SMTP DNS error

[Pete]

I have a Windows XP Pro machine setup with the SMTP service. After a few
minutes of it running, all outbound email stops and I get several errors in
the event log. The error is
SMTP could not connect to the DNS server '198.6.1.2'. The protocol used was
'UDP'. It may be down or inaccessible.


If I restart the service, mail will flow out for several minutes and than
stop again with the same error. All inbound mail is not affected.

Can anyone shed some light on this issue?

 

[allan grossman [mvp]]

Hi, Pete -

Sounds like a slow DNS server to me. I have a couple of
questions -

Is the XP machine a member of a Win2k or Win2k3 domain?

If you open a command prompt and
issue 'ipconfig /flushdns' does the mail start flowing
again?

My thinking is the DNS Client service is interfering with
your mailer - it's not required unless you're a member of
a Win2k or 2k3 domain. If 'ipconfig /flushdns' solves
your problem and the machine's not a domain member, I
recommend disabling the DNS Client service on the XP
machine.

Hope this helps -

 

[Pete]

The XP machine is in a workgroup. The environment is a MAC shop and this is
the only Windows box in the building.

I have tried several different DNS servers and they all do the same thing.
Flushing the DNS did not solve the problem. I will try to disable the DNS
Client and see what that does.

 

[allan grossman [mvp]]

Sounds like a plan to me ;-)

 

[Pete]

I tried that and it did not work. Any other suggestions?

 

[allan grossman [mvp]]

Wish I had some -

If Windows isn't removing slow DNS servers from the list
of available nameservers then it appears SMTP isn't
getting name resolution in what *it* thinks is a timely
manner. I'm out of ideas - but maybe someone else here
will have something to try.

Sorry I couldn't be a bit more help -