Exchange 2007 Server Cannot Send Mail To AOL
My exchange 2007 email server will not send mail to AOL.com. Is this an AOL thing or do I have to do something on my Exchange server. I can send mail to hotmail, Gmail, yahoo, etc. Thanks. Here is the error message: Delivery is delayed to these recipients or distribution lists: user@aol.com Subject: RE: Sat Test 4 This message has not yet been delivered. Microsoft Exchange will continue to try delivering the message on your behalf. Delivery of this message will be attempted until 9/21/2009 12:06:41 PM (GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada). Microsoft Exchange will notify you if the message can't be delivered by that time.
September 20th, 2009 4:35am

On Sun, 20-Sep-09 01:35:17 GMT, threeexl wrote:>>>My exchange 2007 email server will not send mail to AOL.com. Is this an AOL thing or do I have to do something on my Exchange server. I can send mail to hotmail, Gmail, yahoo, etc. Thanks. Here is the error message: That's not an "error message", it's just a DSN telling you the emailhasn't been delivered yet.Either you can't connect to any of the AOL mail servers or their mailservers are sending a 4xx status in response to commands your serveris sending to AOL.hat the IP address your server is usinghas no DNS PTR resource record. Some ISPs simply don't accept emailfrom such IP addresses. That's not the /only/ reason that mighthappen, but it's a pretty common one.Checking your SMTP protocol log will show you the commands your serversends and the response codes received during a transaction.---Rich MatheisenMCSE+I, Exchange MVP--- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP
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September 20th, 2009 5:51am

AOL is notoriously known to do a reverse lookup and require that you have a valid PTR record. Here is what's going on:Let's say you send to AOL from smtp.hosle.net ---------------------------- $ nslookup smtp.hosle.net Name: smtp.hosle.net Address: 83.109.149.49 ----------------------------Now AOL does a reverse lookup:---------------------------- $ nslookup 83.109.149.49 49.149.109.83.in-addr.arpa name = ti221110a080-1327.bb.online.no. ---------------------------- The reverse lookup does not refer to the domain hosle.net, but to a router belonging to the ISP.There's a mismatch, and AOL rejects the message. The solution is to use a smart host that will accept relaying, here: smtp.online.no ---------------------------- $ nslookup smtp.online.no Name: smtp.online.no Address: 193.213.115.8 $ nslookup 193.213.115.8 8.115.213.193.in-addr.arpa name = smtp.online.no. ------------------------------ jas
September 20th, 2009 6:27am

Added to all friends comments... firstly make sure you have a valid PTR and SPF record for your MX... Yahoo also blocks mail (Puts in Junk mail folder of Yahoo Mailbox) if you are not having a valid PTR or SPF record... Added to this check your SMTP domain status in the below URL (Domain and Email Health Check) http://www.dnsstuff.com/ If any issues related to your MX records resolve it... Once done Download the Tool from the below link and run this tool from your Exchange server (HUb Transport server or Front end server) http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=bc1881c7-925d-4a29-bd42-71e8563c80a9&displaylang=en Syntax of the tool SMTPDIAG.exe >smtpdiag.exe user@yourdomain.com user@AOL.com /v Check the verbose report generated by this tool any issues with your local DNS resolve it, also post the result.... Suggestions from all the above posts can be usefull in finding out the root cause..... Good Luck.
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September 20th, 2009 11:19am

