Exchange Server 2003 Configuration

i don't have a static ip, but i setup a dyndns with the following: andrewjones87.homedns.org

In that case, all you need to do is open the 1and1 control panel and edit the DNS on your homenet2k3.co.uk domain straight away (don't do the mail. domain). Set the MX record to be andrewjones87.homedns.org with a cost/preference of 5.

You'll then need to still do the port forward on port 25 through your router, but then you'll be up and running.

-tigermatt

So on homenet2k3.co.uk what would the other dns settings be and where would i need to put "andrewjones87.homedns.org with a cost/preference of 5"

thanks

these are the current settings, so what goes where?

Domain name  homenet2k3.co.uk
IP Address (A-Record)  82.165.61.101
Name server 1  ns59.1and1.co.uk
Name server 2  ns60.1and1.co.uk
Mail server 1  mx00.1and1.co.uk, 10
Mail server 2  mx01.1and1.co.uk, 10

When you access the DNS editing page in the 1and1 Control Panel for your domain, the only thing you need to change is the MX record. Choose the red underlined option for "Other Mail server", then enter your andrewjones87.homedns.org into the box provided (underlined blue).

You can access the interface I took a screenshot of below by highlighting your domain in "Domains", then dropping down the menu beside DNS and press "Edit DNS".

-tigermatt
1and1dns.jpg

thanks. what setting do i need to put in the SMTP connector? at the moment it is like below:
untitled.JPG

The SMTP connector sends mail out to the Internet. Since you're on a dynamic IP you must use the 1and1 SMTP server as you have already configured. The only additional step is to enter the credentials to authenticate with 1and1. To do this, open the "Advanced" tab, uncheck the box "Send HELO instead of EHLO" (if checked), then press Outbound Security. Choose Basic Authentication, press the Modify button, and enter the email address and password of a mailbox you have configured in your 1and1 account. OK out twice. Still on the Advanced tab, ensure "Do not send ETRN/TURN" is selected. Press OK.

Note that the mailbox you set up at 1and1 for this is merely a placeholder. Since you've changed your MX records the mailbox will not receive any mail. It is simply to give you some credentials to authenticate and send your mail out with.

-tigermatt

so does that mean that i just create a dummy email address like user@homenet2k3.co.uk to use for authentication?

Yes, that's correct. Open the Email tab at 1and1 and add a mailbox there. It needs to be a mailbox with a password - it can't be an alias or forward though.

thanks for your help

Feel free to close and assign points when you're ready :-)

works great. i have implemented web based forms for owa using certificate, but i get the error below in the screenshot, but if i select continue then its fine. do you know how to stop error?

thanks
untitled.JPG

You're getting that message because you have a self-signed SSL certificate, and it is not trusted by default in Internet Explorer. The only effective way to eliminate it is to purchase an SSL certificate from a third party - GoDaddy do them incredibly cheap: https://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/ssl/ssl.asp?ci=8979.

You would have to purchase the certificate for the domain andrewjones87.homedns.org - and then to eliminate the error you would need to ensure you always access OWA using andrewjones87.homedns.org/exchange.

I still have a self-signed SSL certificate on my home Exchange Server - it's really only if it's going to be used by a company or other people that you'll need to spend money on a trusted certificate.

-tigermatt

so do you get the error also and select continue?

also if my internet connection goes down and people send me a message, would i still receive the messages when the connection is re-established???

What was the server name you specified on the certificate and also where did you obtain the certificate from?

i created it with my server name

Yes, my Exchange Server is just used by myself and my family at home, so I don't see it necessary to spend money on an SSL certificate. I just press Continue and everything will work fine.

If your internet connecton is down (or your IP address changes), the sending mail server will hold the message for up to 48 hours, in which time it will keep trying to resend the message. If your Internet connection doesn't come back up within 48 hours, the message will timeout and an NDR sent back to the sender. If your line is going to be off for over 2 days, you can log back in to 1and1 and change your DNS to point back to their mail servers. Using a catch-all mailbox (*@homenet2k3.co.uk), you can get all the mail at 1and1 until the connection is restored.

