[NTLUG:Discuss] possibly OT: sendmail config on redhat

[MontyS@videopost.com]

Greetings.

I have a little project going on where I need to setup a sendmail server
that will allow relaying, since the users will need to access the server
"globally" and be able to send and receive "globally".

Perhaps I am just dense, but after hammering on this for around 8 hours,
including surfing google and sendmail.org, I can't get the box to work.

Here are the specs using <rpm -q>:

Kernel:  2.4.18-27.8.0
Sendmail:  8.12.8-1.80
Cyrus-sasl:  2.1.10-1

Running <sendmail -d0.1 -bv root | grep SASL> returns NETUNIX, NEWDB NIS
PIPELINING SASL SCANF STARTTLS TCPWRAPPERS

I have the following features on:

Accept_unresolvable_domains
Delay_checks
Relay_mail_from  (which could be bad, so I have read)
Access_db
Blacklist_recipients
Relay_based_on_MX

I have user foo@ in my access file.  Foo is set to relay.

When I try to send an email from an external network to another external
network, which is the whole idea, I get the following error:  ip name lookup
failed.

I have read that relay_mail_from, accept_unresolvable_domains, and even
delay_checks would resolve this error.  I have telnetted into localhost on
port 25, and among the options AUTH LOGIN PLAIN is listed.  Continuing on
the telnet session, if I enter auth login at the appropriate location, and
enter my user name and password in base 64, it all looks fine.  I can send
mail with no problems.

I have TRUST_AUTH_MECH set to LOGIN PLAIN, confAUTH_MECHANISMS set to LOGIN
PLAIN, and confAUTH_OPTIONS set to A.  

I have my /usr/lib/sasl2/Sendmail.conf set to pwcheck_method:shadow.

I have also looked in O'Reily's Sendmail book, but I have found no answers,
and it seems to be written for an older version of sendmail.  (Around 40
bucks tossed...)

I feel like I am spiraling.  I am admittedly a newbie to sendmail, but this
is ridiculous.  I wouldn't think that what I am trying to do would be too
esoteric.  Perhaps it is.

Should I dump sendmail and start over with qmail?  I hate to do that since I
have invested so much time with sendmail, but I am open to options.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get this working?  Any links to
information that is valid and current? 

BTW:  I have been able to get the box to relay, but when I run the <telnet
relay-test.mail.abuse.org> test, it comes back as an open relay on one of
the tests.  Can't have that.

Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Monty