KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q115496: SMTP: Configuring the Mail Routing Host Without DNS

Article: Q115496
Product(s): Microsoft Mail For PC Networks
Version(s): MS-DOS:3.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 28-OCT-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP, version 3.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mail Routing Host
-----------------

The Microsoft Mail Gateway to SMTP depends on a mail routing host in the
TCP/IP network to route its mail. This is the host defined in the
Administrator program under Gateway, SMTP, Setup, in the IP Address of SMTP
Router field. The mail routing host is sometimes referred to as the smart
host.

The mail routing host routes mail in two ways:

1. Domain name service (DNS)

2. Hosts file, usually kept in \ETC\HOSTS

For details on the DNS, see the application note "Configuring the SMTP
Gateway and DNS" (GW0645).

Hosts File Contents
-------------------

The hosts file is a flat file on the mail routing host that consists of
two vital pieces of information: IP addresses and host domain names.

The gateway computer must have an entry in the host file, and so must the
domain names assigned to Microsoft Mail postoffices. Domain names are
assigned in the Administrator program, under Gateway, SMTP, Address Map,
in the SMTP domain field.

For example, the entries in the hosts file for the gateway computer
MSMAILGWY.COMPANY.COM at IP address 123.123.4.5 that has Mail postoffice
domain names of HQ.COMPANY.COM and SALES.COMPANY.COM, would look like this:

  123.123.4.5 MSMAILGWY.COMPANY.COM
  123.123.4.5 HQ.COMPANY.COM
  123.123.4.5 SALES.COMPANY.COM

This ensures that mail addressed to SPARKY@HQ.COMPANY.COM is routed to
the gateway computer by the SMTP host for processing by Mail.

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbMailSearch kbMailGateSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbMailGateSMTP300
Version           : MS-DOS:3.0

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.