SBS 2003 Cannot connect to SMTP server

Hi brm123,
 
The problem could be one of a few things, so we'll need to do a test to find out what's going on.

Firstly, can you please try the telnet test from a PC on the same LAN as your server (192 address) and one externally?
Details of what to do can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=153119&product=exch2k

Can you let us know what happens with this test?  If it doesn't work internally, then it's probably something to do with the SBS machine/Exchange

Do you have ISA or RRAS installed on the SBS server?

Also - go to http://www.dnsreport.com/ and put in your domain name.  Check that it doesn't complain about anything.

Check with your ISP.  Some ISPs block incoming connections on port 25.

Also - you said that you'd configured only to allow SMTP connections from the SBS server itself.  That would stop it responding to SMTP requests from other machines :-)

Does that help?

Just Like Scampgb Said, Some ISP block port 25. There is two ways around that.

1.- make youe clients access the smtp server via port 26.
     then redirect port 26 to port 25 on your router.

2.- If your clients are using outlook 2003, Make them connect to the exchange server by using RCP over HTTP.
If you need more help on configurations, let me know

Good luck!

Vico1

vico1,

Thanks for your suggestions, but I don't think they're really going to help here.

1 - As the problem is (presumably) receiving SMTP messages from the Internet, changing what port number your Exchange server uses isn't going to help.  Unless you've got a way of pursuading all of the mail servers on the Internet to start using port 26 :)

2 - I don't quite see how this relates to the problem?

dnsreports:
domain test found Mx record no problem
email test timed out no connection to server

config:
changed connection to allow all

Telnet:

cannot telnet to server port 25 using computer on internal lan

Router:
does not support port redirection

would prefer to use smtp for client connection

i used all wizards as per the to do list. Including remote access

NO You do not change the port on you exchange server.

Your normal port 25 has to stay open for your smtp server to communicate with other smtp servers so is your port 25 on your router.
in addition to that ,open port 26 on your router and redirect it to port 25 of your exchange.
now configure your client to use port 26.

Now I am assuming that your server is able to communicate with other SMTP and only some of you clients are unable to connect using smtp.

Like i said 2 solutions, and i have done both.

I prefer RPC over HTTP this way you do not worry about port 110 you only need port 443, if you are using outlook 2003

road runner does not block port 25

brm123:
Are you having any problems sending emails, or just receiving? just receiving

Can you please go into Exchange System Manager> Servers > [your server] > Protocols > SMTP
You'll see the SMTP virtual server there.
Right-click and choose Properties.
Can you please let us know what's set up under the "Access" tab?

Default SMTP Virtual server ip is set to 192.168.1.100 (the sbs server)  
Authentication for virtual smtp server is set to "integrated windows authentication" only
Authenticated users have submit and relay permissions
Connections allowed are all
Relay allowed same as connections plus all authenticated users

Also - are there any firewalls (including the MS built-in firewall), ISA server or RRAS installed on the server? only if installed by default. using single network adapter. Linksys router.

Could you also please do the telnet test from the Exchange server itself - connecting to both it's Internal (192) and Loopback (127) IPs? tried it "ould not establish connection to host"

Did you enable email when you ran Internet connection wizard? Yes

If so are you able to send and receive email while in the local intranet? yes

Do you have ISA 2000 intalled on the server, And did you appy the patches? onlt if it installed byt default

Could you also please do the telnet test from the Exchange server itself - connecting to both it's Internal (192) and Loopback (127) IPs? tried it "ould not establish connection to host"


SORRY! did not do this correctly will retry.  GOOD i can telnet to port 25 using the 192.168.1.100 address both from the server itself and from naother pc on the lan. DNs issue???

How many network interface card on the SBS Server?

brm123,
> GOOD i can telnet to port 25 using the 192.168.1.100 address both from
> the server itself and from naother pc on the lan. DNs issue???

Excellent news.  So, you can connect to the mailserver on port 25 when using its IP address, but not its name?
That sounds like an Internal DNS issue.
That shouldn't affect External emails coming in to the network though.

Excellent news.  So, you can connect to the mailserver on port 25 when using its IP address, but not its name? using it's "internal" ip adress.

That sounds like an Internal DNS issue.

That shouldn't affect External emails coming in to the network though. tried sending myself an email from my yahoo account, failed.

How many network interface card on the SBS Server? one

I can send email to my yahoo account. But when I reply to the test email the reponse is Message from  yahoo.com.
Unable to deliver message to the following address(es).

{email address removed - ee_ai_construct}
Sorry, I wasn't able to establish an SMTP connection. (#4.4.1)
I'm not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too
long.

I suggest to use two nick cardS; one for your local area and one for your internet connection.

You alrerady said that you are using SBS 2003 premium, therefore you could install the ISA 2000. forwarding ports to your internal network is very dangerous.

SBS 2003 uses yourdomain.local on the internal network that will cause you from receiving email.

By using two nick card you are able to use yourdamain.local on the internal side of your network, and yourdomain.com on the external side.

If you are going to configure SBS for e-mail do it the wasy that Microsoft recommend it: (Two nick cards).

Hi Vico - where do you get that information from?
It's perfectly normal to have a mail server with one NIC on an Internal IP address with a router performing NAT.
I don't see that brm123 needs ISA server to make Exchange SMTP work.

There's nothing particularly dangerous about forwarding ports to your Internal network, provided you know what you're doing.

brm123,
Posting email addresses in E-E is discouraged around here.  I've asked a moderator to edit it for you (https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21154127/Email-in-post.html)

Right - it looks like you've got two issues here:

1 - Internal DNS isn't set up properly.  It doesn't have the name that you're using to access your SBS server listed in the local zone.

2 - Your router isn't correctly configured to forward to your mailserver


(2) is the issue we're trying to resolve here.


Please can you check the router configuration - and that it's configured to "port forward" port 25 with protocol TCP to 192.168.1.100?
If you're having difficulty with this, please let me know the exact make and model of your router.

brm123,
Posting email addresses in E-E is discouraged around here.  I've asked a moderator to edit it for you (https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21154127/Email-in-post.html) ooops Sorry!

Right - it looks like you've got two issues here:

1 - Internal DNS isn't set up properly.  It doesn't have the name that you're using to access your SBS server listed in the local zone. checking this

2 - Your router isn't correctly configured to forward to your mailserver : opened port 25 to forward all requests to 192.168.1.100


(2) is the issue we're trying to resolve here.


Please can you check the router configuration - and that it's configured to "port forward" port 25 with protocol TCP to 192.168.1.100? done
If you're having difficulty with this, please let me know the exact make and model of your router.

tried an nslookup for mx record on amd2000.7497.us, no record found, checking network solutions registration

Details:
NS75.WORLDNIC.COM. (an authoritative nameserver for 7497.us.) says that there are no MX records for amd200.7497.us.
The E-mail address in charge of the 7497.us. zone is:  namehost@WORLDNIC.COM.

Scampgb

I did not say that it cannot be done with one nick card.

You are worrying about just making it work

I am worrying about making it work properly and securely

This server will be wide open as an SMTP relay for Spam e-mail.

Remember this is Small Businees Server 2003 and If not configured properly it will never work properly.

Now To brm123

You are not receiving email because SBS 2003 is not configured with a MX record for your mail ( all your records are .local). You could run the Inernet connection wizard again and make sure to specify that you wnat to send and receive email in the internet. But remember MICROSOFT RECOMMENDATION for SBS server hosting e-mail is: two nick cards.

This info can be found on your small business support disk.

Good luck!

Vico1

Actualy I have two cards but when I tried the setup I could not get it to work with wireless router so went back to single which I was experienced with. I am rethinking that for reasons you (Vico1) stated. I have also learned that I should not disable DHCP unitl after SBS setup tells me to. No doubt that caused my problem. May try it again later after I get this issue resolved.

Thanks for the help. I may let it rest while waiting for reponse from Networksolutions engineering. The Mx records is there but their server are reporting it is not.  

brm123,
You don't need an MX record for "AMD2000.7497.us", you just need one for "7497.us"
According to DNS report you've got this set up correctly.

The mail server for your domain 7497.us is being returned as 24.173.164.234

Is this the Public IP address that your router is configured to forward on to 192.168.1.100?

The mail server for your domain 7497.us is being returned as 24.173.164.234 Ok

Is this the Public IP address that your router is configured to forward on to 192.168.1.100? Yes

You don't need an MX record for "AMD2000.7497.us", you just need one for "7497.us"
According to DNS report you've got this set up correctly.

According to Network Solutions I do. Their example for MX record setup is"

ADD OR EDIT MAIL SERVERS(MX RECORDS)
 
Currently Managing Domain : 7497.us

Add new e-mail server information or update the order in which e-mail will be attempted to be delivered.
 
Domain: 7497.us  
Priority Mail Server (Example: mail.your-domain.com)

Curious what's in your HOSTS file.

Curious what's in your HOSTS file. Wherre do I find it?

Hosts file has no extension, typically found here (but varies by OS environment) ...
These are the default paths
Windows XP = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Windows 2K = C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Win 98\ME = C:\WINDOWS


More about that here:
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

You cannot telnet to port 25 because the interanl IP of the router is not included in the settings of the virtual SMTP server
You have 192.168.1.100 and 127.0.0.1

Change the Connections allowed setting for SMTP virutal server to include the internal IP address of the router
which is? ....

You cannot telnet to port 25 because the interanl IP of the router is not included in the settings of the virtual SMTP server
You have 192.168.1.100 and 127.0.0.1

Change the Connections allowed setting for SMTP virutal server to include the internal IP address of the router
which is? ....

Actually I reset this to allow all. Also verified the reverse lookup.  Still cannot connect to SMTP server.

Curious what's in your HOSTS file. Only references to ip 127.0.0.1

What is the exact response you get when you telnet to port 25?

What is the exact response you get when you telnet to port 25?

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Braxton Miller>telnet 7497.us 25
Connecting To 7497.us...Could not open connection to the host, on port 25: Conne
ct failed

From Exchange System Manager....

Expand Administrative groups->site->servers->server->protocols->smtp
Has the "SMTP Virtual Server" got a cross on it"
If it does the server is not running. right click on it and select start to start it.

Right click on the "SMTP Virtual Server" and select properties
On the General Tab
IP should be all unassigned

On the access Tab
Click on Connection
Select All Except List below

Once you have confirmed the above settings
Try and telnet from the router to the internal IP of the Exchange Server on port 25
Then from a remote PC
This way you should be able to pinpoint where the problem lies.

From Exchange System Manager....

Expand Administrative groups->site->servers->server->protocols->smtp
Has the "SMTP Virtual Server" got a cross on it"
If it does the server is not running. right click on it and select start to start it.

Right click on the "SMTP Virtual Server" and select properties
On the General Tab
IP should be all unassigned "Correct"

On the access Tab
Click on Connection
Select All Except List below "Correct"

Once you have confirmed the above settings
Try and telnet from the router to the internal IP of the Exchange Server on port 25 "How do I telnet form Router?"
Then from a remote PC
This way you should be able to pinpoint where the problem lies.

Your SBS Server will not allow  an external ip to connect to the local area network that's why I told you to use two nick cards. SBS configure exchange to relay messages only for local IP. "not correct  have had this configuration up and runnng fine. So far the only difference I can see is when I did the reinstall I used a newer veson of the CDs."

You need to add a second nick card, Identify it as your internet card in the wizard. (Note that it has to be on a different subnet not to interfere with NAT):

Do the following:

1.- Add a second Nick card Give it a Static IP and point the DNS server to your server:
IP Address          10.0.0.2
NET MASK          255.255.255.248
Default Gateway  10.0.0.1
DNS                   192.168.1.100

After doing so Reconfigure your router like follow:
  a.- Wan IP Stay (No change)
       LAN IP         10.0.0.1
       NET MASK    255.255.255.248  (That gives you 6 available IP) OR You could change the mask to suite you need
  b.-Redirect port 25 to 10.0.0.2 "my lnksys wireless g does not support redirect"
      Redirect any port of your choice to your server. For SBS 2003 you will need the following: (HTTPS 443), (RWWP 4125), (SMTP 25) (VPN 1723).

2.- Run the internet wizard.
     Make sure to enable email
     If you need any help let me know
     
Vico1

Thanks for help. Please keep tryng really want to award the points.

What kind of router do you have?

From a Cisco
assuming not telnet secuirty limitation...
-ip address of router (192.168.1.xxx)

start->run
telnet 192.168.1.xxx

telnet 192.168.1.100 25

The above telnets to port 25 of your server


And are you really sure port 25 on router is forwarded to 192.168.1.100??
I think the problem is with the router forwarding.
Anyway try the above and we will know for sure

And sometimes, after verifying the elements in the Router; a reset helps.

Sorry guys. Server was down. no email!!!. I reinstalled SBS2003 using 2 nics the problem did go away. All services i need are working. I hope you all thnk the point split is fair.  

I think it's totally fair, and happy you're back with "issue resolved".  ":0) Asta