On 8.4.2026 14.26, Wilfred van Velzen wrote:

I was looking at the code, and it turns out on both linux and windows
it uses the gethostname() function (which is posix) to get the string
to put behind the HELO command. On linux this returns the same string
as the 'uname -n' command. On windows it's the output of the 'hostname'
command. And probably just the computer name, something Michiel could
set himself if he likes to experiment with this. ;-)

So it *IS* working pretty much as it should. ;-)

You would guess so given the function name. But in practice it's not
(see Michiels test)...

Yep. Never trust Windows. :D

But being pretty old smtp client, even if it gets over this helo thing, FMail will face more problems communicating with modern smtp servers.

None of the big mail providers, (Google, Microsoft..) do not accept unauthenticated mail from an old mail client and from dynamic ip. :)

I think the only reasonable way is to send via smarthost that can add all needed information (DKIM signing etc..).

'Tommi

--- FastEcho/2 1.46.1 Revival
* Origin: nntp://rbb.fidonet.fi - Finland (2:221/360.0)

Hello Tommi,

On Friday April 10 2026 08:11, you wrote to Wilfred van Velzen:

So it *IS* working pretty much as it should. ;-)

You would guess so given the function name. But in practice it's not
(see Michiels test)...

Yep. Never trust Windows. :D

Windows isn't perfect and there are good reasons to not trust it unconditionally but in this case, it isn't Windows that is to blame. This is a bug in Fmail that was there from the start. It is clear that gethostname() does not return an fqdn or IP address as required for HELO, but just the short computername. That it has worked at all in the past is just because early SMPT servers were overly tolerant when checking the sender's identity presented in the HELO.

But being pretty old smtp client, even if it gets over this helo
thing, FMail will face more problems communicating with modern smtp servers.

Yep...

None of the big mail providers, (Google, Microsoft..) do not accept unauthenticated mail from an old mail client

Incorrect double denial...

Not just the big mail providers: /every/ public mail provider that I have come across rejects it. For all intents and purposes the SMTP function in Fmail is useleless today.

and from dynamic ip. :)

That part is new for me...

I think the only reasonable way is to send via smarthost that can add
all needed information (DKIM signing etc..).

Just forget about it. It should never have been part of Fmail in the first place.



Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.eu (2:280/5555)

Hi Tommi,

On 2026-04-10 08:11:28, you wrote to me:

You would guess so given the function name. But in practice it's not
(see Michiels test)...

Yep. Never trust Windows. :D

;-)

But being pretty old smtp client, even if it gets over this helo
thing, FMail will face more problems communicating with modern smtp servers.

None of the big mail providers, (Google, Microsoft..) do not accept unauthenticated mail from an old mail client and from dynamic ip. :)

I think the only reasonable way is to send via smarthost that can add all needed information (DKIM signing etc..).

It's the only way it can still be used in most use cases. FMail is never going to be a full mail client...

Maybe I make the HELO host configurable, maybe I leave it as is... ;-)


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.6-B20251227
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Hello Wilfred,

On Friday April 10 2026 11:09, you wrote to Tommi Koivula:

Maybe I make the HELO host configurable, maybe I leave it as is... ;-)

It has been two years since you last updated Fmail. I don't think making the above change is a lot of work. So maybe this is a good excuse to have another look at the update proces. Just to keep "in touch"...

In case a "real" change is needed...


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.eu (2:280/5555)

Hi Michiel,

On 2026-04-10 12:40:07, you wrote to me:

Maybe I make the HELO host configurable, maybe I leave it as is...
;-)

MvdV> It has been two years since you last updated Fmail. I don't think making the
MvdV> above change is a lot of work. So maybe this is a good excuse to have another
MvdV> look at the update proces. Just to keep "in touch"...

I already started a new release update late last year from the current beta version. But there were some troubles with the source forge repository that made me pause that. But those were fixed last week. So I could continue with this release, and indeed maybe first implement this little change...

MvdV> In case a "real" change is needed...

Sure... ;-)


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.6-B20251227
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Hello Wilfred,

On Friday April 10 2026 13:51, you wrote to me:

Maybe I make the HELO host configurable, maybe I leave it as
is... ;-)

MvdV>> It has been two years since you last updated Fmail. I don't
MvdV>> think making the above change is a lot of work. So maybe this
MvdV>> is a good excuse to have another look at the update proces.
MvdV>> Just to keep "in touch"...

I already started a new release update late last year from the current beta version. But there were some troubles with the source forge repository that made me pause that. But those were fixed last week. So
I could continue with this release, and indeed maybe first implement
this little change...

We stay tuned. ;-)


Cheers, Michiel

--- GoldED+/W32-MSVC 1.1.5-b20170303
* Origin: http://www.vlist.eu (2:280/5555)