SMTP not working telnet to 25 failed

[paradox17]

I seem to be having problems with my exchange 2000 server sp3 running on windows 2000 server sp4.

In the intranet I can send and recive emails howerver the server does not except any inbound traffic to port 25. I assume that the exchange server is using IMAP from the internal emails.

All MX records are resolving and the ISP has tested the ports. The problem seems to be with SMTP internally and not a issue of the port being blocked.

My firewall (Wathguard Firebox 700) has all the filters set up correctley. My router is not blocking any ports either. To troubleshoot smtp I tried to telnet to port 25. For some reason the server will not initiate communications on this port(from the server). I can telent to POP3 (110) fine but get a connection lost to host when I attempt to log into 25. I looked at the SMTP virtual server and everything seems to be working. When I send email from outside the lan I do not get any NDR Could somehting be wrong with the TCP/IP stack?? Any ideas??

 

[SteveTheGeek]

paradox17,
Just for clarification, are you saying that you can telnet to port 25 of the internal IP address of your Exchange server, but that you cannot telnet to port 25 of your public IP address? If so, then the problem lies in the Watchguard configuration.
-Steve

 

[paradox17]

Attempted to telnet from the server internally. The problem does not reside with the firewall (as far as I can tell).
Telnet from any computer locally does not initiate communications with the SMTP virtual server. No one can get any emails so any help would be great. I would hate to call M$ on this and give them $300 but I may have no choice. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[paradox17]

Update:

I set up a new virtual server last night. I stopped the default server and refreshed the newley created SMTP virtual server. Howerver this did not work as of last night. This morning I checked and was able to telnet to port 25 without any problems. The server seems to be routing all emails. Any ideas what happened? It may be working but I still want to disscuss to improve my troubleshooting skills.

How where local emails still getting routed before the problem was resoved. Does exhcnage rely on the SMTP virtual server at all to route local emails?

 

[SteveTheGeek]

A few questions that might help to narrow down the problem:
- The SMTP service shows as started?
- Can you telnet 127.0.0.1 25 from the server?
- Is the Event Viewer application log showing any errors that could be related to the SMTP service?
- Do you have an SMTP Connector set up? (In Exchange System Administrator under Admin Group, First Admin Group, Routing Group, *site*, Connectors, there should be an SMTP Connector)

-Steve

 

[paradox17]

Steve the prble seems to be resolved please see my post above.

- The SMTP service shows as started?

Yes at the time it was started.


- Can you telnet 127.0.0.1 25 from the server?

"For some reason the server will not initiate communications on this port(from the server). "

I attempted to log into the server using both its IP addy and the local loop bcak on port 25 with no luck

- Is the Event Viewer application log showing any errors that could be related to the SMTP service?

Nothing related to the SMTP server

- Do you have an SMTP Connector set up? (In Exchange System Administrator under Admin Group, First Admin Group, Routing Group, *site*, Connectors, there should be an SMTP Connector)

No SMTP connector set up I have no need for it.

Thanks for the quick response Steve. I am not sure what the original problem wsa but setting up a new virtual server seems to have resolved the issue. However nothing seemed wrong with the default one in the first place save not being able to route emails or communicate on port 25