Serious 2000 server and exchange 2000 issues

[NightRider84]

I am running a Windows 2000 server that acts as DNS, and it is also running Exchange 2000 to handle all e-mail. Just the other day an associate upgraded the Win 2k server to SP3 and the Exchange server is still SP1. Now everything appears fine internally, but no messages can be recieved from the outside. All internal e-mails still work without incident, and we can still send out e-mail from inside our network to the outside. But no e-mail can come in. Does anyone know of this problem or how to fix it. We removed SP3 and went back to SP2 and the problems are still there

Thanks A Lot,
Mike

 

[ReddLefty]

Many possibilites, but I don't see the service pack as being one of them... It might just be a random occurance.. check the following:

- Your MX record still exist at your providers?
- Your domain name exprired?
- Try emailing yourself with Yahoo and check for an error

The error message you get may help clear up the issue faster...






"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[NightRider84]

ReddLefty,

Everything that you mentioned is ok. We had tried before to e-mail ourselves from a Yahoo Accounts, and recieved no error in return to the Yahoo account. One friend sent an e-mail from there place of business and recieved no errors, while one other friend did recieve a TimeOut error back when he tried to send an e-mail from his place of business.

Hope this extra information helps

 

[ReddLefty]

Hmmm.. you might want to post this message in the Exchange 2000 forum also.

Maybe you are on a blacklist? Have you been spammed lately or used as a relay? That would get you on a blacklist...

It's odd because if your not reciving the emails and the senders aren't getting any errors in return, it sounds like the email is in limbo, which is usually DNS issues... either at the provider level or router level.

Did you check your queue to see if you had incoming waiting email?

Apart from that, I suggest you post this in the Exchange 2K forum.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[NightRider84]

ReddLefty,

I am PRETTY sure we have not been blacklisted. I think the most likly problem right now is like you say, a DNS issue. One item I did forget to metion before which makes me feel this is more of a windows problem then an exchange is that Terminal Services will not work outside our network. I can terminal service to our server jsut find, but from the out side you can not reach it.

Thanks
Mike

 

[ReddLefty]

Well, in order to use Terminal Services outside, you must have the port open on your firewall.

Has anyone been tampering with the firewall? Maybe your SMTP is closed (port 25) and is not receiving new email...

Also, it's not good pratice to have your Terminal Server port open via Internet. But that is another issue.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[NightRider84]

ReddLefty,

Thats makes a whole lot of since. What would you suggest would be the best way to check and see if port 24 is closed? Also, I was not to sure, but is there a setting that disables recieving e-mails form the outside??

Thanks,
Mike

 

[NightRider84]

ReddLeffty,

I was jsut checking and double checking some settings and I notice that Routing and Remote Access server is disabled. Can this possible be the problem that I am running into??

Thanks,
Mike

 

[ReddLefty]

You need to check your firewall rules. Also, something occured to me, your server must have a fixed IP. If you have DHCP on your server then your problem is there, yet I think that when you install Exchange 2K, you can no longer select the DHCP option, but I could be wrong on that.

You really need to confirm that your SMTP port is open (port 25) on your firewall.

To test it involves alot of knowledge of the internet:

- You need to connect a computer outside your LAN on the Internet
- You need to get a port scanner and scan your email IP address to find out which ports are open

I think you should really take a hard look at the firewall / router. Sounds like the problem is slowly pointing in that direction.




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[NightRider84]

ReddLefty,

Thanks again for all your help. The firewall isot the issue, I have checked it over and over, and that is not where a problem is comming from. I am curious about the Routing and Remote Access, you think that could be the issue. Also, i know that our serve does have a static IP address.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[ReddLefty]

The RRAS has nothing to do with Exchange Server...


But you might of enabled the SMTP Virtual Server on IIS which could interfere with the Exchange SMTP. Unless you need the SMTP on IIS service for a specific web page, turn it off (if it's there)

Do the logs on the server say anything about errors?

Anybody else have any idea?? I'm running out of things to check..




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[ReddLefty]

There also may be known issues about having Exchange SP1 and Windows 2K SP3... might be a good idea to update Exchange to SP4 and put back Win2K to SP3.. but this is a question that the people in the Exchange 2K forum would know better..




"In space, nobody can hear you click..."

 

[NightRider84]

"Did you check your queue to see if you had incoming waiting email?"

How do I check the queue?

 

[ReddLefty]

In your System Manager for Exchange Server:

First Organization (Exchange) / Administrative Group / First Administrative Group / Servers / <Server Name> / Protocols / SMTP / Default SMTP Virtual Server / Queues

See if you have anything pending... but I doubt it. Usually, if something makes it there and your a single site exchange, it gets processed instantly.

You should seriously post this in the Exchange 2K forum. My knowledge is not that in-depth. I administer Exchange servers, but I don't install them on a day to day basis. Some of the people in the E2K forum are certified and install these things for a living... they will have seen alot of these scenarios and will be able to guide you better (unless the glimpse in this forum, which happens alot).

Sorry I can't help you more, but apart from being on site, I've ran out of ideas for now... There are only a few rules that must be observed for a single site Exchange to work and we have pretty much checked them all. Maybe going over your DNS and your network configuration once more to make sure everything is as it should. Most problems are just overseen because they used to work...




&quot;In space, nobody can hear you click...&quot;