Godaddy's DNS tools for email server

[fenderjbass]

This is such a newb question it's embarrassing. But I have ask. I have a little real world experience working with Exchange 2003. Just simple mail creation etc tasks. So I want to get more experience setting it up from scratch. I host my website from home, and so I'd like to setup an email server that I can mess up and learn from as many times as I want, and not have the client yell at me. So I installed and configured Exchange Server 2003. I took a class on 2007, so I already had a good idea on the basics of everything. What makes this a DNS question is this. My domain is registered with godaddy, and set to use their nameservers. I created an MX record for mail.mydomain.net. So here's the newb part. Do i create a cname for pop.mydomain.net and smtp.domain.net? It's been about a year since I took the class, I assume i set up POP and SMTP correctly in exchange. If i connect outlook to exchange server i can't send or receive mail. If i try setting it up with pop and smtp same results. I did create a nat on my firewall to forward smtp and pop to mail server. So it sounds like its a DNS issue.

 

[Noway2]

You can create a cname for pop.domain and smtp.domain if you want to, but you shouldn't have to. You said you created an MX record and this will tell sending domains where to direct the mail. If you don't have an MX record typically mail will simply be sent directly to the domain itself under the assumption that this is your mail handler.

If you are having problems, an excellent place to check your DNS with respect to mail server operation is mxtoolbox.com. You can run a free report and it will tell you if you have any problems.

 

[cynjut]

There are a couple of things to check before you start beating yourself up:

1) Does your ISP allow "home" users to set up Mail services?

My first inclination is "No". When I was running an Internet Service Company I didn't, and none of the "larger" ISPs here allow home users to connect to port 25 (SMTP). After I went out of business, I had to switch to a different provider and had to establish a business account (at a premium) in order to be able to set up a working mail server (POP3, IMAP, or SMTP).

2) Adding CNAME entries for pop3, imap, smtp, and other common mail aliases is simple. If you are hosting your DNS at GoDaddy (you mentioned they are your registrar) you should go to the DNS management interface and add them.

I actually recommend against using CNAMEs most of the time. I think you should bite the bullet and use A records instead, unless you are planning a "mass exodus" of your mail services in the near future.

3) Make sure your connectivity equipment (routers, firewalls, FW software on your server) are all set up to pass port 25, but only to your mail server.

 

[TechyMcSe2k]

http://www.canyouseeme.org/

Can test if your port 25 is blocked by ISP

http://www.samtechconsulting.com

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