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  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt
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Matt

HI,

I need some help with dns and e-mail. My e-mail stopped
working today (sending or recieving)but I can still e-
mail within the network. Nslookup says cant find server
name and non exsistant domain.

I was wondering what would be the next step in problem
solving? I have a my domain hosts working from their end
but I maintain the mail server. Since I can e-mail within
the network is the problem at the domain level? Or is it
in the mail server on my local computer?

I know its a broad question but any direction would help.

Thanks
 
If by within the network you mean you can email everyone in your exchange
organization - the MTA service is probably stopped. It's responsible for
mail between organizations and sites. The second thing to check is your dns
configuration as far as forwarding...how are you resolving outside domain
names? Are all the systems having the same nslookup responses?

Lee
 
Thanks for you response Lee,

how would I check the MTA service? As far as I know I was
resolving fine outside the network up until yesterday but
today the outside cannot see or resolve the server.
Should I try a iponfig /release - renew to try and
restablish DNS settings?
 
Open exchange system manager and in tools open the status level. If any of
the exchanges services are not running it will be indicated. Double click on
the server showing a critical state and it will show the services that are
having problems. Are you having the nslookup problems on all units or just
yours? Are all your dns servers failing to resolve?

Lee
 
Problems nslookup on all units, I believe all my dns
servers are failing to resolve, how would I check that
specifically?

Thanks
 
Verify dns is running using the dns mmc. Are you getting resolution on
internal names via dns?

Lee
 
In
Matt said:
HI,

I need some help with dns and e-mail. My e-mail stopped
working today (sending or recieving)but I can still e-
mail within the network. Nslookup says cant find server
name and non exsistant domain.

I was wondering what would be the next step in problem
solving? I have a my domain hosts working from their end
but I maintain the mail server. Since I can e-mail within
the network is the problem at the domain level? Or is it
in the mail server on my local computer?

I know its a broad question but any direction would help.

Thanks
Click to expand...

In addition to Leon's suggestions, I believe that we're going to need
specific configuration information to better help you out. Keep in mind,
that Exchange, configured 'out of the box' will just send mail to anyone
anywhere.

First question I have, is this a Microsoft Exchange server or another brand?
I'm assuming that it's Exchange 2000 or 2003....

To receive mail using Exchange 2000 and 2003, two things need to be
configured correctly:
1. Exchange's Recipient Policy needs to be set to the domain suffix that
this machine is authorative to receive mail for (in the form of @domain.com)
2. The domain's MX record needs to point to this machine's IP address or to
the WAN IP address of your NAT device, which would be properly port-remapped
for port 25 to reach the internal Exchange server's IP address.

What bothers me mostly is that you're saying you cannot send mail. As I
said, Exchange will send 'out of the box'. This leads me to ask, what has
changed or been re-configured lately? Any change at all, even as unrelated
as it may sound, will help us to determine that. I'm looking for specifics,
such as:
1. Firewall rules changes?
2. NAT device changes?
3. ISP Changes? (Notably: Cable companies will not allow port 25 traffic
inbound or outbound).

What also bothers me is that you are saying that you have this machine
configured to use a DHCP address? Mail servers need to be statically
configured. Is your provider a cable company?

I would assume at this time that DNS is running correctly, or you would have
many other errors related to Active Directory. You can check your Event
Viewer for any errors that show up with a red X and please post the Event ID
#s.

Internally in an Exchange organization, the machine is aware of all users
that have been mailbox enabled in AD, so this way anyone will be able to
send/receive to those mail enabled objects. That's why its working
internally.

If you can provide us with:
1. an unedited ipconfig /all
2. The name of your AD domain name.
3. Name of your email domain (so we can test it from our end)
4. What sort of or who is your ISP?
5. In a CMD prompt, type in:
net services
and please post the response to the newsgroup.

If not sure how to copy and paste, goto the properties of the command prompt
(rt-click the window's top bar, under the general tab, set it to quick edit
mode. Once that is done, click in the CMD prompt, highlight what you want to
copy, and hit the <enter> button, then rt-click paste in your newsgroup
response.

The more info you can provide, the better we can help.


--
Regards,
Ace

Please direct all replies ONLY to the Microsoft public newsgroups
so all can benefit.

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees
and confers no rights.

Ace Fekay, MCSE 2003 & 2000, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSE+I, MCT, MVP
Microsoft Windows MVP - Windows Server - Directory Services

Security Is Like An Onion, It Has Layers
HAM AND EGGS: A day's work for a chicken;
A lifetime commitment for a pig.
 
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