Problems sending to ISP (Newbie) 1

[DougHalstead]

I have Exchange 2000 running MS SBS 2000. I can receive mail OK but not send. Outgoing messages end up on an SMTP service queue "Messages with unreachable destination" and I've messages such as "Exchange can't determine a network path to final destination".

Bit later and after "fiddling" I have now got my test messages sitting on a queue "SMTP connector (Remote Delivery)" - when I look at the properties for this queue there's a message "The SMTP service rejected AUTH negotiation.

All my settings appear OK, so any assistance and guidance is very welcome.
Thanks
Doug

 

[Xybertron]

Can you resolve the mx record for the remote location? Are you forwarding to a "smart host" ? Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft

 

[DougHalstead]

Dan,

I'm sorry, but please could you remind on how to do that?

I'm not sure if I'm forwarding to a "smart host" I'll have to check.

Many thanks

 

[hads]

To lookup the MX record for a domain go to a command prompt on the server and type:

*****************************
nslookup
>set type=MX
>domain.com

...details

>exit
*****************************

That will give you the details for that domain.

Is it correct to assume that you are using an SMTP connector rather than the Default SMTP virtual server? If so, is there a specific reason why you need to use a connector?

Cheers,
01101000011000010110010001110011

 

[DougHalstead]

Right Dan,

Regarding the mx record, I've run the NSLOOKUP and get a load of detail as you indicated which look convincing.

Regarding the SMTP connector - All my queues are under the d
"Default SMTP Virtual Server". The "SMTP Connector (Remote delivery)" I mentioned above is a queue under the "Default SMTP Vitual Server"

I've not tried to be clever here, it's all intended to be as installed from scratch. (I'm just trying to get an ordinary dial-up modem connection)

Your continued help is very much appreciated Dan!

Many thanks
Doug

 

[DougHalstead]

Dan
Additional info: in the Event Viewer for the DNS there's a load of error messages : "The DNS Server has invalid or corrupted registry parameter Forwarders"

????

Thanks

Doug

 

[DougHalstead]

Thanks Hads for your info about NSLOOKUP

Only just realised someone else had replied

Doug

 

[hads]

No worries,

The reason I thought you were using a Connector was the name of the queue - from a quick look I didn't have one named that.

If you can get a MX record for a domain you are trying to send mail to it means that DNS is working - although the Event message sounds like there is some problem.

This KB article mentions it near the bottom:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q259302

(copy and paste the link)

I'm not a guru but every little bit of advice can help sometimes.

Cheers,
01101000011000010110010001110011

 

[DougHalstead]

Hads - Yes, I do appreciate every bit of help I get. Thanks.

Re Dan's question about "Smart Hosting" - It seems that I am forwarding to a "Smart Host" (The documentation from the ISP says that by choosing to route all mail through smtp.clara.net that this is smart hosting and takes the load off my server .... clara.net being my ISP of course)

Doug

 

[DougHalstead]

Right, I've just had another go at this based on advice that Dan gave someone a while back.

I sent an email to myself and it worked fine.

I ran NSLOOKUP, set q=MX, I put in different domain names such as microsoft.com and get back a load of details which seem fine to me.

So next I entered....
Telnet ip-in-mx 25

result was ...
"Could not open a connection to host on port 25 .. Connection failed"

Is that the problem??? If so please what do I do about it.
Also what about the corrupt FORWARDERS mentioned above?

Look forward to your help

Many thanks

Doug

 

[DougHalstead]

OH oh,

telnet ip-in-mx 25 gives the result as shown above, BUT

telnet 127.0.0.1 25 says thaat ESMTP Mail service is ready?!!

Any comment please?
Sorry about all these mails I'm sending but ...

Doug

 

[hads]

Thats bizarre,

You should be able to telnet to another mail server on port 25 as you suggested.

You mentioned you were using a dial up connection?

Sounds like something is blocking outgoing traffic or something?

Sorry I can't be of much assistance, hopefully someone else has some ideas for you.

01101000011000010110010001110011

 

[DougHalstead]

Hads (& Dan)

Thanks for your email Hads. However just this minute I 've sorted the problem out. This was only possible by your help along the way and reading through past problems where help was given by people like Dan.

The reference to ESMTP flagged up an email thread by ShawnF about SMTP and ESMTP. Essentially the change was - in the Exhange System Manager, find SMTP connector, open properties. In advanced tab, select "HELO instead of EHLO".

All my queued messages were un-blocked and "I'm cooking with gas" as they say.

However, why was all this necessary?
What should be the default setting?

Hads, please could you check your setting for this?

Am I now in the clear because I always worry that I've not really cured the problem but just bodged it through/

Any comments appreciated.

Many thanks

Doug

 

[Xybertron]

Sounds like maybe a firewall that isn't EHLO friendly?

You don't even need a connector by default. Dan
Microsoft Exchange Support @ Microsoft