Configuring SMTP Server under IIS Step by Step

[nuno]

Procedure (click the images for a full size version)

GOTO Control Panel » Administrative Tools » Internet Services Manager

This is what you will see

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step1s.gif (http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step1.gif)

Right click Server's name(highlighted box at above pic) » Properties » Server Extensions

and now we are here

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step2s.gif (http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step2.gif)

Now goto Options » Specify how mail should be sent » Settings

Fill in exactly as shown

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step3s.gif (http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step3.gif)

Hit OK twice

done here!

Next Step - Configuring SMTP Server

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step4s.gif (http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step4.gif)

Right Click Default SMTP Virtual Server » Properties » Access » Relay

this is what you will see

http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step5s.gif (http://pwp.netcabo.pt/0231050901/Step5.gif)

again fill in exactly as shown

Hit OK twice

dont forget to edit your php.ini file inside WINNT folder
to match your needs

ex:

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = localhost

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = webmaster@localhost

All done :)

[mbucy]

Thanks for the message, however, in the areas you fill in exactly as shown, I cannot read them. Even if I cut and paste to a pic editor.

Could you please write in the settings of post a clearer picture.

Sorry for being a pain in the A$^#!!!!

Thanks a lot!!

MB

[nuno]

what do you mean by I cannot read them?:confused:
just click thumbs to enlarge ;)

[CarlosC]

i don't see the "server extensions" tab.

BTW.. I am using apache on my win2k server.. does it matter?

[nuno]

i don't see the "server extensions" tab.

:confused:
Control Panel » Administrative Tools » Internet Services Manager
Right click Server's name » Properties » Server Extensions.

BTW.. I am using apache on my win2k server.. does it matter?

Stop Default Web Site and Administration Web Site, do not stop SMTP Server. ;)

[CarlosC]

I had to install front page extensions from the windows control panel... Now I have that tab...

Question... After I set the SMTP server... How am I going to check that everything is working fine..? How do I add users like Someone@mydomainname.com? Sorry for these questions. But I am totally new for email servers...
Last question... How do I have to modify my php.ini to make it work fine? The problem I have is that my users are no receiving the authentication email... or any email. Even when I make a mailtest.php from my website...

[nuno]

That goes in php.ini file

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = localhost

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = dbmaster@yada_yada.com

[CarlosC]

yada_yada.com is my domainname right? :p

[CarlosC]

Nuno..

I don’t know if you have any idea about zoneedit.com... That is a place where you set your domainname to you IP address... there is an option that let you specify your mail server...

Ok... before i keep going with this... Have you heard about zoneedit.com? :D

[nuno]

Originally posted by CarlosC
yada_yada.com is my domainname right? :p

Yes
Originally posted by CarlosC

I don’t know if you have any idea about zoneedit.com... That is a place where you set your domainname to you IP address... there is an option that let you specify your mail server...

Ok... before i keep going with this... Have you heard about zoneedit.com?

Yes to both

Email/SMTP Test Utility (http://zoneedit.com/smtp.html)

[CarlosC]

This the result of that utility:

SMTP Connection:
OK, connected to 67.82.254.8...
< 220 tecnibyte.com Microsoft ESMTP MAIL Service, Version: 5.0.2195.5329 ready at Sun, 27 Oct 2002 17:58:04 -0500
> HELO edit.dnsvr.com
< 250 tecnibyte.com Hello [64.21.143.22]
> 250 2.1.0 cusa76@hotmail.com....Sender OK
> RCPT TO:<localhost@tecnibyte.com>
< 250 2.1.5 localhost@tecnibyte.com
> DATA
< 452 4.3.1 Out of memory

[CarlosC]

In my zoneedit.com setting i have this:

MailServer: localhost.tecnibyte.com

Mail Destination: tecnibyte.com

Rank: 1st

And this is what i have in my php.ini=

sendmail_from= webmaster@localhost
sendmail_path= no value
SMTP= 192.168.1.101

[nuno]

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27720 ;)

[CarlosC]

Thanks nuno..

I'll keep reading.. :D .. lets see what i get!

