Sendmail fails with error "Deferred: Connection refused by [127.0.0.1]" (Doc ID 2670038.1)

Last updated on OCTOBER 07, 2022

Applies to:

Symptoms

Sendmail fails while mail sent through localhost instead of DNS

echo "Test" | mailx -v -s "Test Mail" <EMAIL_ADDRESS>
xxxxx.xxxxxx@somedomain.com... Connecting to [127.0.0.1] via relay...
xxxxx.xxxxxx@somedomain.com... Deferred: Connection refused by [127.0.0.1]           <------ Fails 

echo "Test" | mailx -v -s "Test Mail" -S smtp="<SMTP_SERVER>:25" <EMAIL_ADDRESS>
Resolving host smtp-secure.somedomain.com . . . done.
Connecting to xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx . . . connected.
220 <ID>.<SMTP_SERVER> ESMTP
>>> HELO <hostname>
250 <ID>.<SMTP_SERVER>
>>> MAIL FROM:<hostname>
250 sender <hostname> ok
>>> RCPT TO:<EMAIL_ADDRESS>
250 recipient <EMAIL_ADDRESS> ok
>>> DATA
354 go ahead
>>> .
250 ok: Message xxxxxxx accepted
>>> QUIT
221 <ID>.<SMTP_SERVER>

Changes

 Server was upgraded from Oracle Linux 5 to Oracle Linux 6

Cause

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