cannot connect to pop3 server without using full domain

  • Thread starter Thread starter jerrydy
  • Start date Start date
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jerrydy

We're using Outlook 2003 to receive mail from our provider's pop3 server.
Since we have so many workstations, instead of entering the mail server's IP
address into each workstation's Outlook configuration, we simply use the name
"pop3" and then configure our Windows Server 2003 DNS to have the name "pop3"
to point to the provider's mail server's IP. So this has been working for
years without problems.

Our provider recently upgraded their mail servers, which means, the IP
address had changed. So I changed the DNS entry for "pop3" to point to the
new IP address.

Now, when I try to check my mail on my workstation, I don't get my new
emails. When I enter the IP address directly into my Outlook settings, it
works and I'm able to receive new emails. I can do an nslookup pop3 and the
correct IP address is returned. But when I revert back to using "pop3", I
don't get new mails again. For some reason, Outlook doesn't like the name,
but accepts the IP address.

I have tried using ipconfig /flushdns, and restarting Outlook, but it didn't
solve the problem.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
If you ping 'pop3' what happens? Also, why didn't you just enter the server
fully qualified domain name to start with as opposed to just 'pop3'. It
takes about the same amount of effort.
 
I tried again moments ago and it just started working... it appears that
Outlook 2003 is caching the DNS entry for the mail servers which doesn't get
deleted even after restarting Outlook and doing a /flushdns???

Yes, I'm able to ping pop3 fine. Note that during this process, our
provider's old and new servers are all still up, hence we're not getting any
error messages at all. The only way to know Outlook is using the new server
name is to send a test message and seeing the new message being received in
Outlook.

No particular reason to use just "pop3" except to save some typing.

Thanks!
 
It sometimes takes a while for the DNS records to completely update,
depending on the TTL.

:I tried again moments ago and it just started working... it appears that
: Outlook 2003 is caching the DNS entry for the mail servers which doesn't
get
: deleted even after restarting Outlook and doing a /flushdns???
:
: Yes, I'm able to ping pop3 fine. Note that during this process, our
: provider's old and new servers are all still up, hence we're not getting
any
: error messages at all. The only way to know Outlook is using the new
server
: name is to send a test message and seeing the new message being received
in
: Outlook.
:
: No particular reason to use just "pop3" except to save some typing.
:
: Thanks!
:
: "Vince Averello" wrote:
:
: > If you ping 'pop3' what happens? Also, why didn't you just enter the
server
: > fully qualified domain name to start with as opposed to just 'pop3'. It
: > takes about the same amount of effort.
: >
: > : > > We're using Outlook 2003 to receive mail from our provider's pop3
server.
: > > Since we have so many workstations, instead of entering the mail
server's
: > > IP
: > > address into each workstation's Outlook configuration, we simply use
the
: > > name
: > > "pop3" and then configure our Windows Server 2003 DNS to have the name
: > > "pop3"
: > > to point to the provider's mail server's IP. So this has been working
for
: > > years without problems.
: > >
: > > Our provider recently upgraded their mail servers, which means, the IP
: > > address had changed. So I changed the DNS entry for "pop3" to point to
the
: > > new IP address.
: > >
: > > Now, when I try to check my mail on my workstation, I don't get my new
: > > emails. When I enter the IP address directly into my Outlook settings,
it
: > > works and I'm able to receive new emails. I can do an nslookup pop3
and
: > > the
: > > correct IP address is returned. But when I revert back to using
"pop3", I
: > > don't get new mails again. For some reason, Outlook doesn't like the
name,
: > > but accepts the IP address.
: > >
: > > I have tried using ipconfig /flushdns, and restarting Outlook, but it
: > > didn't
: > > solve the problem.
: > >
: > > Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
: >
 
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