Received-SPF, neutral and pass

[PhilW]

Quick question re: the Received-SPF mail header, which I'm not too familiar with.

When my last host sent mail from a php form, I received the messages, this was "Received-SPF: pass" in the mail header like below:

Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of SRS0=79roe3=PC=dogfaction.com=recruiting@yourhosti ngaccount.com designates 65.254.253.42 as permitted sender) client-ip=65.254.253.42;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of recruiting@dogfaction.com does not designate 65.254.253.42 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=SRS0=79roe3=PC=dogfaction.com=recruiting @yourhostingaccount.com

Now, when using the form here @ steadfast shared hosting, I get a "Received-SPF: neutral", like below:

Received-SPF: neutral (google.com: 216.86.146.6 is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of httpd@web4.steadfast.net) client-ip=216.86.146.6;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=neutral (google.com: domain of recruiting@dogfaction.com does not designate 216.86.146.6 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=httpd@web4.steadfast.net

I'm not sure where to go from this point. Does this naturally happen after X amount of emails are sent from this host to mail servers?

Thanks in advance!

[Henrik]

Are you using Google Apps for your domain name? If so, check this page.

[PhilW]

Yes, I am using google apps for mail on that domain.

I added that dns txt entry to the DNS record here, so we'll see if that helps.

Thanks!

[PhilW]

Ok, did some tweaking of the one gmail provides, since the host here sends mail on behalf of my domain as well, also included "a:<steadfast mail server and web server name>" to that line. We'll see if that will work.

I found a GREAT tool for SPF tools and validation. Since this is new to me, it may be to others as well...

<ok, gotta go post 2 more messages to give the links...>

[PhilW]

Links...

SPF Tools
http://www.kitterman.com/spf/validate.html

Good SPF examples
http://www.streamsend.com/kb2/idx.ph...F-Records.html

Also try
http://www.openspf.org

[Henrik]

Hi Phil, did it work out for you in the end? (no further spf-complaints?)

[PhilW]

Hmm, didn't seem to. Still get a neutral, even though I added a "a:mail.steadfast.net" to that dns txt string. Hmmmm...

[Ray]

If you look in the original message, the message received is:

google.com: 216.86.146.6 is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of httpd@web4.steadfast.net

It looks like the form is being submitted as a process of web4.steadfast.net, not your domain. The problem is not with your SPF record, but it does seem that that should be corrected.

I would open up a support ticket for this to see if it can be resolved. I don't recall ever seeing that issue before.

[PhilW]

As a side note, from further reading of the SPF tales and tribulations on the web, hehe...

I've added
mx:mail.nozonenet.com
a:web4.steadfast.com
include:<whatever the google one is>

Ahhh, ok, so you are saying here

It looks like the form is being submitted as a process of web4.steadfast.net

is that the mail process should be sending out as something like "httpd@www.dogfaction.com"?

I'll open a ticket, er, once the the sites have been restored on Web4, to see what they say.