAIN", then the ip address is NOT listed in that RBL database. However,
if you see "status: SERVFAIL", then that RBL is currently down. If that is
consistently what you see from the RBL, then I would suggest not using it as
this can cause problems and really slow things down while waiting for a DNS
response.
You can find lots of info about most of the DNS based spam databases at:
http://www.declude.com/Junkmail/support/ip4r.htm
including whether they are still active or not.
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Leo A. Novelli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2003 7:11 AM
Subject: [IMGate] RBL Current Status
Is there a way to test to see if a specific RBL is active and
responding?
We had orbs.dorkslayers.com listed as one of our RBLs in our
smtpd_recipient_restrictions section only to find out last week that
this specific RBL was no longer valid.
I have since reviewed our other listed RBLs and found the following ones
in our configuration which do not resolve on DNS lookups:
spews.relays.osirusoft.com
socks.relays.osirusoft.com
dialups.relays.osirusoft.com
pamsites.relays.osirusoft.com
spamhaus.relays.osirusoft.com
sbl.spamhaus.org
proxies.relays.monkeys.com
bl.spamcop.net
list.dsbl.org
Since these hosts do not resolve with DNS lookups, does this mean they
are offline and no longer functional?
##
Here is another odd nslookup. When I do a nslookup on
relays.osirusoft.com using our name servers (a FreeBSD one and a Win32
one), I get only 1 IP listed (168.103.238.114). However, if I perform
the same lookup using any other name server, I get 6 IPs listed
(168.103.21.153, 168.103.21.154, 168.103.21.155, 168.103.238.113,
168.103.238.114, 168.103.238.115). I checked the SOA record and the
serial number on our name servers match the serial number on the other
name servers I used. Why is this happening?
##
Leo A. Novelli
Atlantis International, LLC
