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Dynamic DNS to Receive Mail with Exchange 2007

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The reason most people have to use Dynamic DNS is because the ISP does not open port 25. This is a major pain. To get around this, I used Dynamic DNS. Dynamic DNS has served me for several years now. I have set up a few versions of SBS now. My Mail is set up to go to my mobile device with Push Email; I have access to Remote Web Workplace and Outlook Web Access. In short, I have full usage of all of the features of SBS, because I used the DYNDNS services.

This article contains the basics to get mail working in both directions with the cheapest possible setup. Please don’t misconstrue this as an enterprise setup. This is meant for techies who want to learn Exchange but can't afford the several thousand dollars of investment necessary to implement the officially supported Exchange methods. A main reason DYDNS is not used by enterprise is that the increasing use of SPF records will result in your mail not being sent.  You can find out more here http://www.openspf.org/. The solution to this issue is to use a smart host if you are not using for just testing.

Furthermore, this is not supported by anyone and there are no guarantees or warranties expressed or implied. Companies referred to in this document are not necessarily endorsed. They are simply the means I used to attain a certain result to test my personal Exchange setup and configuration.

Finally, The Production way to accomplish this objective it to use a "SMART" host.  Outbound Services Configuration Guide, by Google, will give you an example (many companies can be used for this service)  of what a smart host is and how to use it.  

Summary:

The first things you need are to purchase are your domain name, Custom DNS and Mail Hop relay from Dynamic DNS. The total cost for one year will run about $80 a year . This is way better than $80 a month for a business account. If you are in support, this method for Exchange mail will work fine for a lab environment.

Once you have purchased these things, you have a short list of things to do:

  1.  Add your Domain Records
  2.  Add your user names to the user list in “mail hop settings”
  3.  Add your DNSBLs  in “mail hop settings”
  4.  Check your anti-spam settings in mail hop relay
  5.  Fix your Exchange receive connector to receive mail
  6.  Special extra- setting outbound to work with Google smart host


Details:

1. ADD YOUR DOMAIN RECORDS" ]The MX records are a little tricky. This is all under the heading “CUSTOM DNS” You have to make sure the below records are equated with [b]remote.[i]yourdomain[/i][/b] [embed=image 390775] You simply add two MX records and an A record: [embed=image 390780] The first two entries are blank in the open field box like below: [embed=image 390783] The last record is the “A” record. Just type the word [b]remote[/b] in the blank “add DNS record” field. [/step] [step="2" title="MAIL HOP SETTINGS" ]This is pretty straightforward. However, it is a requirement before your mail starts flowing. You go to my service/mail hop relay and you will see in the following menu. [embed=image 390788] Just put entries in for each of the three Anti-spam settings, Manage DNSBLs and USER LIST. You also need to determine your mail port: [embed=image 390799] Here is a KB to help you with this part: http:// www.dyndns.com./support/kb/relay.html [/step] [step="3" title="DNSBLs and...

[step="4" title="Anti-SPAM settings"
]Just select as shown below:
Anti-Spam and DNSBLs[/step][step="5" title="User List"
]You have to enter the names of the persons in the mail organization or the mail will not flow.
Whitelist the users Whitelist the users (2)Just add your users into the list here. This is a white list. Users not in this list will not receive mail. Once you have those things set up, you are ready to set up your Exchange environment.
[/step]
[step="6" title="EXCHANGE ENVIRONMENT"
]1.  Install Exchange and run the CITW and IAW.
2.  Manually change the port to 24,25,587,2525,10025, or 52525 to match what you selected in DYDNS as shown.

In Exchange 2010, you need to alter the Windows SBS Internet Connector. The location is

   a.  Microsoft Exchange on-premises
   b.  Server configuration
   c.  Hub Transport
   d.  Network
   e.  Just hit Edit and change the port to the one you chose in DYDNS.
Set the portNext, you need to download the  DYDNS updater into the SBS 2011 Machine and keep it running at all times.
DynDNS Updater Your DNS name will appear under My Hosts. It must be unchecked to work for your domain. If it is checked, it is excluded from the dynamic DNS.

And finally, you need to add the port forwarding to allow the port to sent the mail to your Exchange server:

        Note:  I am using port 2525 so it is forwarded to my server, along with the other necessary
                   ports for SBS 2011.
Port Forwarding
[/step]
I hope this helps. It was a pain when I first set it up but is does work well and it does save money for those needing lab environments.

-- Louis


Addendum

PS. If you have a DDNS router you can add the DYDNS INFORMATION and this will help keep your connection alive as well.
DDNS settingsAs a special bonus, I will show you how to set your Exchange 2011 mail up for an outbound smart host with Google's GMail.

   1.  Go to the network settings of the SMTP outbound connector
   2.  Edit the route name to smtp.gmail.com
   3.  Check the box “used external DNS lookup” then hit the change button (Network tab)
   4.  Run Set-SendConnector "Windows SBS Internet Sent yournamehere" -Port 587
   5.  Go back to the smart host wizard and put smtp.gmail.com and the user and password in there.

Outbound will now work.

References:

Here are some background links on the subjects. I wrote  this article myself; however, I did look at these links for background. Just because this worked for me doesn’t mean it is the way you want it. There are other ways. Look at these and make up your own way :-)

    How to Configure Microsoft Exchange to use the Arrowmail Smarthosts
    http://www.arrowmail.co.uk/howto/smrthost.aspx

    GMail Help: Configuring other mail clients
    http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=78799
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Comments (4)

Author

Commented:
That was $80 per year. That is much cheaper then $80 a month or more/

Author

Commented:
Demazter,

thank you for your feedback. I am still learning about the Interface. I only have short time frames to work on this stuff. I will Try again- next time I log in.

Louis

Author

Commented:
I dont know if you can see the trouble I am having. I tried the Embed tag for the embeded images. Is there an easier way to just inclused the doc and images- or is there a problem with docs and images?

Thank you

Louis Reeves.

and Merry Christmas. :-)

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