connection dropped due to an smtp protocol event sink

Hmm are you running windows 2003 btw?  it only works in 2003..

am running windows 2k3, ran the dnsdiag as suggested:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetsrv>dnsdiag mail.xxxx.com -d -v 1
Running in debug/verbose mode.
The DNS flags are not explicitly set in the metabase, assuming default flags - 0
x00000000
These are the local IP addresses (server-bindings)
xx.xxx.xx.2
Microsoft Exchange is installed on this machine.
Querying domain controller for configuration.
The domain controller server which will be used for reading configuration data i
s jupiter.xxxx.com
Connecting to jupiter.xxxx.com over port 389
configurationNamingContext is "CN=Configuration,DC=xxxx,DC=com"
This will be used as the Base DN for all directory searches.
Checking if the target server mail.xxxx.com is an Exchange server
Searching for an Exchange Server object for mail.xxxx.com on the domain
controller
No Exchange Server object found for mail.xxxx.com on domain controller,
mail.xxxx.com is an external server (not in the Exchange Org).
Checking on DC if the VSI being simulated is configured with external DNS server
s.
Searching for an Exchange Server object for jupiter.xxxx.com on the doma
in controller
LDAP search returned some results, examining them.
Examining next object for attributes we are interested in.
Successfully read the distinguishedName attribute on the Exchange Server object.
 The value of the attribute is CN=JUPITER,CN=Servers,CN=PRODUCTION,CN=Administra
tive Groups,CN=GSP,CN=Microsoft Exchange,CN=Services,CN=Configuration,DC=gspmark
eting,DC=com
The search returned the following 6 values for the networkName attribute for the
 Exchange Server object for jupiter.xxxx.com
Attempting to match the TCP/IP networkName of the Exchange Server object returne
d from the domain controller against the FQDN we are searching for
0> networkName: ncacn_vns_spp:JUPITER...match failed
1> networkName: netbios:JUPITER...match failed

if there is a glaring problem there i can't see it. i have tried both external and internal dns servers. the outgoing mail still doesn't work.

i've re-installed the internet dns servers. there was a problem there. one of the server somehow got corrupted. the exhange server is not a dns server. the dns servers are very standard.

i've since tested dns with nslookup. it seems fine.

but now i'm getting this error:

Event Type:      Error
Event Source:      smtpsvc
Event Category:      None
Event ID:      2013
Date:            8/28/2004
Time:            4:58:48 PM
User:            N/A
Computer:      JUPITER
Description:
SMTP could not connect to any DNS server. Either none are configured, or all are down.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 7c 26 00 00               |&..    


both network cards are working perfectly. i can browse the network and internet with either unplugged.

i have the MSExchangeTransport logging. all i'm getting is a lot of this:

Event Type:      Information
Event Source:      MSExchangeTransport
Event Category:      SMTP Protocol
Event ID:      7512
Date:            8/28/2004
Time:            5:04:55 PM
User:            N/A
Computer:      JUPITER
Description:
The message with ID  <200408282127.OAA89807@mail.wppcheif.com>, P1 From smtp:Sweepsgame@mail.wppcheif.com, Subject  Refinance with Christian Lending Principles , from remote host "JUPITER"   was Rejected/Deleted by Intelligent Message Filter. This is an informational event and does not indicate an error.

For more information, click http://www.microsoft.com/contentredirect.asp.

also i get this error when i set an outside dns server

Event Type:      Warning
Event Source:      smtpsvc
Event Category:      None
Event ID:      2012
Date:            8/28/2004
Time:            5:17:09 PM
User:            N/A
Computer:      JUPITER
Description:
SMTP could not connect to the DNS server '65.106.1.196'. The protocol used was 'UDP'. It may be down or inaccessible.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: d5 04 00 00               ...    

Can you ping that external DNS server from the Exchange server?
It is starting to look like your firewall isn't allowing DNS traffic to go out correctly. DNS is still a problem.
Try a nslookup test from a command window.

That last message "Rejected/Deleted by Intelligent Message Filter" indicates that the remote site is running Exchange 2003 with the new IMF that was introduced along side SP1 for Exchange. Your message has scored highly as spam and has been deleted - or your domain is on their blacklist.

These types of things don't happen for no reason - someone must have changed something or you have a piece of hardware about to fail.

Simon.

i can ping the dns server and the mail server to and from each other. nslookup to both dns servers is also fine.

is there a way i can set up a different smtp server (windows 2003 version) as a relay for outgoing mail?

Windows 2003 will act as a good email relay.
Install a new copy of Windows 2003 and add the SMTP service. Then configure it to accept email for your domain, then add the IP address/dns name to forward email to your Exchange server.
You could also look at using something like GFI Mail Essentials to work as the gateway server. You need to check that the new relay machine can do dns lookups as well - that it isn't getting the same UDP errors that the other machine is getting.

Simon.

i'll try that, thanks. also is there a way to check udp specfically?

setting up a new relay server didn't work. instead of all the individual queue getting this "the connection was dropped due to an SMTP protocol sink" message just the queue to the relay server was.

at this point i'm going to try to re-install service pack 1. thinking there's some corruption in the exchange install. i too believe something has changed on the network though nothing i can trace.

alright i'm trying to set up the "internet mail wizard" in exchange. and i get an error "The SMTP virtual server "Default SMTP Virtual Server" on the selected server does not have the binding of all unassigned/port 25.

how do i bind the server to the port? i suspect this might be my problem

actually i just sorted that issue. but now i'm not recieving e-mail.

If you are not receving email then the first thing to try is a dnsreport.com test on your domain. This will tell you whether it is an external DNS problem or that port 25 traffic is being blocked.

Simon.

i fixed this. disabling the anti-virus, re-installing smtp, then re-installing exchange. bout 12 hours now. wanted to thank everyone for their help with this so i split the points.

Hi,

Are you sending mail through the web server or using any other mail server to send mail. Once use smtp host as localhost and check if the mail deliver or not.

sorry for my previous comment