[nuno]

php.ini

[mail function]
; For Win32 only.
SMTP = localhost

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = dbmaster@whatever_you_want.com

[CarlosC]

The reason why i never saw my test emails was because i had activated the junk filter thing in my hotmail accounts.. So i was all the time receiving the emails and i never noticed :p

What happened with the out memory thing was, that i set wrong folders for my mail root SMTP account on IIS. To stupid an complicated for me to explain. :confused:

Thanks a lot for all the help, and i hope i will keep in contact with you..

BTW.. Thanks for registering in my forum. I am sure that was a little bit confusing for you (Spanish language). :D but that showed me the level of dedication for help!! :)

[nuno]

np :)

[TECK]

Hmm, nuno... I have a trick question:
How do I add a new email user account onto my email client? For example webmaster@localhost

Could you post here all the steps needed (POP, SMTP, etc)? Thanks.

[nuno]

You mean adding webmaster@localhost to Outlook?

[TECK]

You see how you read my mind? It's scary. :D
Ya nuno... I need to enter a user and a password right?
Well, the user is webmaster but the password?
Just post all configuration if you don't mind, just to make sure... Thanks.

[nuno]

IIS has an SMTP service but no POP3 service, it provides only mail delivery functionality, it does not provide a POP server and is not intended to be used by end-user programs such as Outlook.
This means you can only send mails and not retrieve them. :(
What you need is a third party POP3 mail server. ;)

[TECK]

Thanks nuno for explaining. :)
Now, I have all settings the way you mentioned in first post.
If there is a database error, VB will send them to admin@teckwizardsDOTcom, using the webmaster@localhost email account, right?
I set this onto the local config.php file.
How can I send a test email from the local server to see if it's working?

[SloppyGoat]

Ok, I just moved and now I have DSL instead of cable. I was using...

"SMTP= smtp.myisp.net ; for Win32 only"

...for my smtp, but now with the new isp, this doesn't seem to work. Anyone know why? My test emails seem to vanish into cyber air....no trace of bad mail or anything. That line in php.ini is the only one that need be changed, right? :confused:

[nuno]

Originally posted by TECK
Thanks nuno for explaining. :)
Now, I have all settings the way you mentioned in first post.
If there is a database error, VB will send them to admin@teckwizardsDOTcom, using the webmaster@localhost email account, right?
I set this onto the local config.php file.
How can I send a test email from the local server to see if it's working?
You can add webmaster@localhost to Outlook, to send mail only that is.
POP -> localhost
SMTP -> localhost.
Note that adding localhost to POP will do nothing , it's just needed to click the Next button. ;)
Username -> webmaster
Password -> blank.
Do not worry about password being blank, you set SMTP server to accept connections from localhost (127.0.0.1) only.
That's it, now you have a webmaster@localhost account added to outlook.
Try pmail.com.

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
Ok, I just moved and now I have DSL instead of cable. I was using...

"SMTP= smtp.myisp.net ; for Win32 only"

...for my smtp, but now with the new isp, this doesn't seem to work. Anyone know why? My test emails seem to vanish into cyber air....no trace of bad mail or anything. That line in php.ini is the only one that need be changed, right? :confused:
Who's your ISP?

[SloppyGoat]

Originally posted by nuno
Who's your ISP?

Now it's frontiernet.net. It used to be roadrunner. Should using localhost work? Because it doesn't. I always had to use my RR smtp before. What I can't figure out now is, where the hell are my test emails going? They appear to go out fine, but never show up anywhere. :confused:

[nuno]

Try mail.frontiernet.net.

[SloppyGoat]

Originally posted by nuno
Try mail.frontiernet.net.

Well, it's actually citlink.net. I guess frontier bought them. So, I used smtp.citlink.net, which works for my email anyway, but I'll try mail.citlink.net and see what happens.

