KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q319306: FP: Web Site Message Says the Mail Server Is Unavailable

Article: Q319306
Product(s): Word Front Page
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbdta
Last Modified: 03-MAY-2002

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

- FrontPage 2002 Server Extensions from Microsoft 
- FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions from Microsoft 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SYMPTOMS
========

When users of your Web site try to submit e-mail messages by clicking a form on
your Web site, they may receive an error message that says that the mail server
is unavailable.

CAUSE
=====

This behavior may occur if you used FrontPage Server Extensions to configure
your Web site mail server and your mail server is unavailable. All attempts to
send e-mail from the site will be unsuccessful until the mail server becomes
available.

RESOLUTION
==========

To resolve this issue, configure the FrontPage Server Extensions to use the
local Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Virtual Server that can be installed
with Internet Information Server (IIS) versions 4.0 and 5.0.

You can configure the SMTP Virtual Server to forward the e-mail to your primary
mail server. If the mail server is unavailable, the local SMTP Virtual Server
queues the e-mail and tries to forward it to your primary mail server at
configurable intervals.

To configure the Web site to use the local SMTP Virtual Server to relay e-mail to
your mail server, follow these steps in the order in which they are presented.

Part 1: Configure the IIS Web Site to Use the Local SMTP Server
---------------------------------------------------------------

Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate for your version of IIS.

If Your Computer Runs IIS 5.0:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click
  Internet Services Manager.

2. Double-click the computer node.

3. Right-click the Web site that hosts the e-mail form, and then click
  Properties.

4. Click the Server Extensions tab, and then click the Settings button next to
  "Specify how mail should be sent".

5. In the "SMTP mail server" box, type the IP address for the local SMTP mail
  server, click OK, and then click OK.

6. Quit Internet Services Manager.

If Your Computer Runs IIS 4.0:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to "Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack", click
  "Microsoft Internet Information Server", and then click Internet Service
  Manager.

2. Double-click the computer node.

3. Right-click the Web site that hosts the e-mail form, and then click
  Properties.

4. Click the Server Extensions 2002 tab, and then click Settings.

5. In the "SMTP mail server" box, type the IP address for the local SMTP mail
  server.

6. In the "From address" and "Reply-to address" boxes, type the appropriate
  text, and then click Submit.

7. Close the Change Configuration Settings window.

8. Close all dialog boxes, and then quit Internet Service Manager.

Part 2: Configure the IIS SMTP Server to Relay the E-mail
---------------------------------------------------------

Use one of the following procedures, as appropriate for your version of IIS.

If Your Computer Runs IIS 5.0:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click
  Internet Services Manager.

2. Double-click the computer node.

3. Right-click the SMTP virtual server, and then click Properties.

4. Click the Access tab, and then click Connection.

5. Click "All except the list below".

6. If the Computer list contains any entries, click Remove until the list is
  empty, and then click OK.

7. Click Relay.

8. Click "All except the list below".

9. If the Computer list contains any entries, click Remove until the list is
  empty.

10. Click to select the "Allow all computers which successfully authenticate to
  relay, regardless of the list above" check box, and then click OK.

11. Click the Delivery tab, and then click Advanced.

12. Verify that the value in the "Fully-qualified domain name" box is correct.

13. In the "Smart host" box, type the name of your mail server, and then click
  OK.

14. Quit Internet Services Manager.

If Your Computer Runs IIS 4.0:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to "Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack", click
  "Microsoft Internet Information Server", and then click Internet Service
  Manager.

2. Double-click the computer node.

3. Right-click Default SMTP Site, and then click Properties.

4. Click the Directory Security tab, and then click the Edit button next to "IP
  Address and Domain Name Restrictions".

5. Click Granted Access.

6. If the "Except those listed below" list contains any entries, click Remove
  until the list is empty, and then click OK.

7. Click the Edit button next to Relay Restrictions.

8. In the Relay Restrictions dialog box, click "Allowed to relay".

9. If the "Except those listed below" list contains any entries, click Remove
  until the list is empty.

10. Click to select the "Allow any computer that successfully authenticates to
  relay" check box, and then click OK.

11. Click the Delivery tab, and verify that the value in the "Fully qualified
  domain name" box is correct.

12. In the "Smart host" box, type the name of your mail server, and then click
  OK.

13. Quit Internet Service Manager.

Part 3: Configure the Form Properties
-------------------------------------

For instructions about how to set the form properties for e-mail submissions,
click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:

  Q196461 How to Set Up a Form to Post Results by E-mail

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

Some of the benefits to using the SMTP Virtual Server to relay e-mail from the
site to the mail server are the following:

- Mail Handling Options: The Web site administrator can modify outbound and
  local retry intervals and can delay notification and expiration time-out
  messages.

- Non-Delivery Email: The Web site administrator can receive notification that
  the e-mail server is unavailable, instead of being informed by a user.

- Non-Delivery Report (NDR): If a message cannot be delivered, an NDR can be
  returned to the sender and copied to other SMTP addresses for review by the
  Web site administrator. NDRs are also placed in the Badmail folder for
  administrative review and troubleshooting.

NOTE: You can configure all of these options on the Messages tab of the Default
SMTP Virtual Server.

For additional information about how to use FrontPage Server Extensions to send
e-mail, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q305675 How to Use Server Side Settings to Use E-Mail Features

Additional query words: front page prb FPSE

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbdta 
Technology        : kbFrontPageSearch kbFrontPageServXSearch kbZNotKeyword2 kbFrontPage2000Search kbFrontPage2002Search kbFrontPage2000ServX kbFrontPage2002ServX
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbprb

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

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.

Copyright Microsoft Corporation 1986-2002.