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

[Steven E. Protter]

changing the hostname meant Exchange would not start.

Will have to create a new mail server, which needed to be done anyway on a W2K Pro box, which I hope will work. That box will have the correct domain name.

Looks Like I'm stuck for the day.

SEP

[De Ridder Philippe]

Hi Steve,
YEs you can't change the hostname on an Exchange server like that (see MS).
Exchange will not install on W2K Pro.
You will need the server version.

Have you tried to change the DNS suffix (DNS domain) of the machine?
On the Computer Name tab, click Change.
Click More.
Under Primary DNS suffix of this computer, type the DNS suffix you want to use.

Actually you could set up an EX Relay (if customer is Win*) with just the Internet Mail connector (no information store).

hth
Philippe

[De Ridder Philippe]

Articles of interest:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;126521 (EX server rename)
I don't thinjk renaming the server is the key though.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;249100 (IMC Config for addresses with @IP address)
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;307628 (EX SMTP relay)

I think there is a basic non-Exchange SMTP service in W2K Server (or W2003). Never used it. Might be worth a try. Here are some articles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;303701
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310336
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310356

hth
Philippe

[Steven E. Protter]

Excellent ideas all Dr.

Too bad Exchange won't install into W2K Pro.

If this SMTP service is available, I can install it onto the W2K Pro box which acts as a server. Once its hostname is renamed to the fully qualified domain name life is good.

The downside is the Exchange Box is the Primary Domain Controller and I'd have to rip out exchange, back up the data and reinstall the entire server.

The good news with that is the Windows NT Server box performs two functions:

1) PDC
2) Mail

So if users can still access mail by connecting via IP adrress(which they do now) I can leave that server alone and not touch anything.

The easiest alternative still seems to be to set up a single Linux SMTP relay server. That doesn't need to be a member of the domain and solves all problems quite nicely.

I'll present it to the customer.

My guess is he'll decide to do nothing for a while to control expenses.

SEP

[Alexander Chuzhoy]

Hey SEP,just a question: why do you need to set up a Mail relay station (even if it's Linux) when you can define your exchange server to send all mail traffic via existing mail relay-i.e client's ISP's mail server-which should by default allow the client's machine to realy through it?

[Steven E. Protter]

Alexander,

You make an excellent point and may have just earned yourself a bunny.

I forget myself that my ISP provides me with a relay server because I never use it.

I'll check with SBC/Yahoo DSL and give you a bunny if it works.

Sometimes the simple answer it the best answer.

The rest of you get seven points per, because the customer was unwilling to pay me for the extensive work.

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

Because I like handing them out another bunny op:

A procedure to set up Exchange to use an smtp relay server that requires a user id and password.

SEP

[Alexander Chuzhoy · Accepted solution]

See this link:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;265293


but instead of adding a connector (you probably have one already) just go into it's properties and define in a right field (you can't miss it) a smart host -which is another name for mail relay....

[Steven E. Protter]

I'm sure I could have found it myself.

Please enjoy the pair of bunnies I've just bestowed on you.

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

Alexander,

A close inspection of your link turned it up as Exchange 2000.

I tried to configure Exchange 5.5 to relay mail through a smtp host.

There were no options to enable authentication so the ISP rejected the mail.

Options under consideration:

1) Put a windows smtp server in and configure that for relay with authentication at the ISP.

SEP