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Q252148: How to Troubleshoot ETRN Using Telnet

Article: Q252148
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 4.0,4.0a,4.5,5.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 06-AUG-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server versions 4.0, 4.0a, 4.5 
- Microsoft BackOffice Server versions 4.0, 4.5 
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SUMMARY
=======

During troubleshooting, there may be situations in which you want to manually
dequeue e-mail messages (for example, when it is not apparent whether the e-mail
server of the Internet service provider is accepting the ETRN command, or to
expedite the ETRN command without having to wait for Exchange Server to issue
the command).

MORE INFORMATION
================

Use the following procedure to troubleshoot the ETRN connection:

1. Click Start, click Run, and then type the following command (where
  <example.microsoft.test> is the name of your Internet service
  provider's e-mail server):

  telnet <example.microsoft.test> 25

NOTE: If you are using a computer running Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows
98, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, turn on local echo using the following steps:

  a. On the Terminal menu, click Preferences.

  b. Click to select the Local Echo check box.

If you are using a computer running Microsoft Windows 2000, turn on local echo
using the following steps:

  a. Press CTRL + ] to start the Telnet program's configuration mode.

  b. Type the following command:

  set local_echo

  c. Press ENTER once on a blank line to quit the configuration and return to
     the Telnet session. The server responds with a message similar to the
     following example:

  220 example.microsoft.test ESMTP SMTP Server V. 1.0 Fri, 7 Jan 2000 19:40:59
  -0500

2. Identify yourself by typing the following command (where <domainname>
  is the domain name of the site your are testing):

  ehlo <domainname>

3. The server responds with a message similar to the following example:

  250-example.microsoft.test Hello machine.<domainname> [x.x.x.x]
  250-SIZE 10485760
  250-ETRN
  250-EXPN
  250-PIPELINING
  250 HELP

NOTE: If you do not see the response "250-ETRN," that specific server does not
support the ETRN command.

4. To start dequeuing e-mail messages, type the following command (where
  <domainname> is the domain name of the site your are testing):

  etrn <domainname>

5. The server responds with a message similar to the following examples:

  250 queuing for node <domainname> started

  251 No mail messages waiting for node <domainname>

  458 Node <domainname> does not store mail here

  502 Sorry, we do not allow this operation

NOTE: The first entry (250) indicates that e-mail messages were waiting and are
now being forwarded to the server. The second response (251) indicates that the
server is configured to send e-mail messages to the host, but no e-mail messages
have been received. The third entry (458) indicates that the server is not
configured to store e-mail messages for the indicated domain. The final entry
(502) is self-explanatory (the server is not configured to accept ETRN
commands).

6. To end the session, type "quit" (without the quotation marks) on a line by
  itself.

Additional query words: smallbiz isp

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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbBackOfficeSearch kbSBServSearch kbBackOfficeServ400 kbBackOfficeServ450 kbSBServ400 kbSBServ400a kbSBServ450
Version           : :4.0,4.0a,4.5,5.5
Issue type        : kbinfo

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