Sending email via Exchange 2000 server

[J.Marsch]

I am trying to programmatically send an email via Exchange Server (using
System.Web.Mail right now, but open to CDO). I'm running into the "unable
to relay" error when sending to a non-local email address (local "to"
addresses work just fine)

I would like to know how we need to configure the exchange server to pass
this type of email. The email would always originate from an internal IP
address, but it might go to an external destination.

I've done some googling around, but most of the solutions posted are
applicable to sending mail from an IIS SMTP server, and that's not really
what we're after.

I _think_ that what we want to do is to configure the SMTP service on the
Exchange Server such that it will relay email if the request originates from
an internal IP address. (I'm thinking that would keep the server "closed"
from being used as a SPAM relay).

First, I would like to know if I'm on the right track here. Second, if I
am, I would love to know how to configure the Exchange server to do this
(and still remain secure to the outside world). The natural answer would be
"ask your exchange admin", but he doesn't work here anymore, and I'm afraid
that we can't wait on a hire for this answer. Any good advice?

 

[Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]]

J.

Yes, you are on the right track. Basically, you will want to set up the
exchange server as an open relay. However, you have the concern that it
will be used as a spam relay, and that is a valid concern. Depending on the
version of exchange you are running, you might be able to do this (I'm not
too familiar with the administration of exchange, but I know you can set it
up to be an open relay).

If your exchange server is open to the internet, then do not allow it to
be an open relay unless you are sure you can only expose that functionality
to machines inside the network. If you can not, then you might want to set
up an account on exchange which can send the mail and then use CDO to
create/send the emails from your app. Basically, since you can authenticate
yourself through CDO as the owner of that mailbox, you won't need to have an
open relay.

Hope this helps.

 

[Peter Huang]

Hi Jeremy,

I agree with Nicholas's suggestion. Since I am not familar with Exchange, I
think you may try to take a look at the link below.
265293 How to Configure the SMTP Connector in Exchange
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=265293

Also for exchange 2000 configuration issue, I think you may try to post the
issue in the newsgroup below.
microsoft.public.exchange2000.admin

Thank you for your understanding.

Best regards,

Peter Huang
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[J.Marsch]

Thank you to Nicholas and Peter for your suggestions. I think that in this
case we will first try the mailbox option that Nicholas mentioned. The
system that needs to send mail represents a specific service running on the
network, so a dedicated mailbox seems to make sense and it offers more
granularity than using an SMTP relay. I appreciate your responses.

Regards.

Jeremy