GMail SMTP SPF problem

Question

There has been quite alot of discussions regarding problems of emails beeing marked as spam when sending via GMails SMTP server from applications.

Reading the other posts I can't figure out my problem. My emails still end up SPF-neutral.

In my * (catch all) DNS entry I have at TXT record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

In mu @ (domain) DNS entry I have the same TXT record:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

I have created a reverse DNS entry which works fine (doing an nslookup).

When I look at the message-source from my emails:

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from www.mydomain.com (www.mydomain.com [X.X.X.X]) by
mx.google.com with ESMTP id q3si1105184anp.111.2011.09.13.08.56.55; Tue, 13
Sep 2011 08:56:55 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: neutral (google.com: x.x.x.x is neither permitted nor
denied by best guess record for domain of [email protected])
client-ip=x.x.x.x;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=neutral (google.com: x.X.x.X
is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of
[email protected]) [email protected]

x.x.x.x is equal in all places. And reverse lookup shows www.mydomain.com

I don't understand the message. Is the problem with x.x.x.x sending to gmail or with gmail forwarding it to its final destination. In this case the email was sent to anotherdomain.com(hosted by gmail as well).

I also have a TXT google-site-verification entry. Could that cause any conflict?

Sorry for not exposing real values. My boss would kill me. :(

I would be extremly glad for any help on this matter. I can't get any further by my self.

Best regards,

Niclas

Solution

Try:

v=spf1 a mx ip4:x.x.x.x include:_spf.google.com ~all

You may not need the ip4 declaration if your ip address is in the A records.

More info here: http://www.openspf.org/SPF_Record_Syntax