I was once away in Majorca for a week and my router crashed on the first day of the holiday - fortunately I logged in remotely that evening, realised I couldn't log in to OWA and was able to change the DNS configuration from this Internet Café so I could at least get my emails whilst I was away and they wouldn't get NDR'd!

-tigermatt

The reason the certificate is failing is because you have generated it yourself - and Internet Explorer doesn't trust it. The only way to get around this as I've said is to either get a 3rd-party one, or you could import the certificate into IE, but that would have to be done on every PC you access OWA from in order to suppress the error.

I just live with it ;-)

How do you setup a catch all mail box and what would the username be?

On my exchange I have public folders setup with a shared calendar, when opened in OWA it defaults to open in 1 day view, do you know how to open in monthly view by default.

Thanks for your help tigermatt

This is a catch-all at 1and1 - the email address would simply be an asterisk followed by the domain - so *@homenet2k3.co.uk
Create it just like any other mailbox in the Email tab of the 1and1 control panel - you can use that (along with its password) as your authentication mailbox for the SMTP connector too.

I'm not aware of a method of changing the default calendar view though - I've checked in OWA options and OWAAdmin if there's a method of changing it, but it would appear not. I think that's something you're going to have to change each time you login, I'm afraid!

-tigermatt

hi tigermatt,

thanks for your help.

in your opinion, should i create a mailbox *@homenet2k3.co.uk now and use it for my authentication?

if internet to down longer than 48 hours, then do i only have to change mx mail record back to 1and1.co.uk default?

then what happens to messages when my internet is back on and i change setting back, would all email automatically go to correct mailboxes or what?

thanks

the messages sent whilst no internet i mean

I would do that - at least then you have the catch all in position, just in case.

Yes, if the internet is down for more than 48 hours, you just change the MX record back to the 1and1 record within the first 24 - 36 hours. That will give time for DNS propogation to take place.

When you change the setting back, all the new mail will then start flowing back to the server, but any mail in the catch all will wait there until you download it to an Outlook client and send it to the appropriate mailboxes. Normally, the Internet connection won't be offline that long though :-)

Matt

so email sent whilst offline that goes into cathall mailbox will not be downloaded by owa then when back online?

thanks

No, 1and1 cannot be configured to send it on to Exchange when it comes back online. Since 1and1 would be the end point for the mail delivery when the 1and1 MX record is configured, that would be the last place it would be delivered to without your intervention.

If it's any reassurance, my Internet connection fortunately has never been off for more than 48 hours, and I've only ever had to use the catch-all once when, like I say, the router crashed and I was no where near home to reset it.

-tigermatt

That's not entirely true - what I meant to say was that my Internet connection has been off for more than 48 hours once before, but I've been able to get the MX record changed reasonably quickly and kept the distruption to mail flow to a minimum.

I forgot to mention the secondary MX store-and-forward facilities as an automatic failover alternative. I don't use one of these (yet), but effectively how they work is you go to a company and purchase their backup MX package. You configure their MX record on your domain at 1and1 - but give it a higher preference than the existing MX record (perhaps cost 10, since higher cost number = lower preference). By doing this, if your first preference MX record is ever uncontactable, the secondary MX record will be contacted and mail transmitted to them. When your Internet connection is back online and the server contactable, the backup MX provider sends all the mail it has received on to the server, as if nothing ever happened. This would all happen automatically, although it will require a registration fee. I know No-IP offer this service: http://www.no-ip.com/services/managed_mail/backup_mail.html

-tigermatt

thanks - just one more thing - i have created a public calendar and it seems all users can add appointments. do you know how to prevent this and assign the edit facility to a security group???

thanks

You'll have to find the Public Folder in Exchange System Manager (it'll be within Your Server > Public Folder Store > Public Folders), view its Properties. Within there, I forget where it is, but there is an option around somewhere in that properties box which allows you to edit the permissions on that Public Folder as you wish.

found it thanks for all of your help

regards

Andrew

Andrew,

That's fine, you're most welcome - I guess you can close this and assign points?!