Knowledge Base

Troubleshooting Guide for the Internet Mail Connector/Internet Mail Service

Article ID: 191548

Article Last Modified on 10/28/2006

APPLIES TO

This article was previously published under Q191548

SUMMARY

This article outlines steps to troubleshoot common problems with the Internet Mail Connector (IMC) for Microsoft Exchange Server.

MORE INFORMATION

  1. QUESTION:

    Is the IMC installed and viewable from the Exchange Server Administration program?

    ANSWER:
    • Yes. Proceed to step 2.
    • No. Run Setup from the Enterprise version to install; select Add/Remove, select Microsoft Exchange Server, and click Change Option. Select SMP/Internet Mail Connector. If you have the standard version of Exchange Server, install the IMC from the IMC Connector disk.

      Run the Exchange Server Administration program when you finish and configure the IMC as outlined in Chapter 11 of the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide.
  2. QUESTION:

    Does the IMC start?

    VERIFY:
    • At a command prompt, type:

      net start

      Look for "Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Connector." If you do not see it, type:

      net start msexchangeimc

      -or-
    • In Control Panel, double-click Services, and start the Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Connector.
    ANSWER:
  3. QUESTION:

    Has the IMC ever started successfully?

    ANSWER:
    • No. What error is encountered when the IMC attempts to start, and where is the error found?

      If Event ID 1075 and 7003 are in the Event Viewer, verify that the IMC computer has TCP/IP installed correctly (that is, with the correct IP address and subnet mask) and was restarted.

      Event ID 2140 in the Event Viewer.
  4. QUESTION:

    Can Exchange Server users receive messages from a telnet session?

    VERIFY:

    Verify that in the IMC, on the Connection tab, in Transfer Mode, either Inbound or Inbound & Outbound is selected, and set up Diagnostics Logging for SMTP Protocol Logging; see page 576 in the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide.
    1. Test for basic SMTP functionality to the IMC with telnet. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

      153119 XFOR: Telnet to Port 25 of IMC to Test IMC Communication

    2. Run the Exchange Client, read the message, and verify that mail is received. If the message is not received, try the telnet session again, and verify that the message is sent to a valid user's SMTP address in accordance with the intended recipients' SMTP E-mail Address property page.
  5. QUESTION:

    Can Exchange Server users receive messages from an SMTP host?

    VERIFY:

    In step 4 you used 153119 to verify that the IMC can receive mail.

    Now you need to see the actual production host that is intended to "relay," or "forward" messages to the IMC communicate with the IMC. From this host repeat the Telnet instructions above.

    Generally if there are problems telneting to the IMC from this host there is most likely a network or protocol problem. The following steps help verify a network issue.
    1. At a command prompt, ping the IMC computer's IP address from the mail host to verify connectivity. If the ping fails:
      • Check to see if you have the correct IP addresses.
      • Verify that the IP address of the default gateway is correct; type the following at a command prompt:

        IPCONFIG.exe /All |more
      • Make sure IP routing is enabled between physical segments.
      • Verify that the link between routers is operational.
    2. After a successful ping to the IP address, try to ping the host name of the IMC from the mail host. To find the host name of the IMC, at a command prompt, type:

      IPCONFIG /All |more

      Sample Ipconfig file

      Windows NT IP ConfigurationHost Name . . . . . . . .  :
Hostname.DomainName.com
DNS Servers . . . . . . . : 254.25.25.31
Node Type . . . . .. . . . :  Hybrid
NetBIOS Scope ID. . . . . . : IP Routing Enabled. . . . . : No WINS Proxy
Enabled. . . . . : No NetBIOS Resolution Uses DNS : No
Ethernet adapter EE161:Description . . . . . . . . : Intel EtherExpress 16
Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-AA-00-42-5A-50DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . .
: Yes IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 254.25.10.190 Subnet Mask . . . . . . .
. : 255.255.248.0 Default Gateway . . . . . . : 254.25.8.1 DHCP Server . .
. . . . . . : 254.54.16.157 Primary WINS Server . . . . : 254.54.16.157
Secondary WINS Server . . . : 254.54.16.159 Lease Obtained. : Wednesday,
July 24, 1996 1:24:10 PM Lease Expires: Sunday, July 28, 1996 1:24:10 PM
   Ethernet adapter NdisWan8:   Description . . . . . . . . : NdisWan
Adapter   Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00   DHCP Enabled. .
. . . . . . : No   IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0   Subnet Mask . .
. . . . . . : 0.0.0.0   Default Gateway . . . . . . :

   Ethernet adapter NdisWan5:   Description . . . . . . . . : NdisWan

Adapter   Physical Address. . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00   DHCP Enabled. .
. . . . . . : No   IP Address. . . . . . . . . : 0.0.0.0   Subnet Mask . .
. . . . . . : 0.0.0.0   Default Gateway . . . . . . :
    3. If the ping of the IP address works but the ping of the HOST NAME fails, Domain Name System (DNS) or Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS) does not function correctly. Refer to the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide, and see "Adding the Internet Mail Connector Computer to DNS" in Chapter 11. Specifically, you need to check the "A" (address record.)
    Only after a telnet from the production host is successful can you address the particulars of the production environment. Occasionally telnet messages are successful, however, specific messages from the production host or outbound to the production host (for example, message with body text, message with many users on the To line, or messages with attachments that exceed a size limit of the production host) fail. In these cases it is necessary to use Microsoft Systems Management Server's Network Monitor to do protocol trace between hosts.

    For instructions on how use the software, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    148942 How to Capture Network Traffic with Network Monitor

  6. QUESTION:

    Can Exchange Server users send messages to an Internet (SMTP) host?

    VERIFY:

    Verify that in the IMC, on the Connections tab, in Transfer Mode, either Outbound or Inbound & Outbound is selected, and set up Diagnostics Logging for SMTP Protocol Logging; see page 576 in the Microsoft Exchange Server Administrator's Guide.
    1. Run Exchange Client and compose a message to an SMTP address (one from the example).
      • Does the message leave the Outbox of the active user?

        Yes, it leaves the Outbox.
      • Does the message get returned to the user quickly?

        Yes, The message comes back. A copy is in the Sent folder.
      • Check the Address Space (remove/ Regen).
      • Disable ResolverSearchList, and refer to the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

        150969 XFOR: All Messages Sent Over IMC Result in NDRs

    2. Stop and then restart IMC and message transfer agent (MTA).

      No, there is no return message.
      • Does the message stay in the Outbox?

        Yes, the message stays in the Outbox.
      • If the message stays in Outbox this is an MTA issue.

        No, the message leaves the Outbox.
      • Is the message in the IMC Outbound Queue?

        The details say Host Unreachable.

        • Verify that the IP address is correct.
        • Check Email Domain Button for incorrect entries.
        • Verify that port 25 is available and active on the destination host using 153119.
        The Properties say TCP/IP timeout use netmon.
        • No, the message is not in the outbound queue.
        Check the GWART for other installations of the IMC. (That is, this could be a MS Mail Connector with a SMTP address configured.)

Additional query words: IMS

Keywords: exc4 exc5 kbhowto KB191548


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