On Sun, 20-Sep-09 03:27:42 GMT, Jon-Alfred Smith wrote:--- The reverse lookup does not refer to the domain hosle.net, but to a router belonging to the ISP.There's a mismatch, and AOL rejects the message. The solution is to use a smart host that will accept relaying, here: smtp.online.no ---------------------------- $ nslookup smtp.online.no Name: smtp.online.no Address: 193.213.115.8 $ nslookup 193.213.115.8 8.115.213.193.in-addr.arpa name = smtp.online.no. ------------------------------ jas The name returned from the PTR record doesn't matter to AOL. Simplyhaving a PTR for the IP address is sufficient.The SMTP log file on the sending machine will pretty quickly point outif the PTR record is the problem or if there are other things thatneed attentin.Here's a transcript of a session that give names that don't correspondto either the HELO data or the MAIL FROM address, but /does/ have aPTR record in its DNS (note the contents of the multi-line 220response regarding PTR records):Sun, 20 Sep 200912:00:33 -0400220-America Online (AOL) and its affiliated companies do not220- authorize the use of its proprietary computers and computer220- networks to accept, transmit, or distribute unsolicited bulk220- e-mail sent from the internet. Effective immediately: AOL220- may no longer accept connections from IP addresses which220 have no reverse-DNS (PTR record) assigned.helo compucom.com250 rly-mc02.mx.aol.com OKmail from:250 OKrcpt to:250 OKdata354 Please start mail input.......The message was accepted for delivery (the message also included anapology to the recipient for selecting them to receive that email).---Rich MatheisenMCSE+I, Exchange MVP--- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP
September 20th, 2009 7:10pm

Thanks for your correction and the transcript, which made me revisit issues surrounding reverse lookups (rDNS) and smart hosts. First the basics: These problems typically surface in the SMB marked. For several years my main occupation was Small Business Server before returning to the enterprise with Exchange.A recurring subject in the SBS news groups was (perhaps still is): "Cannot send mail to AOL," with Comcast and Yahoo being a good second. The purposed solution was mostly configuring a smart host. The next question raised: Should you forward specific domains or all mail to the smart host? "DNS vs. Smarthost" by Javier Gomez - SBS MVP gives a good summary of the discussion http://www.sbslinks.com/DNS_Smarthost.htm. While this is SBS/Exchange 2003, it applies to Exchange 2007 as well.One explanation that was often repeated: MX and PTR must match. This is obviously neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition, in the case of AOL not a requirement, although it might come close.Doing some research, this page popped up: "AOL postmaster: What Is Reverse DNS?" http://postmaster.aol.com/info/rdns.html. Here they state: "AOL does require that all connecting Mail Transfer Agents have established reverse DNS, regardless of whether it matches the domain," confirming your findings. On the other handyour statement isn't entirely correct:"The name returned from the PTR record doesn't matter to AOL. Simply having a PTR for the IP address is sufficient."They reject in-addr.arpa addresses and reverse DNS consisting of IP addresses.And "dynamic IP space (containing pool, dhcp, dyn, etc.) may be treated as suspect."According to the SBS document above, AOL evaluates a sender in this order:* Will check if your IP address is on a open relay blacklist (i.e. www.ordb.org)* Will check if your IP address is in their list of dynamic IP addresses* Will perform a Reverse DNS lookup on your IP to check if it corresponds to your domain.As it tunes out, the third step is not entirely precise. Not sure if the message "Delivery is delayed to these recipients or distribution lists: user@aol.com" could indicate the first or second condition. At least the possibility should not be ruled out.In one respect I was jumping a bit too fast from the particular to the general. TheDNS namesI mentioned: ti221110a080-1327.bb.online.no and smtp.online.no belong to my ISP. With ti221110a080-1327.bb.online.no there are several domains I can't send to with my registered domain as the primary SMTP address. It has a valid PTR record. So this is not necessarily sufficient. Smells router and dynamic IP address long way, I guess.Two interesting sources:"What rDNS naming convention should I use?"http://www.spamhaus.org/faq/answers.lasso?section=ISP%20Spam%20Issues#131 Reverse DNS lookuphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_DNS_lookupJon-Alfred SmithMCTS: Messaging, MCSE: S+M
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September 21st, 2009 4:52am

