Exchange 2003 - mail hosting

[SharkBait]

Hey guys/girls.

My knowledge of exchange is a bit limited in this area/question...

I have a client. They hosted their mails at an ISP and used exchange with the pop3 connector to download the mails to their server. The problem is, the lowest you can set the time for the connect to go get the mail is 15mins.

So, we suggested to the client to get a static ip and start hosting their own mail. They did this and I have changed the MX records to point to the static ip. The changes has taken effect, but I haven't removed the pop3 connectors, cause they are still receiving mail that way (which is confusing).

My question is, what else do I need to change on the server so that I can remove the pop3 connectors and all mails will go to their exchange server directly. Someone told me that I should just change the MX record and then delete the pop3 connectors and that is it, but why are they still getting mail with the pop3 connectors in place?

The firewall has been set up to forward all traffic on port 25 for the exchange server.

[labratza]

good question I also want to learn how to set up exchange server

[SharkBait]

This is what happens when you have to support exchange without them sending you on a course first. :( And no, I can't afford to pay for it myself.

Edit: Found this: http://my.safaribooksonline.com/032122874X/pref04

[Amida]

You need to make sure the Virtual SMTP connector is installed and confgured. the MX record can take a while to be updated so it might still use the old IP address to send the email.

What I suggest you do is to get your ISP to do the mail spooling for you because as soon as all the DNS server on the net are updated and your exchange is not setup properly people are going to start getting bounce backs which is bad for a company.

[SharkBait]

Thanx for the reply. Is the configuration of the Virtual SMTP connetor easy to do? Will google this one.

The thing is, the ISP in question is very useless and it takes weeks to get hold of them. I will just have to work as fast as possible to get everything working. From what I can see, the MX record update to other DNS servers is done, cause when I ping the host for various connections and places, I get the correct ip.

[Amida]

It might still be other email servers that still have the old IP address in their DNS Cache.

ALso send a email from say your gmail account and see what happens to it.

[SharkBait]

Another stoopid Q, how do I track my gmail? Google again? ;)

[SharkBait]

Mkay, I think my problem is with the MX records as it seems you don't really need to set up anything for the server to receive mails. The server did have the SMTP configured as they send mail from the exchange server, but POPed mail from the ISP to receive mail.


How to Add DNS Records
After you configure the SMTP virtual server and the SMTP connector, you can send outgoing mail. However, incoming and return messages are not able to be delivered to you until you (or your ISP) configure DNS.

* If your ISP is managing your DNS and you have a dial-up connection, the ISP must create a Mail Exchanger (MX) record that points to their smart host. This record uses the following format:

MX <your_domain>.com smart host1.<isp_domain>.com 10
MX <your_domain>.com smart host2.<isp_domain>.com 10


The preference value is 10, which can be used for preferential delivery or load balancing (as in this scenario). The ISP also has A (Address) records for smart host1 and smart host2.
* If your ISP is managing your DNS records and you have a permanent link, the ISP adds the following record:

MX <your_domain>.com exchange.<your_domain>.com 10
MX <your_domain>.com smart host1.<isp_domain>.com 20
MX <your_domain>.com smart host2.<isp_domain>.com 20
A exchange.<your_domain>.com 131.107.2.200


If your link is down, your messages are delivered to the ISP's smart hosts and you can pick up your messages from the smart host. Also note that the A record must be explicitly entered.
* If you are managing your own DNS records, add the following record:

MX <your_domain>.com exchange.<your_domain>.com 10
A exchange.<your_domain>.com 131.107.2.200


However, you may enter an MX record for a smart host as well.
* If you have one or more SMTP front-end protocol servers, your DNS records look similar to the following record:

MX <your_domain>.com smtp1.<your_domain>.com 10
MX <your_domain>.com smtp2.<your_domain>.com 10
A smtp1.<your_domain>.com 131.107.2.201
A smtp2.<your_domain>.com 131.107.2.202


Note If you are running your own DNS, your zone is mirrored on a secondary DNS server, possibly at another company location or with your ISP.

Note It typically takes 24 hours for Internet DNS records to roll over.

Now, I think this one is applicable to me.


If you are managing your own DNS records, add the following record:

MX <your_domain>.com exchange.<your_domain>.com 10
A exchange.<your_domain>.com 131.107.2.200


But I have this:
http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php?photo=12404&cat=500

Doesn't look right. :)

[PsyWulf]

The domain MX records need to be updated to your mail server's Public-facing IP( or webaddress/dynamic address if you use that ) then wait for the change to propagate through the DNS hierarchy from TLS down to your local DNS

There are lots of free sites that can check what a domain's MX records are for free

[PsyWulf]

Checked the screeny,which of those IPs is your server's public IP? It should have the highest priority MX record

[SharkBait]

Arg, soz, forgot to say. Their new static ip of the client is the 196.213.216.X one. The 67.15.126.X is the one for the ISP where the mail is currently being hosted.

