Return to Answer

If you ping gmail.com, ping uses the A record to perform its task, but sending emails (often) incorporates other servers.

You can use the tool dig (on windows: nslookup -q=mx gmail.com as grawity mentioned in the comments) to see those dns records:

And if you proceed further, you'll see that gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com (the first mx in the list above) points to a different ip:

So you'd have to use recipient@[74.125.39.27] (this is the right syntax as JdeBP mentioned in the comments)

BUT google won't accept these mails:

Thinking further about this: Google won't or can't accept these mails because they don't know to whom you like to send it. The server behind 74.125.39.27 could handle emails for gmail.com, google.com, picasa.com (etc, etc...), so theres no way to distinguish the user.

If you ping gmail.com, ping uses the A record to perform its task, but sending emails (often) incorporates other servers.

You can use the tool dig (on Windows: nslookup -q=mx gmail.com as grawity mentioned in the comments) to see those DNS records:

And if you proceed further, you'll see that gmail-smtp-in.l.google.com (the first mx in the list above) points to a different IP address:

So you'd have to use recipient@[74.125.39.27] (this is the right syntax as JdeBP mentioned in the comments).

BUT Google won't accept these mails:

Thinking further about this: Google won't or can't accept these mails because they don't know to whom you like to send it. The server behind 74.125.39.27 could handle emails for gmail.com, google.com, picasa.com (etc., etc...), so there's no way to distinguish the user.

Because 74.125.235.55 isn't the MX (mail exchange) for gmail.com. If you ping gmail.com, ping uses the A record to perform its task, but sending emails (often) incorporates other servers.

You can use the tool dig (i don't know if it's available on windows, maybe there's a cygwin version) to see those dns records:

Edit: Unfortunately google won't accept these mails:

Jul  6 13:25:15 lofi postfix/smtp[31213]: C6FXXXXXXX: to=<REMOVED@[74.125.39.27]>, relay=74.125.39.27[74.125.39.27]:25, delay=3.4, delays=0.16/0.01/0.15/3.1, dsn=5.1.1, status=bounced (host 74.125.39.27[74.125.39.27] said:
550-5.1.1 The email account that you tried to reach does not exist. Please try 550-5.1.1 double-checking the recipient's email address for typos or 550-5.1.1 unnecessary spaces. Learn more at                              550 5.1.1 http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6596 REMOVEDg.99 (in reply to RCPT TO command))

Thinking further about this: Google won't or can't accept these mails because they don't know to whom you like to send it. The server behind 74.125.39.27 could handle emails for gmail.com, google.com, picasa.com (etc, etc...), so theres no way to distinguish the user.

Because 74.125.235.55 isn't the MX (mail exchange) for gmail.com.

If you ping gmail.com, ping uses the A record to perform its task, but sending emails (often) incorporates other servers.

You can use the tool dig (on windows: nslookup -q=mx gmail.com as grawity mentioned in the comments) to see those dns records:

So you'd have to use recipient@[74.125.39.27] (this is the right syntax as JdeBP mentioned in the comments)

BUT google won't accept these mails:

Jul  6 13:25:15 lofi postfix/smtp[31213]: C6FXXXXXXX: to=<REMOVED@[74.125.39.27]>, 
relay=74.125.39.27[74.125.39.27]:25, delay=3.4, delays=0.16/0.01/0.15/3.1, dsn=5.1.1, 
status=bounced(host 74.125.39.27[74.125.39.27] said:
550-5.1.1 The email account that you tried to reach does not exist. Please try 
550-5.1.1 double-checking the recipient's email address for typos or 
550-5.1.1 unnecessary spaces. Learn more at 
550 5.1.1 http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=6596 REMOVEDg.99 
(in reply to RCPT TO command))

Thinking further about this: Google won't or can't accept these mails because they don't know to whom you like to send it. The server behind 74.125.39.27 could handle emails for gmail.com, google.com, picasa.com (etc, etc...), so theres no way to distinguish the user.

Thinking further about this: Google won't or can't accept these mails because they don't know to whom you like to send it. The server behind 74.125.39.27 could handle emails for gmail.com, google.com, picasa.com (etc, etc...), so theres no way to distinguish the user.