Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (Full Version)

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gentlefoot -> Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (9.Jan.2011 3:14:19 PM)

Hi all,

I have a very strange problem following an Exchange implementation and I've checked everything I can think of so need some help from you clever people out there.

I have installed Exchange 2003, set up the user mailboxes and added the appropriate primary smtp emails in Active Directory Users & Computers.

I have also asked the domain hosts to change the mx record to point to our external static ip address which they have done. All ready to go you would think.

However, when I send an email to one of the addresses I have set up I can see it being added to the mailbox in Exchange System Manager. However, when I connect to the mailbox using either Outlook Web Access or Outlook I cannot see any messages in the inbox.

I know I am successfully logging on to the mailbox because I can see the last logon timestamp in Exchange System Manager being updated. In addition, I can send emails from the new Exchange mailboxes either via Outlook or Outlook Web Access.

So I know I'm connecting to the Exchange mailbox just fine. If I do a send and receive in Outlook it executes with no errors and if I use the "Check for new messages" in Outlook Web Access no errors occur.

Just to be sure, I set the permissions for the user who's account I am using to test this to give it full access in the mailbox store security properties. I also gave full permissions in Active Directory Users & Computers on the "Exchange Advanced" tab in "Mailbox Rights". I know this is unnecesary but wanted to be sure.

So, if the user is logging on to the mailbox no problem, the mx record is correct and the mailbox is showing as receiving the test emails I have sent, how come I cannot see any of these emails when I log on to the mailbox? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

James



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (9.Jan.2011 5:57:08 PM)

While logged onto the mailbox, can you successfully send an email to yourself (the mailbox) and receive it properly? Can you send emails between users on the server? What does message tracking state about the message? Can you make sure that you have NOT configured Outlook (possibly from another computer) to store all emails in a PST file?



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (9.Jan.2011 6:30:06 PM)

Hi, thanks for response.

I've discovered I was slightly mistaken and in fact emails are not getting through from outside so it is probably a port forwarding or DNS related problem. Sorry to have mislead everyone. Not as strange a problem as I thought.

Yes, users can send and recieve emails internally. No, Outlook is not set to deliver into a pst, instead delivering to the Exchange Mailboxes. I'm primarily focussing on testing using OWA simply because it's quicker.

Users can also send emails to external domains no problem. So now the issue is just receiving emails from external domains.

I was just using MXTools to check the domain. It is showing the correct ip address but shows the hostname as mailserver.[domain name] whereas the machine name on the LAN is different from this. Would this cause a problem?

Also, when I use the MXTools SMTP Test the test just times out.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (9.Jan.2011 6:33:51 PM)

It seems hostname on the MX record does not have to match computer name. Searched Google and another thread on this great forum popped up.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (9.Jan.2011 6:52:56 PM)

More info for anyone who is interested.

The server name in the mx record does resolve to the correct ip address but I cannot telnet on port 25 to it from an external machine. However I can telnet on port 25 from the server itself using local ip addresses.

Do I need to open up any other ports other than port 25. Currently port 25 is setup to forward TCP traffic.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 8:39:24 AM)

OK I've been working on this one problem now for about 10 hours and the key facts are these.

No inbound email to Exchange but internal sending and receiving is fine and users can send email to outside domains.

I think this is the key here. I can telnet on port 25 on the server itself if I use the server local IP Address. However, if I try and telnet on port 25 to the hostname as shown in the ISPs MX record for the domain it fails. This is the case if I do this on the server itself or a remote machine. I'm right in thinking this should work yes?

This lead me to believe that I needed to add an MX record on the local DNS server for the hostname shown in the ISPs MX record, to resolve to my Exchange server. I added this MX record in local DNS.

This still doesn't cure the local telnet problem.



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 9:13:23 AM)

If you are able to telnet on port 25 internally but not externally then I think you need to look more at your firewall!



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 12:37:54 PM)

No firewall just a simple linksys router with firewall disabled.



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 1:00:31 PM)

And you can confirm that you are forwarding port 25 to the internal IP address of the server?

I assume this is a test environment (please say YES!)?

So to recap, you can telnet internally from any machine to the internal IP address of the server and it responds fine?! But when you try to telnet from the internet to the public MX IP address of the server, you do not get a connection, correct?!