Is this what it should look like? I want to have the ISP still as backup, so if mail cann't be delivered to the clients exchange box, it must go to the ISP, if that is even possible...


MX OxxxxxE.co.za mail.OxxxxxE.co.za 10
MX mail 67.15.126.X 20
A mail.OxxxxxE.co.za 196.213.216.X

[PsyWulf]

http://www.mxtoolbox.com/

Check the domain record to see if the new MX records went through

The list you posted looks right,your mail server has highest prio with the ISP mail as backup MX ( 10 > 20 ) and an A-record pointing the mail.address to the public facing IP

[Amida]

Arg, soz, forgot to say. Their new static ip of the client is the 196.213.216.X one. The 67.15.126.X is the one for the ISP where the mail is currently being hosted.

Is this what it should look like? I want to have the ISP still as backup, so if mail cann't be delivered to the clients exchange box, it must go to the ISP, if that is even possible...


MX OxxxxxE.co.za mail.OxxxxxE.co.za 10
MX mail 67.15.126.X 20
A mail.OxxxxxE.co.za 196.213.216.X

If I remember correctly that 10 and 20 at the end is priority. the lower one will be tried first then the higher one. Your Ip address doesn't have a priority.

I could be wrong thou.

[SharkBait]

If I put the domain name in and click on MX lookup, it says:

mx: oxxxxxe.co.za mx
No records found
dns lookup ns lookup mx lookup

Reported by ns2.kxxxxxxxxxxxg.net on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 4:39:36 AM

ns2.kxxxxxxxxxxxg.net = the guys that host the client's domain.

[PsyWulf]

If I put the domain name in and click on MX lookup, it says:

mx: oxxxxxe.co.za mx
No records found
dns lookup ns lookup mx lookup

Reported by ns2.kxxxxxxxxxxxg.net on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 4:39:36 AM

ns2.kxxxxxxxxxxxg.net = the guys that host the client's domain.

Means either the MX records havent been updated yet or it's borked. Any changes to MX records can take upto 24hours



As for Amida,yes and no,the MX header is for mail,the A header is for alias

[SharkBait]

K, well, I will change this like I said in post #11 on Friday and then check it again on Saturday. This way I don't interrupt the client that much. :D Thanx for your help. PM me your number and then I can bug you. :p (joke)

[SharkBait]

Hey Guys/Gals,

So, the MX records are finally done and working, but when I send a mail to a user that has never used the pop connectors (as he didn't have a mailbox with the isp) I get this...


This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.

A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:

administrator@OxxxxxE.co.za
SMTP error from remote mail server after RCPT TO:<administrator@OxxxxxE.co.za>:
host OxxxxxE.co.za [67.15.126.yy]: 550 Requested action not taken:
mailbox unavailable or not local

Now, if you check this pic again...
http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php?photo=12404&cat=500

The IP I get in the mail = the entry "@"
Now, the IP at entry "@" and the IP at entry "mail" is different.

I assume I will have to change entry "@" as well to the new IP then.

[fismail]

Did you manage to come right with this ?


Hey Guys/Gals,

So, the MX records are finally done and working, but when I send a mail to a user that has never used the pop connectors (as he didn't have a mailbox with the isp) I get this...



Now, if you check this pic again...
http://mybroadband.co.za/photos/showphoto.php?photo=12404&cat=500

The IP I get in the mail = the entry "@"
Now, the IP at entry "@" and the IP at entry "mail" is different.

I assume I will have to change entry "@" as well to the new IP then.

[SharkBait]

Yes, thank you, I did.

[SharkBait]

I just want to make sure of something.

If you have:
a static IP
a domain name
a mailbox hosted at an ISP
a exchange server with pop3 connector

and everything is working, but you want to change it so that the mails are delivered directly to the exchange server, you have to:

change the MX records to point to your static IP and:

that is all you have to do, cause the SMTP connector is already set up...?!

[Asha'man X]

I just want to make sure of something.

If you have:
a static IP
a domain name
a mailbox hosted at an ISP
a exchange server with pop3 connector

and everything is working, but you want to change it so that the mails are delivered directly to the exchange server, you have to:

change the MX records to point to your static IP and:

that is all you have to do, cause the SMTP connector is already set up...?!

That sounds about right yes, barring a few tweaks here and there for security and spam control. I think this goes for just about every mail server I think, not just Exchange.

[Amida]

Yes, thank you, I did.

What was wrong?

[SharkBait]

What was wrong?

MX records. Still have a problem with that client though and have no idea on how I am going to fix it. :(

The MX records currently have:
10: their static ip.
20: mx2.dnsmadeeasy.com
30: webmail ip of isp.

When it is like this, mail go both to their exchange box and the webmail. If I remove 20 and 30, then we don't know if all the mail are going to exchange. Note that the important mail is send from a website, so you don't get error messages...

Now they insist on haven't the webmail ip added as well in the mx records and I have to set up the pop connectors as well to download the mail. I don't like this, but for now it is the only why we are sure they are getting all the mail and I don't know how to troubleshoot it.