Brand new Exchange Server

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: heymrdj
That my friend is called overselling, and in no way from heaven or hades will you ever get close enough to use that.

True, they'd probably cancel your contract before you reached it.

There are easier options than what the OP is doing though. Setting up a domain controller and he's not even running a domain. You don't need a domain controller to run mail. There are simpler options for Windows than that.

 

[hiromizu]

I'd imagine he's setting up Exchange/AD for the sake of learning more than anything. If that's the case, the cheap webhosting stuff is irrelevant.

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: hiromizu
I'd imagine he's setting up Exchange/AD for the sake of learning more than anything. If that's the case, the cheap webhosting stuff is irrelevant.

Seems to me in the OP he stated he wants to host his own e-mail. That doesn't sound like "sake of learning more than anything". It sounds like he has a plan and intends to implement it.

 

[Nothinman]

The best way to learn is with a real world setup...

 

[jonmcc33]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
The best way to learn is with a real world setup...

I don't agree at all. You can really mess things up that way, especially in a production environment.

 

[Nothinman]

But if it's just for him then he's the only one affected so what's the problem? I'm obviously not advocating testing things out on your work network...

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
The best way to learn is with a real world setup...

Agreed.
Common sense applies of course(regarding the other reply to this post), as with many other things in life.

 

[birddseedd]

I got the server keys free from a cousin in the business. he is also is going to forward my email from his server to mine on an open port

as for running the pc, i run it all day anyway. i use my server remotly every day. rdp client on my treo. as well as financial info and what not. as long as the monitor and hard disks turn off, the pc doesent cost very much to run all of the time.

problem is, i just cannot get a client to connect. i can connect and send mail locally, but if outside the network it just wont work. i know the port im using is open, it has been telneted into.


here is what i did.

1 install server 2k3
2 dcpromo
3 install exchange
4 add domain to recipient policy
5 change port smtp runs on (blocked by isp)
6 add email to user in active directory
7 setup client with custom port
8 wont connect.

iv read and done waht iv read. but it just wont connect. can someone help me please!

 

[birddseedd]

there are two reasons i am doign it. one, i do need to learn how to do it (for everything i know it shoudl be working now) but i would like to have my contacts, mail and calender synced in one central location. i use a couple different devices, as well as the internet (when i get webmail setup). i woudl like for all of my data to be centralized. some stuff already is. finantial information with quicken.

but for some reason it just will not connect.

 

[hiromizu]

Originally posted by: birddseedd
I got the server keys free from a cousin in the business. he is also is going to forward my email from his server to mine on an open port

as for running the pc, i run it all day anyway. i use my server remotly every day. rdp client on my treo. as well as financial info and what not. as long as the monitor and hard disks turn off, the pc doesent cost very much to run all of the time.

problem is, i just cannot get a client to connect. i can connect and send mail locally, but if outside the network it just wont work. i know the port im using is open, it has been telneted into.


here is what i did.

1 install server 2k3
2 dcpromo
3 install exchange
4 add domain to recipient policy
5 change port smtp runs on (blocked by isp)
6 add email to user in active directory
7 setup client with custom port
8 wont connect.

iv read and done waht iv read. but it just wont connect. can someone help me please!

This is hopeless - it's not going to work from the outside. Why are you changing SMTP ports? You'll run into all sorts of problems. Did you contact and ask your ISP why they are blocking 25? Are they blocking 80/443 too? If so, you won't be able to do RPC over HTTP which allows Outlook clients to connect to your Exchange server as if it's on the LAN.

Before anyone can help, you must have the basic requirements first, and that is a proper internet connection that allows you to host server applications. Look for static DSL accounts. That's the cheapest ways to get started.

 

[birddseedd]

nearly every isp blocks incomming requests on port 25. my isp will not open the port unless i change my account into a comerical account for 15 bucks a month more. so i have no choice but to change the port (the mail will come into the server on port 25 always, this is just how it works. no way to change it at all. so my email will go to my cousins server on 25, then he is redirecting it to my server on another port)

i will just have to specify the port on the client mail program.

i would rather have dsl, but the cable company is the only company that offers internet connection here. asside from sattlite, but that is way to expensive.

i did get pop3 to work over another port. i got one sync to work and download my mail. then after that it started saying the username was wrong.




What do i have to do to make my server send email. even connection locally, i am still not able to send my mail. it leaves the client, but never arives in the mail box i sent it to. Is it stuck on the server? where can i find it?

thanks
mike

 

[kevnich2]

I'm just going to tell you know, how you have things setup, you will continue to have major problems. Having your email go to your cousin's computer, then redirected to your server because your ISP blocks incoming port 25....that's just asking for problems. Either pony up the money for the extra $15/month if you're so dead set on running your own email server or get a hosted exchange box or something if you have to have exchange email. Since this isn't a commercial account, I don't suppose you have a proper reverse DNS entry on your internet IP address, do you? That'll also cause you problems as many email servers are now rejecting all email that doesn't have a reverse DNS entry. As for your direct problem with not being able to send email, did you happen to check the SMTP monitor in exchange to see what the server is doing when you try and send email??

 

[Nothinman]

Having your email go to your cousin's computer, then redirected to your server because your ISP blocks incoming port 25....that's just asking for problems.

