Can't receive mail

[mquinn0908]

We are in the process of setting up an new exchange 2000 server. Exchange is installed and I am able to create mailboxes for users and once I set up their mailbox I went into outlook on the client and set up their account there. My problem is that I am able to send messages but the person that it is sent to never receives them (they just sit on our server) and our clients can not receive any messages at all. When I go into exchange system manager I can see that the user was able to logon to their mailbox and at what time and I can also see how many items are in their mailbox but they are still unable to receive them. What am I missing?

 

[mquinn0908]

Right now the domain that the mail is supposed to be sent to is the only domain that is defined in the default recipient policy. I am getting mail back immediately when I send mail to a user that doesn't exist and the message it is giving me is "Sorry, no mailbox here by that name." and in the part of the message where it says received from it gives the public IP address of our router which is pointed to our exchange server.

I have looked through the queues and I don't see anything yet where it shows any waiting messages.

 

[Marcs41]

Well, you will need to add the other domain to the recipient policy in order for your EX server to handle it. If the answer is here, mark it, others can benefit from it too.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!

 

[mquinn0908]

I now have two SMTP policies in the recipient policies (one for each domain) and I am still not receiving any mail. I can look in the mailbox queue for one of my users and under total items it says 2 but when I log onto the mailbox I never receive anything.

 

[mquinn0908]

Why does a policy have to be added for the other domain when that is not the one mail is being sent to and there isn't an exchange server in it?

 

[Marcs41]

Because the mail will get there throught port 25, so it has to accept the domain. If not, it will bounce. If the answer is here, mark it, others can benefit from it too.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!

 

[mquinn0908]

Alright I have come to the conclusion that this is probably a DNS issue and not one with the way exchange is setup.

When I send a message to my domain I have gotten a message back the next day or two that says either:
leeco.us: host name lookup failure
or
sorry, i couldn't find a host by that name

I have also gone to

http://www.dnsreport.com

and ran a few tests and I pass on nameserver records with my parent servers but then it fails on SOA records and MX records. How do I go about getting SOA record that points to my ISP's DNS and I know they have an MX record for us already but for some reason it fails that test. I have SOA records on my DNS server on my end but it has my exchange server for the primary server and when I run the dns tests on domains that I know exist and work it gives the server hosting there external DNS as there SOA.

 

[Marcs41]

Since you only have one connection, and only 1 IP address, get your ISP to have your records checked! There is nothing you can do if they get it wrong in the DNS table routers.
You can test yourself:
Open a command prompt and type:
NSLOOKUP (Enter)
set type=MX (Enter)
type your domain name(s) to check

Your 2 domains should have the same IP on the MX records. If the answer is here, mark it, others can benefit from it too.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!

 

[mquinn0908]

I just wanted to let you know that I just spoke with my ISP and it turns out that they gave me the wrong DNS information to give do my domain registrar!! I updated our domain information and we are now able to send and receive (both internally and externally) with no problems!!!!!!

I can't belive that I have been working on this for about a week because we had the wrong info. Oh well at least it is straightened out now.

Thank you for all of your help!

 

[Marcs41]

Oh boy, those ISP's, he owes you a LARGE drink !
Well, at least you're up and running ! If the answer is here, mark it, others can benefit from it too.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!