ha-proxy smtp source ip

Question

I have haproxy in transparent mode to load balance two mail server. I have a problem with outgoing mail messages. The receiving party see that the IP of our mail server is the ip of haproxy and not the server itself.

I need suggestion how to fix this because other mail server block our email because they category it as spam.

Here is my sample config on haproxy.

listen mail_smtp 
bind 68.128.X.X:25
mode tcp
option tcplog
balance leastconn
source 0.0.0.0 usesrc clientip
server mail1 68.138.x.x:25 check port 80 inter 3s rise 2 fall 2
server mail2 68.138.x.x:25 check port 80 inter 3s rise 2 fall 2 backup

Answer 1

This is how haproxy works. You can't use the IPs of the hosts behind the proxy IP. So you cant even change this.

You have to fix the underlaying Spam problem. And the classification of "Spammer" depends only to 5% on the IP. Do you really think that using 68.138.x.x instead of 68.128.X.X will change the spammyness?

Configure everything - as you would do without haproxy - for the IP 68.128.X.X and you are done. DKIM, PTR and SPF to mention just a few IP related anti-look-as-spammer mechanisms.

But the real question remains: Why do you need a haproxy for outgoing mails? This is the wrong direction for a proxy. You should only need a proxy for incoming mails.