Not really, that's how email works. The message bounces from server to server via SMTP until it hits the final destination server. It would probably be simpler if his cousin set his up to be the destination for his domain and then he POP'd the mail down to his own server but it really shouldn't matter.

I don't suppose you have a proper reverse DNS entry on your internet IP address, do you? That'll also cause you problems as many email servers are now rejecting all email that doesn't have a reverse DNS entry.

He doesn't have to have one, he can relay through either his ISP's mail server or his cousin if his cousin has a business account.

 

[birddseedd]

Knowing my isp, charter communications, i probably do not have reverse dns. aside from calling them, is there a way to test?

i guess im going to have to take this step by step. im trying to get connected via pop3. everything connects just fine, then during authentication the server rejects the username. i know the username is correct as well as password. at one point i did successfully connect and download email.

why is it rejecting the username?

tried built in administrator account as well as creating a new account with same problem

 

[Nothinman]

Knowing my isp, charter communications, i probably do not have reverse dns. aside from calling them, is there a way to test?

nslookup will do just about DNS querie you might want. It sounds like you really should get a book on the basics of how the protocols that run the Internet work like DNS, SMTP, TCP/IP and probably Exchange as well since that's the specific product you're looking at.

But a PTR record isn't a requirement and even if you do have one, I know I do with Comcast, it probably won't help since most MTAs refuse to accept mail directly from IPs within ranges that are considered dynamic/consumer ranges.

why is it rejecting the username?

Look at your Exchange logs, that's not something we can do for you.

 

[kevnich2]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Having your email go to your cousin's computer, then redirected to your server because your ISP blocks incoming port 25....that's just asking for problems.

Not really, that's how email works. The message bounces from server to server via SMTP until it hits the final destination server. It would probably be simpler if his cousin set his up to be the destination for his domain and then he POP'd the mail down to his own server but it really shouldn't matter.

I don't suppose you have a proper reverse DNS entry on your internet IP address, do you? That'll also cause you problems as many email servers are now rejecting all email that doesn't have a reverse DNS entry.

He doesn't have to have one, he can relay through either his ISP's mail server or his cousin if his cousin has a business account.

Yes, the individual packets go through several hops but in this case, you have two points of failure. If his cousin's server or cousin's internet goes down, his own server goes down or his own internet goes down, his email stops. The more complicated things are made, the easier it is to break it and even harder to try and fix it. Keep it as simple as you can get it. Just out of curiosity, why do you need your own local exchange server? Is there a reason behind all of this or is just to see if you could do it?

 

[Nothinman]

Yes, the individual packets go through several hops but in this case, you have two points of failure. If his cousin's server or cousin's internet goes down, his own server goes down or his own internet goes down, his email stops.

The whole email themselves go through several SMTP server hops and email is pretty resiliant. If a mail server is properly configured it'll retry sending a message for a few days so even if one box is down the mail will eventually get through.

 

[birddseedd]

Is there a reason behind all of this or is just to see if you could do it?

couple reasons, i do want and need to learn how to use it. but i would like to have my calender and contacts as well as my email in one central location. then ill have the same info on my phone, laptop, desktop)(server), website. everything will have the same data.

i also like the idea of controlling my email myself. not having restrictions set by another company. right now im limited to only 25 megs by godaddy. with my own server, i will not have that limit.

where do i find the exchange logs? so i can find out why its rejecting the username!

 

[Nothinman]

So there's no chance of you buying an Exchange book and learning the product properly? Exchange is a big piece of software, you can't expect to just poke and hope your way through it.

 

[kevnich2]

As nothinman said, you really need to get a book and properly learn this stuff. You're not going to learn it by asking a question about every single problem you run into on this forum. Eventually, people are just going to ignore your questions. Exchange logs and the exchange SMTP information is very basic information with exchange, which means you obviously don't know exchange. Get a book and plan on spending some time reading it and learning exchange.

 

[birddseedd]

You are right, i dont know much about exchange. and if i had money to go out and buy a 59 dollar book, i would pay 20 bucks a month for a commercial account and even a static ip (too bad they dont offer static ip's for a residential account. only 5 bucks more for it).

however, if i could find where the logs are at, then i would be able to find the error that is b eing given when i try to log on. at this point i would have a starting point to research (google) on why i cannot get connected.

that asside, i believe that the only problem that i have using pop3. all the connections are made seemlessly, including sending and recieving a test message.

can i get at least a hint as to where the logs are at? do i look in the system manager or event viewer?

 

[birddseedd]

I figured part of it out. the pop service cannot be on the same port as the smtp service. when i change the port I am able to download email via pop3. this fixed the "rejecting username" problem

Gettin closer

Still cannot send email.
Still cannot connect to exchange outside the network. im starting to wonder if you are even able to change the port that exchange uses?

 

[Nothinman]

I figured part of it out. the pop service cannot be on the same port as the smtp service.

Yea, each service has to have it's own port. Maybe you should pick up a book on TCP/IP as well.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: birddseedd
I figured part of it out. the pop service cannot be on the same port as the smtp service. when i change the port I am able to download email via pop3. this fixed the "rejecting username" problem

Gettin closer

Still cannot send email.
Still cannot connect to exchange outside the network. im starting to wonder if you are even able to change the port that exchange uses?

If you want to get email on your phone use IMAP.

Running exchange on your DC will cause problems.

 

[birddseedd]

IMAP doesent sync contact and calendar info does it?