SBS2003 R2, Static IP, Mail Send via Smarthost (BT) and Retrieve via POP3
We have issues with POP3 mail not being routed due to undisclosed recipients
and BCC addresses etc and increasing problems with mail being returned due
to SPF records being incorrect.
We have been advised that these can all be sloved by ditching our smarthost
and POP3 and switching to SMTP for sending and receiving mail.
I am totally dumb when it comes to Exchange issues, so I would greatly
appreciate any comments on this.
Thanks

"Chris" <Chris@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:FEFF7338-3EA9-40F3-992E-F50975C7A0BE@newsgroup

> SBS2003 R2, Static IP, Mail Send via Smarthost (BT) and Retrieve via POP3
> We have issues with POP3 mail not being routed due to undisclosed
> recipients
> and BCC addresses etc and increasing problems with mail being returned
> due
> to SPF records being incorrect.
> We have been advised that these can all be sloved by ditching our
> smarthost
> and POP3 and switching to SMTP for sending and receiving mail.

You can continue to use your smarthost for sending, but yes dropping the
POP3 connector and using SBS to receive emails directly will solve your
issue with undisclosed recipients. I suggest you ensure that your SBS is
receiving emails before you switch off the POP3 connector.

Don't have any experience (yet) with SPF so can't comment on that aspect.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"Chris" <Chris@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:FEFF7338-3EA9-40F3-992E-F50975C7A0BE@newsgroup

> SBS2003 R2, Static IP, Mail Send via Smarthost (BT) and Retrieve via POP3
> We have issues with POP3 mail not being routed due to undisclosed
> recipients
> and BCC addresses etc and increasing problems with mail being returned
> due
> to SPF records being incorrect.
> We have been advised that these can all be sloved by ditching our
> smarthost
> and POP3 and switching to SMTP for sending and receiving mail.
> I am totally dumb when it comes to Exchange issues, so I would greatly
> appreciate any comments on this.
> Thanks
>

I'm not fond of the POP3 connector. Depending on what type of ISP line you
have (some ISPs will not allow you to send email on their line, such as
Comcast residential non-business, or DSL lines, etc), you can send/retrieve
mail from your SBS, which along with indicating that mail is sent from your
WAN address in your SPF record (if your DNS hosting provider allows you to
make SPF records), should alleviate the problem.

More info on SPF. This will show you how to create the record, but it all
depends on your DNS hosting company if they allow or provision the ability
to create an SPF record. An SPF record is simply a text record that shows
what IP address and/or FQDN (such as mail.yourdomain.com), that is
authorized to send mail for your public domain name. If not sure, the best
bet is to call your DNS provider.

SPF: IntroductionMay 11, 2008 ... The Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an
open standard specifying a technical method to prevent sender address
forgery. ...
www.openspf.org/Introduction

One example of an easy SPF record is, which simply states that any email
from our domain can only come from 123.123.123.123, and nothing else. It
really only works if the receiving mail system checks for SPF records, which
most of them do these days.

v=spf1 ip4:123.123.123.123/32 -all

You can make it a little more elaborate as well, such as including your MX
record in the SPF, but honestly the one above will suffice:
v=spf1 ip4:123.123.123.123/32 mx a:mail.yourdomain.com
mx:bandwidthpros.com -all


--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum for collaboration benefit among
responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
Microsoft Certified Trainer

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