[EDIT]
Nope, I tried both. It does the same thing....looks like it works, but no email. :( It may have something to do with this modem. It has a damn firewall that I can't disable, otherwise it stops working. I've ordered another modem that should get me back online. I really can't imagine that's the smtp problem though, otherwise I'd be getting something in the log, or bad mail folder. As far as I can tell, the server thinks everything is fine. :rolleyes:

Not sure what this means, but this is what the log says. Any idea? Are those zeros supposed to mean something? Good or bad? :confused:

#Software: Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
#Version: 1.0
#Date: 2003-01-26 00:14:28
#Fields: time c-ip cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status
00:14:28 - - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net EHLO - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net MAIL - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net RCPT - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net DATA - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:14:28 mx09.roc.frontiernet.net QUIT - 0
01:14:29 - - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net EHLO - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net MAIL - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net RCPT - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net DATA - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
01:14:29 mx03.roc.frontiernet.net QUIT - 0

[SloppyGoat]

Ok, I must get this figured out. My server is back online, but still no email! Please help. Any suggestions or advise will be greatly appreciated.

[nuno]

Must be some kind of problem with your ISP
Try this -> http://faq.frontiernet.net/index.php?num=3&f_id=2&s_id=14 :)

[SloppyGoat]

Well, according to them, they don't block anything. That site only confirms that I am indeed using the right smtp.
I just got off the phone with them. It should work. I have no idea why it's not working. The smtp is correct in the php.ini. Is there anything else that may need to be changed in IIS? Man, I finally get the damn thing online, and it's crippled! :(

[nuno]

Have you configured IIS SMTP Server accordingly to instructions?
If you did, then you do not need to enter your ISP SMTP server in php.ini.
Add something like

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = webmaster@localhost


And restart IIS

iisreset

[SloppyGoat]

Yes, it's configured exactly like the example. I've always had to use the isp's smtp as a relay though, otherwise, nothing happens. "webmaster@localhost" has absolutely nothing to do with the actual config of the smtp server, IIRC. It's only the address it sends along, isn't it? The only line that ever made any diff was the smtp line....and that always had to be set to my isp's smtp. Man, this is making me mad. Now my board's back up, and I can't even email my members to tell them. :mad:

[nuno]

Stop IIS SMTP Server and set sendmail as

; For Win32 only.
sendmail_from = smtp.frontiernet.net

Restart IIS and make sure SMTP Server is not running.

[SloppyGoat]

No dice. Same thing. I don't have a clue man. :( All I know is that it worked fine on RoadRunner....with their smtp. Frontiernet has about 4 different smtp's, but you're supposed to use the one that coincides with your email address, of course. This sucks! This is what I hate about running a server. It's tough to find anyone who doesn't just tell you, "Sorry, you're over my head". :(

Thanks for trying to help so far, Nuno. I appreciate it.

[nuno]

Try to disable your Anti-Spam blocking.
https://security.frontiernet.net/acctedit

[SloppyGoat]

Nope, it was already off too. AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!! This is going to drive me insane! :( What other options do I have? I'd try to run my own smtp server, instead of a relay, but most pop servers won't even accept anything from an uncertified smtp, I guess. It seems I tried that before, and it was a problem.

[nuno]

I told you before, by setting sendmail to your ISP SMTP in php.ini there's no need for you to run the IIS SMTP server.
If your ISP SMTP is not sending out any emails, then it's on their end entirely.
I would suggest you to redo the installation process as described previously.

[SloppyGoat]

It's not the installation. I packed a perfectly functional server up, moved to MN, set it back up, changed the php info, and it doesn't work. I've tried everything you've suggested. There's no way I'm reinstalling IIS, when that can't be the problem. If anything, it's a setting that needs to be changed....or the ISP isn't allowing the relay....even though they said they have no block.

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
It's not the installation. I packed a perfectly functional server up, moved to MN, set it back up, changed the php info, and it doesn't work. I've tried everything you've suggested. There's no way I'm reinstalling IIS, when that can't be the problem. If anything, it's a setting that needs to be changed....or the ISP isn't allowing the relay....even though they said they have no block.
I'm not telling you to reinstall IIS.
Let's review the steps.
Step5
Make sure it's exactly as you see in the attachment

[SloppyGoat]

Check. Got that. ;)



One thing I do know....this is a working log, when it used to connect to RR's smtp:

#Software: Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
#Version: 1.0
#Date: 2002-08-31 19:48:15
#Fields: time c-ip cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status
19:48:15 65.168.189.2 HELO - 250
19:48:15 65.168.189.2 MAIL - 250
19:48:15 65.168.189.2 RCPT - 550
19:48:15 65.168.189.2 QUIT - 0

This is the crap I get now: (alot of nothing)

#Software: Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
#Version: 1.0
#Date: 2003-02-01 00:31:47
#Fields: time c-ip cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net EHLO - 0
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net MAIL - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net RCPT - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net DATA - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net QUIT - 0
00:32:50 - - - 0

It's like their smtp turns me away...or something. :confused:

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat

It's like their smtp turns me away...or something. :confused:

mx06.roc.frontiernet.net :confused:

[SloppyGoat]

Yeah, they seem to have a bunch of relays named mx0n.roc. (n=digit)
I even tried entering those for the smtp. :mad:

So, what are my alternatives, if this won't ever work? I must have smtp! :(

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
This is the crap I get now: (alot of nothing)

#Software: Microsoft Internet Information Services 5.0
#Version: 1.0
#Date: 2003-02-01 00:31:47
#Fields: time c-ip cs-method cs-uri-stem sc-status
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net EHLO - 0
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:47 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net MAIL - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net RCPT - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net DATA - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net - - 0
00:31:49 mx06.roc.frontiernet.net QUIT - 0
00:32:50 - - - 0

Is this the SMTP Server logfile?

[SloppyGoat]

Yes. That's what's in the SMTPSVC log folder. Crazy how it says, "EHLO", instead of "HELO", isn't it? :confused:

Here's the latest event log warnings:

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: smtpsvc
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4000
Date: 1/31/2003
Time: 9:53:28 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
Message delivery to the remote domain 'citlink.net' failed for the following reason: An internal DNS error caused a failure to find the remote server.


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: smtpsvc
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4000
Date: 1/31/2003
Time: 9:22:46 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
Message delivery to the remote domain 'citlink.net' failed for the following reason: The connection was dropped by the remote host.


Event Type: Warning
Event Source: smtpsvc
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4000
Date: 1/31/2003
Time: 9:05:42 PM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
Message delivery to the remote domain 'citlink.net' failed for the following reason: The remote server did not respond to a connection attempt.

[SloppyGoat]

Do you know anything about Argosoft Mail Server? I'm thinking about using it instead, temporarily. See, I'm only staying at this location until I get a job and another house. Hopefully, the next place I live in has a better ISP! :rolleyes:

[nuno]

Let me install SMTP Server and test it.
I'm not running IIS5 anymore, now i'm with IIS6.0. :)
Read THIS (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q263237).
Try pmail (http://www.pmail.com)

[SloppyGoat]

Well, here's what I get when I do the commands on that page. I don't know exactly what it means, but all appears to respond normally.
Does this tell you anything?

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>nslookup
Default Server: resolve01.roc.ny.frontiernet.net
Address: 66.133.170.2

> set vc
> set q=mx
> citlink.net
Server: resolve01.roc.ny.frontiernet.net
Address: 66.133.170.2

Non-authoritative answer:
citlink.net MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = mx.frontiernet.

citlink.net nameserver = auth02.roc.frontiernet.net
citlink.net nameserver = auth01.roc.frontiernet.net
mx.frontiernet.net internet address = 66.133.130.17
auth02.roc.frontiernet.net internet address = 66.133.128.139

[nuno]

Hmm
It seems frontiernet.net is refusing TCP queries.

[SloppyGoat]

Ok, I just did a test. If I drop a test txt file like this:

"From: webmaster@server.com
To: myemail@citlink.net
Subject: testing

This is the test message body."

....directly into the pickup folder in mailroot, it goes through frontiernet and gets delivered to me! So, for some reason, the messages aren't making it to the pickup folder! With this new knowledge, do you have any new ideas? I feel like I'm getting somewhere now anyway. It does indeed send, and I even bypassed the citlink smtp too. So, why wouldn't they be delivered to the pickup folder? :confused:
I know I can get this to work now, if I can just figure out why the messages never make it to the folder. :(

[nuno]

Do you mean the outgoing folder of SMTP Server?
Are they queued?

