Bug#270748: exim4-config: "ignore private rfc1918 and APIPA addresses" causes problems

[Andrew Pimlott]

Package: exim4-config
Version: 4.34-5
Severity: normal

I installed exim4 and exim4-config as an "internet site".  I just found that
I could not send mail within my local network, because it refuses to connect
to RFC 1918 hosts.  This was difficult to debug, because the error in the
bounce and the log was simply "unroutable address".

I don't see any point to this restriction, and I don't see why exim should
assume that it is on the internet, rather than a private network where these
addresses are perfectly valid.  So I would suggest removing this
restriction, or at least making it configurable.

I have my system configured as an "internet site" rather than using a
smarthost because it is a laptop that goes on many networks, and it is
too tedious to reconfigure for every network.  But even if this weren't a
problem, I don't think the current exim behavior is the right default.

Andrew

-- Package-specific info:

-- System Information:
Debian Release: 3.1
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.8-1-686
Locale: LANG=en_US.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8

Versions of packages exim4-config depends on:
ii  adduser                       3.59       Add and remove users and groups
ii  debconf [debconf-2.0]         1.4.34     Debian configuration management sy
ii  passwd                        1:4.0.3-30 Change and administer password and

-- debconf information:
  exim4/dc_noalias_regenerate: false
  exim4/dc_smarthost:
* exim4/dc_relay_domains:
* exim4/dc_relay_nets:
* exim4/mailname: apple.dev.nexplan.com
* exim4/dc_local_interfaces: 127.0.0.1
* exim4/dc_minimaldns: false
  exim4/exim3_upgrade: true
* exim4/dc_other_hostnames:
* exim4/dc_eximconfig_configtype: internet site; mail is sent and received directly using SMTP
  exim4/no_config: true
  exim4/hide_mailname:
* exim4/dc_postmaster: andrew
  exim4/dc_readhost:
* exim4/use_split_config: false
  exim4/exim4-config-title: