Exchange Server 2000 Bounces Back AOL emails and some others

Hi,

The most common reason for this is that you domains MX record does not have a reverse DNS or PTR record defined in DNS. Have your ISP check/create one and this should fix the problem. Alternatively what is the full error message?

DNS, Reverse DNS and MX Records
http://www.amset.info/exchange/dnsconfig.asp

You can also (granted this does not always work - simply depends on your volume of email, but a lot of my clients use it as an easy fix), use a connector and use a service like dyndns.org mailhop outbound.  They work fantastic for people that cannot get an accurate PTR record added to their exchange server.  Also check your Exchange signature to make sure that the SPF of that server is saying that really is who it says it is.  A lot of installs people forget to make the change from their internal DNS naming to their external DNS nameing.  AOL has a major habit of blocking emails due to suspected bad SPF records.  

All else fails, go to http://dnsstuff.com and get a full dnsstuff report.  It does a pretty nice job of testing your email server to make sure that your SPF and PTR records are in place correctly.

I have verified with our ISP, Bullseye), that we do have a reverse DNS and/or PTR record so that is not the issue.
I'm not quite sure I understand the "SPF Record" ?
CAn you help me with that?

This is two of the error msgs...

Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.
Sent:     4/12/2008 10:20 AM
The following recipient(s) could not be reached:
xxxxx@iserv.net on 4/12/2008 10:30 AM
The destination system is currently not accepting any messages.  Please retry at a later time.  If that fails, contact your system administrator.
< mail5.iserv.net #5.3.0 X-Unix; 73>

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.
THIS IS A WARNING MESSAGE ONLY.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESEND YOUR MESSAGE.
Delivery to the following recipients has been delayed.
xxxxxx@aol.com

Here is the error msg after creating the smtp connector    

There was a SMTP communication problem with the recipient's email server.  Please contact your system administrator.
<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;550 not local host iserv.net, not a gateway>

Here is the error msg after creating the smtp connector    

There was a SMTP communication problem with the recipient's email server.  Please contact your system administrator.
<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;550 not local host iserv.net, not a gateway>
<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;550 not local host aol.com, not a gateway>

The FQDN is correct.
What does my error msg mean? "Not a gateway"
its a different error after I created the smtp connector

How did you create the SMTP Connector and what did you use? did you use the SMTP connector from DYNDNS.ORG and their mailhop?  If so then you have a few thing that you need to configure in order to use that connector.

Right click the connector-->properties.

Make sure your server is listed as a local bridgehead.
Select Forward all mail through this......
Then type "oubound.mailhop.org"
under advanced select outbound security
select basic authentication
modify and input your DYNDNS Information
click ok
then click on address space.

In here you will input smtp domain types for trouble domains (my connector is called, problem domains).  So here you can add domains your having problems sending to, like aol.com gmail.com etc.  Simply type everything after the @ in their email address.  

I just added the connector on the exchange 2000 server and used ms.bullseyetelecom.net as the outgoing mail server and got those errors.
SHould I use the dyndns even though I have static public IP's?
(a little confused)

I just added the connector on the exchange 2000 server and used ms.bullseyetelecom.net as the outgoing mail server and received those errors.
Should I use the dyndns even though I have static public IP's?
(a little confused)

in a standard default installation of Exchange you will not use any connectors by default as exchange uses DNS to send their mail.  I would delete that connector and see if your smtp errors cease.

I just added the connectors today.
The whole reason I created the connector in the first place was to solve the problem of email not getting to aol.com email addresses?
I'm afraid you have confused me...

What do I need to do to use dyndns?
I do have an account with them.

Heres my thought.  

Your smtp errors like "<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;550 not local host iserv.net, not a gateway>" are probably caused by that Connector you added.  You shouldn't need this unless your having problems sending to addresses.

If your ISP has open relay turned on then you could actually use their smtp server as a connector and use the steps i said earlier for the mailhop smtp connector but instead of the mailhop address use your isp.  HOWEVER, most ISPs don't use open relays. Thus why i recommend DYNDNS's mailhop outbound service.  Its 19.99 a year for 100 outbound emails per day.  Thus why i only use them for problem domains.

Most ISPs will allow you to relay email through their servers, however they may require you to tell them what your domain is first or authenticate when sending email. You will have to ask the ISP if that is the case or not as every ISP is different.

The error message that you posted above - what is that server that you have listed? You are getting the same error back on two domains, which leads me to think that something else is rejecting the message, not AOL themselves. AOLs NDRs are normally quite informative, and will provide a link to their postmaster site.

Simon.

The mail server I have listed is MS.BULLSEYETELECON.NET.
aol.com & iserv.net are the addresses I put in the address space and are the addresses I am trying to send to.

Before I added the smtp connector I got this error:
There was a SMTP communication problem with the recipient's email server.  Please contact your system administrator.
<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;554-: (RTR:GE) http://postmaster.info.aol.com/errors/554rtrge.html>

After I added the SMTP connector I got this error:
There was a SMTP communication problem with the recipient's email server.  Please contact your system administrator.
<mail.precisionmold.com #5.5.0 smtp;550 not local host iserv.net, not a gateway>

The address was blocked by both.
Also needed the smtp connector.
Thank you both