[SloppyGoat]

I guess it's the outgoing folder. It's C:\Inetpub\mailroot\pickup

I found a test somewhere that said to drop a test file in there, and I actually watched it go, then frontiernet happily delivered it to me. I assume this must be the outgoing folder, since it's polled like that.

That must mean php isn't doing it's thing, right? Is that how it works? PHP delivers it to the smtp server, then the smtp server mails it, correct?

[SloppyGoat]

Well, I finally got it going! I had to just use my own smtp, instead of the isp's. It's alot slower though. Which setting in IIS can I change to send them quicker? I mass emailed everyone, and I'm watching them go out one by one out of the queue.

Thanks so much for your help, BTW.

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
Well, I finally got it going! I had to just use my own smtp, instead of the isp's. It's alot slower though. Which setting in IIS can I change to send them quicker? I mass emailed everyone, and I'm watching them go out one by one out of the queue.

Thanks so much for your help, BTW.
That's what i've been trying to tell you right from the beginning, to replace your ISP smtp by your own.
Look at this post
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?postid=406107&postcount=31
I'm glad you've sorted things out. :)

[SloppyGoat]

Well, the problem I used to have with that is, alot of servers do a reverse dns check, and I don't have a dns server so they'd reject any emails from my server. I hope that doesn't become a problem. Also, localhost still doesn't work. I had to use the name of my server instead. Weird, eh?

But, the "sendmail_from = webmaster@localhost" doesn't make a difference. That one can say anything you want it to, so it seems. The only one that seems to matter is the "SMTP=". I played around with different addresses/names on both.

[SloppyGoat]

One more question.....

I get this in badmail sometimes:

Unable to deliver this message because the follow error was encountered: "This message is a delivery status notification that cannot be delivered.".

The specific error code was 0xC00402C7.


The message sender was <>.


The message was intended for the following recipients.
myname@citlink.net (home address)
myname@yahoo.com

If the message sender is nothing, where do I enter something? As far as I can tell, I have an address in everything. Do you know what this would be referring to?

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
One more question.....

I get this in badmail sometimes:

Unable to deliver this message because the follow error was encountered: "This message is a delivery status notification that cannot be delivered.".

The specific error code was 0xC00402C7.


The message sender was <>.


The message was intended for the following recipients.
myname@citlink.net (home address)
myname@yahoo.com

If the message sender is nothing, where do I enter something? As far as I can tell, I have an address in everything. Do you know what this would be referring to?
It could be a DNS error, due to incorrect config.

Also, localhost still doesn't work. I had to use the name of my server instead.

Try to add it to your Relay domain options and see if that works.

[SloppyGoat]

Ok, being an amature, I didn't even have DNS running! I started it and configured it. Not sure if I did it right, but I'll see if it makes a difference. ;)

I also read on another forum about someone having the same problem, and he added "*.com", "*.net", and, "*.org" to his remote domains. I too tried this. It still doesn't seem to be working though. :(

[SloppyGoat]

Nope, I'm still having the same problems. And some other pop servers are dropping the connection too. Damnit! What do I have to do to make this work properly? I tried to set up the DNS server, but it wants me to have a domain name then. I don't want a domain name because I use a workgroup, and I log on to my server remotely across my network. Man, this sure is a pain in the ass. :( There must be some way to make this work. :confused:

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
Nope, I'm still having the same problems. And some other pop servers are dropping the connection too.
What do you mean by dropping the connection?
Like i told you, blame it on your ISP if you're getting refused deliveries with your ISP's SMTP, you should not blame vBulletin or your server, contact your ISP and ask them why are messages being rejected. :)

[SloppyGoat]

After much research, this is what I've determined the problem to be. How can I resolve this? This is from a different isp's FAQ's, but this is exactly what I'm experiencing from quite a few mail servers. I'm just looking for the easiest way to make my smtp server accepted by all pop servers. See, my messages are now just being rejected from members isp's. I assume this is because I know nothing about setting up DNS....althouth I tried. :(


If you get a bounced message reply that states:

450 Client host rejected: cannot find your hostname
-or-
554 Client host rejected: cannot find your hostname
-or-
450 <yourservername.yourdomainname.com>:
Helo command rejected: Host not found
-or-
554 <yourservername.yourdomainname.com>:
Helo command rejected: Host not found

Your connection to our SMTP hosts is being rejected because
there is no PTR record (that is, no reverse-lookup
record in DNS) for the IP address of your mail domain.
OR, you have a PTR, but it does not match its A record.

