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    Actually, 74.125.235.55 is a domain (per RFC 5322 § 3.4.1 it's not the syntax of an IP address in an addr-spec). It's a nonexistent domain, but it is a domain, much to the annoyance of several content DNS server operators. Note also that several MTSes will automatically accept mail addressed to their SMTP Relay servers' IP addresses (in the syntactically correct manner). Older versions of exim did this. So does qmail.
    – JdeBP
    Commented Jul 6, 2011 at 13:10
  • @JdeBP I am not an expert on that RFC, and when I looked at it, by head wanted to explode, but shouldn't it have a .com or .net to actually be a domain? In any case, for all practical purposes, it is not a domain, and certainly is not in the given question.
    – KCotreau
    Commented Jul 6, 2011 at 13:17
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    That's part of the problem: It is a domain in the question, especially for practical purposes. It's just that the questioner is like you, and doesn't realize that. In an addr-spec the sequence of characters 74.125.235.55 is a domain, with the labels 55, 235, 125, and 74 in descending order from the root. In 2008, Duane Wessels et al. put such nonexistent domain names as causing some 3.8% of the queries at ICANN's "K" root content DNS server. It's now time for you to read RFC 4697 § 2.9. ☺
    – JdeBP
    Commented Jul 6, 2011 at 13:38
  • I should have said "resolvable" domain in my first comment. Yes, it is trying to be resolved, but without the .com, etc. it will always fail.
    – KCotreau
    Commented Jul 6, 2011 at 13:50