Exchange 5.5 outbound mail on DSL with DHCP

[Steven E. Protter]

DSL customer with SBC/Yahoo DSL Dynamic.

Has an exchange server.

Most mail gets outside just fine.

aol won't accept the mail because they do reverse lookup on inbound mail. If the mail doesn't match, they don't accept.

So, my options are:

1) Allow the customer to relay off his web domain which is in my office and has no problem sending mail anywhere. Problem there is keeping the configuration up to date. Everytime the router gets bounced no mail service.

2) Exchange Server Replication. Replicate his Exhcnage server on an Exchange Server in my office. Relay outbound mail off that. Same basic issue, no fixed address no mail transfer.

It is unlikely that SBC/Yahoo is going to make a reverse DNS lookup change on a Dynamic address. Naturally the customer doesn't want to pay the monthly on that anyway.

So, do I have any options I can play with on the Exchange Server?

Checking support.microsoft.com

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

Take a look at this:

Return-Path:
Received: from serverii.lowe (adsl-68-79-194-29.dsl.emhril.ameritech.net [68.79.194.29])

If I could get where it says serverii.lowe

to say serverii.loweslaw.com

I think I'd have a chance getting mail onto larger mail systems. I might have to maintain a DNS record but that is tolerable. I could probably have the server send an email once in a while, process an parse it to update the DNS record on an automated basis.

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

I suppose if I couldn't make exchange work the way I want use some junk hardware and create an internal Linux mail relay server.

That would have the right hostname. As an internal, nobody could use it to relay spam.

Sounds like a plan. Anyway I can get exchange to do that for me?

SEP

[Jon Finley]

Hmmmm.... 5.5 has the ability to change the return address on outgoing mail that is being relayed... So.. maybe this is do-able.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;259730&Product=ech

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;251124&Product=ech

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;238471

I think your answer will lay in re-routing it through the information store.

Jon

[Steven E. Protter]

Maybe its my Unix bias, but setting up a sendmail relay server seems easier. I know how to set the hostname on one of those babies.

SEP

[Jon Finley]

Well.... now... if it was easy... or worked the first time.... It wouldn't be Microsoft... :-)

Jon

[Steven E. Protter]

John, I'm seriously concerned with messing with the Registry.

I know windows experts such as yourself do this all the time. I've done it and it scares me.

I'm suspposed to migrate teh exchange server next week anway so here is my thinking:

Do a clean exchange install.
Patch it up.
Make this registry change.

Connect to this server and see if the mail goes out right.

Everything except the registry change has to happen anyway.

I'm going to leave one of your posts unassigned so I can give you a rabbit for solution if it works.

I go back to the customer next Monday or Tuesday.

SEP

[Jon Finley]

SEP... knowing your expertise on the UNIX side, I'd probably go with the Sendmail Relay Server also. This IS a Microsoft forum, but if the faster/better solution is to go with a UNIX solution, then go for it. I don't want to see your time wasted on a "possible" non-tested solution when it might mean a Customer loss.

Jon
(no points please)

[Steven E. Protter]

The customer has no Unix boxes. But I hear you.

Ruminating on the topic.

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

I had a few ideas.

Renaming the mail server to somedomain.net did not work.

I am now thinking of changing the hostname of the server from serverii to serverii.somedomain.net

If that does not work, then its change the domain name on the internal network, which most likely requires a visit to each deskstop.

I am at the client site now. Starting to hand out points.

SEP