On Mon, 21-Sep-09 01:52:59 GMT, Jon-Alfred Smith wrote: [ snip ]>They reject in-addr.arpa addresses and reverse DNS consisting of IP>addresses. As well they should. An IP address isn't a name. The same can be saidof MX records that refer to an IP address instead of an "A" or "CNAME"record.>And "dynamic IP space (containing pool, dhcp, dyn, etc.)>may be treated as suspect."According to the SBS document above, AOL>evaluates a sender in this order:* Will check if your IP address is onlacklist (i.e. www.ordb.org)* Let's hope the fix that reference. The ORDB DNSBL is gone. :-)>Will check if your IP>address is in their list of dynamic IP addresses* This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your ISP and themaintainer of the DNSBL. :-(In general, if you have a dynamic IP address you should be using yourISP's SMTP relay to send email.>Will perform a>Reverse DNS lookup on your IP to check if it corresponds to your>domain.As it tunes out, the third step is not entirely>precise. Any time you start trying to match names like that you get intotrouble. Do you match the HELO\EHLO data? Or do you match the MAILFROM domain? Either way leads to trouble. SPF and SenderID offer abetter way to check that.>Not sure if the message "Delivery is delayed to these recipients >or distribution lists: user@aol.com" could indicate the first or>second condition. Neither one, actually. At that point the message delivery is only the SMTP protocol log should beexamined. If the receiving MTA is sending a 4xx status and the text ofthe status contains something about the missing PTR then that'd be abig tip about the problem. But if there's some other problem (e.g. theconnection is never made to the other MTA, or the MAIL FROM or RCPT TOis rejected with a 4xx status) then the whole PTR thing is secondaryto the real problem.---Rich MatheisenMCSE+I, Exchange MVP--- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP
September 21st, 2009 7:44am

On Mon, 21-Sep-09 01:52:59 GMT, Jon-Alfred Smith wrote: [ snip ] >They reject in-addr.arpa addresses and reverse DNS consisting of IP >addresses. As well they should. An IP address isn't a name. The same can be said of MX records that refer to an IP address instead of an "A" or "CNAME" record. >And "dynamic IP space (containing pool, dhcp, dyn, etc.) >may be treated as suspect."According to the SBS document above, AOL >evaluates a sender in this order:* Will check if your IP address is on lacklist (i.e. www.ordb.org)* Let's hope the fix that reference. The ORDB DNSBL is gone. :-) >Will check if your IP >address is in their list of dynamic IP addresses* This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your ISP and the maintainer of the DNSBL. :-( In general, if you have a dynamic IP address you should be using your ISP's SMTP relay to send email. >Will perform a >Reverse DNS lookup on your IP to check if it corresponds to your >domain.As it tunes out, the third step is not entirely >precise. Any time you start trying to match names like that you get into trouble. Do you match the HELO\EHLO data? Or do you match the MAIL FROM domain? Either way leads to trouble. SPF and SenderID offer a better way to check that. >Not sure if the message "Delivery is delayed to these recipients >or distribution lists: user@aol.com" could indicate the first or >second condition. Neither one, actually. At that point the message delivery is only the SMTP protocol log should be examined. If the receiving MTA is sending a 4xx status and the text of the status contains something about the missing PTR then that'd be a big tip about the problem. But if there's some other problem (e.g. the connection is never made to the other MTA, or the MAIL FROM or RCPT TO is rejected with a 4xx status) then the whole PTR thing is secondary to the real problem. --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP --- Rich Matheisen MCSE+I, Exchange MVP Hi, I wana ask in SBS 2008 can we change domain name .local to .com ? If not how shall I configure SMTP Connector..For eg my email address will be like nisar@xyz.local how it will communicate outside world...will it be .local only ?Nissar
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January 24th, 2011 8:03am

On SBS 2008, you should use the Internet Address Management Wizard (IAMW). For Exchange it will do the following: * The banner of the Windows SBS Internet Send and Receive Connectors are stamped with the chosen domain name. * The URLs for OWA, ActiveSync, and the OAB virtual directories are set according to the chosen domain name. * An Accepted Domain and Email-Address Policy is created using the chosen domain name. * An SSL certificate is configured for IMAP4, POP3, Web, and SMTP access. This is the same certificate that is bound to the SBS Web Applications and SBS Sharepoint sites and used by TS Gateway. Introducing the Internet Address Management Wizard: Part 1 of 3 http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2008/10/15/introducing-the-internet-address-management-wizard-part-1-of-3.aspx Introducing the Internet Address Management Wizard: Part 2 of 3 http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2008/10/16/introducing-the-internet-address-management-wizard-part-2-of-3.aspx Introducing the Internet Address Management Wizard: Part 3 of 3 http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2008/10/17/introducing-the-internet-address-management-wizard-part-3-of-3.aspxMCTS: Messaging | MCSE: S+M
January 24th, 2011 2:47pm

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