Are you able to patch the internet connection directly to the Server and take out the Linksys router?



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 1:20:06 PM)

Yes port 25 is forwarding to the local ip address of the Exchange Server. No, its no test server. I know....

"So to recap, you can telnet internally from any machine to the internal IP address of the server and it responds fine?! But when you try to telnet from the internet to the public MX IP address of the server, you do not get a connection, correct?"

Yep - spot on - any machine on the LAN can telnet on port 25 no probs..

I've come to the point where I've run out of ideas on this. I've been through all the diagnostic tests suggested by MS. nslookup is all good. Recipient policy is fine. FQDN of the Exchange server is correct. All services are running but still no mail coming in.

I've decided to take the drastic step of a rollback to be sure that there will be no break in service tomorrow. So the ISP is setting up POP3 mailboxes again and I will use a POP3 Connector as a temporary solution. At least we will have full Exchange functionality even though it won't be wroking as designed.

That will give me some time to consider more possible config problems and allow me to get some sleep.

That doesn't mean I don't still want help with this though :)



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 1:33:49 PM)

I still think it may be the router! what model is it?



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (10.Jan.2011 3:50:43 PM)

What you're saying makes perfect sense but I've had a good look and can't see anything obvious. It's a Linksys AG241V2.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (11.Jan.2011 5:37:10 AM)

It seems I have a similar problem with OWA access from external domains. I have forwarded port 443 but still cannot access it. I can use OWA on the LAN though.

Makes me think you're right that for some reason the router isn't forwarding traffic.



lohuta -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (11.Jan.2011 10:50:56 AM)

Did you take a look in your Queue to see if that are stuck? Have your tried blowing away your SMTP connector and rebuilding it?



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (11.Jan.2011 11:18:37 AM)

Lohuta,

Please read the entire thread. The issue is not with the SMTP connector because he is able to send and receive emails internally and he is able to send emails externally. The issue is that he cannot make any external connections to the server (SSL or SMTP).

Gentlefoot,
The model of the router your are using is mainly for home use and it may not be scaled to work with Exchange. Try testing using www.testexchangeconnectivity.com website as well.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (12.Jan.2011 7:59:46 AM)

Thanks again for the response.

I had a look at the testexchangeconnectivity site. I will need to get the domain hosts to change the mx record back before I will be able to run the test.

One thing I tried. I ran the ShieldsUp! test from the server and it says that port 25 is stealth. Is this going to cause a problem? Interestingly when I probe port 1723 it shows as open and yet I have added the port forwarding for both these ports in exactly the same way. Going to try some changes and see if I can get SheildsUp! to show port 25 as open.



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (12.Jan.2011 12:46:10 PM)

Just to let you know I think I've cracked it. I now have port 25 open. It was the basic firewall settings in RRAS that was blocking it. I completely forgot RRAS acted as a firewall if you use it for NAT so even though Windows Firewall was disabled the traffic still couldn't get through. I won't know for sure until I get the domain hosts to change the mx record back but I'm pretty sure it'll work.

Thanks to de.blackman for all his suggestions. This discussion helped focus my tests in a certain area which is how I eventually got to the bottom of it.



de.blackman -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (12.Jan.2011 2:01:09 PM)

DOH![:D] That makes sense. Glad to have assisted hope you are able to get a resolution soon! Let us know the results but on a side note, why do you have RRAS enabled on the Exchange server??



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (12.Jan.2011 8:17:37 PM)

Its only a small construction company. When they originally contacted me last year they were operating out of a portacabin.

So we have one server which is the domain controller and we installed Exchange on it because they need some decent email functionality in terms of remote workers. Don't know if you've ever tried to use Outlook over a VPN. It just doesn't work with typical upload speeds for UK DSL.

RRAS just provides remote workers with a VPN facility to the network.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure I've got to the bottom of it so I've treated myself to some vino and am enjoying "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2 on Spotify. An album I bought when I was 15 (now 38). Reminiscing is helping me unwind nicely. :)



gentlefoot -> RE: Strange Problem Viewing Emails In Mailboxes (14.Jan.2011 6:43:22 PM)

Just to confirm it was as I thought. Now changed the mx record back so mail is directly routed to our Exchange server and it's being delivered as it should.

Just OWA to sort out now. The default url is http://[server].[domain name]/exchange isn't it?



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