Subj : Re: Netmail
To   : deon
From : Accession
Date : Sun Jan 25 2026 10:25 am

Hey Deon!

On Sat, Jan 24 2026 16:07:59 -0600, you wrote:

> Some folks use RTNtrack (?) which will bounce a netmail addressed to
> a non-nodelisted system. Not sure if Paul is using it...

Doesn't seem like Avon uses that, netmail flowed just fine in this case via proper routing.

> Clrghouz will also bounce netmail back if you send it to a non-
> existant address (for addresses that it is reponsible for). Well, it
> should anyway... :) Its better to get a reply (no system exists),
> then nothing and wondering why nobody responded.

That's your opinion and what you choose to do with your own program. You have also mentioned that Clrghouz stops echomail from flowing in certain conditions, too. Both of which I don't agree with, but YMMV.

If proper routing is in place, it should work just fine. If a non-nodelisted address sends a netmail, and routes /* to the hub, it should still go there, no matter if there's a nodelist in place or not. The hub would then route the netmail to the destination address via proper routing, also.

If the /destination/ address is not known or setup properly, then this is when it would/could fail. Since I route 21:* to Avon, if his system can deal with a /999 address, it should work no matter what, with or without a nodelist. If RNTrack stops that from happening, that's RNTrack's problem. I don't use it, and it seems neither does Avon.. or maybe he does and it still doesn't require a nodelist, but instead uses his HPT config's defined links/routing table, rather than a nodelist.

In this specific case, Avon obviously has some kind of routing for /999 in place. New systems use that address for testing purposes, so the destination's connection address changes (so I assume Avon holds the mail on his system for /999 to pick up - which can mean that /any/ system with that address setup could connect and get the netmail, which can be a point of failure if a different system connects at the right time using that same node number, but the netmail's TO field doesn't match the sysop/user name), but it did seem to work in this case.

Regards,
Nick

.... Sarcasm, because beating people up is illegal.
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