As an anti-spam measure, we require valid forward and
reverse DNS lookups for all mail we accept.


Many SMTP servers do a security check by comparing the
hostname of your mail server (the official hostname of
your mail domain) against the hostname returned by the
PTR record for the IP address from which you are connecting.
If there is no PTR record, or, if the hostnames do not
match, your connection is dropped.


You should verify your configuration against this how-to guide:
http://www.saas.nsw.edu.au/solutions/dns.html

(The link above appears to have the answers, but it's a bit over my head)

OR - Read this brief summation from RFC1912 dated Feb. 1996:


Every Internet-reachable host should have a name. The
consequences of this are becoming more and more obvious.
Many services available on the Internet will not talk to
you if you are not correctly registered in the DNS.

Make sure your PTR and A records match. For every IP address,
there should be a matching PTR record in the in-addr.arpa domain.
If a host is multi-homed, (more than one IP address) make sure
that all IP addresses have a corresponding PTR record (not just
the first one). Failure to have matching PTR and A records can
cause loss of Internet services similar to not being registered
in the DNS at all. Also, PTR records must point back to a valid
A record, not a alias defined by a CNAME. It is highly
recommended that you use some software which automates this
checking, or generate your DNS data from a database which
automatically creates consistent data.
---------------------------------------------------------

See, before, I had no problem sending to this member's domain. Now I get this, because it's doing a reverse lookup, I assume.

Event Type: Warning
Event Source: smtpsvc
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4000
Date: 2/7/2003
Time: 1:07:05 AM
User: N/A
Computer: SERVER
Description:
Message delivery to the remote domain 'cox.net' failed for the following reason: The connection was dropped by the remote host.

[nuno]

What can i say?
Read this post -> http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?postid=406173&postcount=35
Read your reply -> http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?postid=406184&postcount=36
Conclusion, this is related to some kind of anti-spam software and your ISP.
Don't you have a member area?
Disable all anti-spam blocking software.

[SloppyGoat]

You don't understand....it's not going through my isp's server anymore. It's going directly from my smtp server. There is nothing being blocked, until it tries to shake hands with the pop server of the member's isp. That's what happens when you run your own. It's the members' isp's that have this reverse lookup in place. Most good isp's do.

[nuno]

Originally posted by SloppyGoat
It's the members' isp's that have this reverse lookup in place. Most good isp's do.
I see, then there's nothing you can do about it i guess, you could ask him to change his email address.

[SloppyGoat]

Yeah, I've done that to a few already. The problem is, I require activation, and you kind of want your new members to receive their activation links. I'm afraid the only real way to not have to worry about this is to set it up right, which seems to be quite a task. Even finding someone with the level of expertise that can still explain it in simple english is damn near impossible. Ah yes! Welcome to the real IT world, eh? A wise man once said, "DOH!!!" No wait, that was Homer. :p :D

[Juanito]

Pretty simple and straightforward, thanks, worked like a charm!

[Nirex]

Pretty simple and straightforward, thanks, worked like a charm!
thats great

[sinjix_media]

I got the server to work. Outlook has no problems connecting and logging into it's incoming and outgoing. When I first got it setup there was no problem sending and receiving mail, but for some reason NOW I am not getting the test e-mails that I send out or in.Outlook doesn't give any error messages though. The last e-mails that I sent, I could only REPLY to an e-mail that I already got before, but I couldn't send NEW (again, outlook has no problems with it)
I have a dynamic DNS server from my ISP.

Note: I have no problems sending and receiving e-mails from webmaster@347media.com to webmaster@347media.com