Configuring and Using an SMTP Connector for Exchange Mail Server
Source: http://www.amset.info/exchange/smtp-connector.asp
The SMTP Connector on Exchange is a powerful tool for an Exchange administrator. It allows you to make SMTP email work in the way that you want it to, instead of allowing Exchange to try and work it out for you.
SMTP Connector Uses
* Outbound Email
It can be used to send email via your ISPs email server - useful if you are on a DSL or dynamic IP connection.
If you have a smart host - perhaps in your DMZ then an SMTP Connector can also be used for that.
* Inbound Email
You can use the connector to allow your Exchange server to relay for another domain to another machine.
o Another machine on your LAN
o Another domain or sub domain
o Allow your Exchange to be used as a backup email server for another independent SMTP domain.
An SMTP Connector plays no part in the delivery of email to mailboxes hosted on your Exchange server. Even in the “inbound” scenarios outlined above, the connector is being used to send the email to another server.
Why use an SMTP Connector to Relay Outbound Email Through your ISP?
It is now becoming quite common for some of the large ISPs such as AOL and many others to tighten the configuration of their email servers in an attempt to reduce the spam being sent. This has caused problems for many operators of Exchange servers as email from their servers are being rejected as well.
If you are on DSL, or any kind of dynamic IP address, then you may be caught in this trap.
For advice on what AOL are now looking for, take a look at this page from AOL: http://postmaster.info.aol.com/trouble/
If you are unable to fulfil AOL’s or the other ISPs requirements, or need a solution quickly, then you can setup an SMTP connector on your Exchange server which will allow you to route email through your ISPs SMTP server. This server will pass AOL’s tests and should work for any others that you are having problems with.
Setting up an SMTP Connector
1. Open Connectors in Exchange System Manager:
Screenshot - Exchange System Manager - Showing the location of connectors
You may find that you have to open Routing Groups, <Your Routing Group>, Connectors.
Screenshot - Exchange System Manager - Showing the location of connectors
2. Right click on connectors and choose New, SMTP Connector.
3. Give it a name that allows you to easily identify what it is used for.
For example if you are using the connector to relay outbound email through the ISP for certain domains then something like “Outbound - Problem Domains” makes it easily identifiable.
If you are using it for inbound email, for a subdomain for example, then a good name might be “Inbound - sub.domain.com”.
If you are creating the connector to relay email to another external server then you could use a name like “Relay - domain.com” (where domain.com is the domain that you are relaying for).
4. Enable the option “Forward all mail through this connector to the following smart host” and enter the mail server address of the SMTP server that you want to relay email to.
If this is to your ISP, then it is the ISP information. Check you are using the right address for OUTBOUND email.
If it is an internal server then enter the internal IP address
If it is to relay to another server then the IP address is the best option. Using a DNS name might cause problems.
If you are using IP addresses then enclose the addresses in [ ].
You can include multiple hosts or addresses by placing a semi colon between them:
[192.168.1.1];[192.168.2.1];[192.168.3.1]
mail1.isp.net;mail2.isp.net;mail3.isp.net
Screenshot - SMTP Connector - Configuring with ISP Email Server Information
5. Click the “Add” button under “Local Bridgeheads” and choose your Exchange server. If you have more than one Exchange server enter that one as well. Don’t enter any Front End servers you may have.
6. Click on the “Address Space” tab.
7. Click on “Add” and choose SMTP.
8. For relaying outbound email through your ISP or another smart host:
1. If you want this connector to be used for just certain domains, then remove the *
2. Enter the first of the domains that you are having problems with, using everything after the @
For example, if you are having problems sending to AOL, then enter “aol.com” (minus the quotes), Hotmail, enter “hotmail.com” etc.
3. If you want to route all outbound email through this connector - leave the * in place.
4. Make sure that you leave the option “Allow messages to be relayed to these domains” DISABLED. If you don’t then you have turned yourself in to an open relay.
Screenshot - SMTP Connector - Domains that you want to send email to using this connector. Removing the * allows you to specify which domains are sent via the connector.
For relaying to another server (internal or external)
1. Remove the * from the address space tab.
2. Enter the external domain that the other server is responsible for.
If this is a subdomain of your main domain then enter subdomain.domain.com - no @ or * or anything else.
3. Enable the option “Allow Messages to be relayed to these domains”.
Remember that if you want your server to relay for a different domain to a different server then you need to configure a different connector for each server.
9. Once you have the domains listed, leave everything else as default and click apply/ok to exit.
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