tcpip>set mx

[j gray]

tcpip>set mx "abc.xyz.com"/pref=/gate= gives abc.xyz.com.local.domain which is not what I want. E.G. if I want a gateway to handle postmaster@houston.rr.com what MX would work?

[Ian Miller.]

I think you have to define the MX record on the DNS server for houston.rr.com not your local domain.

[j gray]

I am using my ISP DNS server. Also there is no prob if tcpip>set mx "hotmail.com"/pref=/gate=, only on name one cannot "ping"

[Willem Grooters]

I use this for my domain strcuture - where the ISP holds the "external DNS" and I have my own (relaying) SMTP server

1. Configure mail (TCPIP)
2. Configure mail (SMTP.CONF)
3. If you have a firewall (highly recommended) have it transfer port 25 to your mailserver
4. Ask your provider to add an MX record into DNS pointing to your firewall address.

1 and 2 are covered in the attachment.

HTH

[j gray]

I dont use alternate gateway all the time. I only want to use it for problem children like houston.rr.com. Setting alternate gateway to my MS Exchange server (peer of Alpha) works fine, I just dont want to user it all the time. Also I dont enable service SMTP, i.e. the Alpha is outbound only.

[Willem Grooters]

How do your PC's communicate - or: What has been defined theer as SMTP server? If that is the alpha, you NEED to setup SMTP and define an alternate gateway to be able to send out.

If these PC's use your ISP's SMTP server, you will have to add in DNS:

houston.rr.com. IN A aaa.bbb.ccc.ddd
MX ADDRESS

I is your ISP's mailserver or the one of the destination.

Willem

[j gray]

PC's use an MS exchange server which is a network brother with an internal gateway connecting the alpha and exchange server (which is the gateway mentioned above) on a second nic. The exchange server has no problem with hotmail but for some reason the alpha takes 11 minutes to move from one non-functioning hotmail mailserver to the next.