XFOR: How to Troubleshoot Authenticated IMS Logons with Base64.exe (173656)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
This article was previously published under Q173656

SUMMARY

This article discusses how to use the Base64.exe utility and a Telnet or TCP session to troubleshoot authenticated logons to the Microsoft Exchange Server Internet Mail Service (IMS).

MORE INFORMATION

Use the following steps to test an authenticated logon to the IMS using the Base64.exe utility and a Telnet session:

  1. Start Base64.exe and type the following command, where USERNAME is the Windows NT account used to login to the Windows NT domain:

    encode USERNAME

    This returns the user name in Base64 code. For example, the name "jsmith" returns "anNtaXRo".
  2. Repeat step 1 for your Windows NT account password by typing:

    encode PASSWORD

  3. Start a Telnet session with the IMS by typing the following command:

    TELNET servername 25

    A response similar to the following should be displayed:
    220 server.domain.com ESMTP Server (Microsoft Exchange Internet Mail Service 5.5.1664.3) ready
  4. Type the following command in the Telnet window:

    auth login

    This returns the following response, which represents the word "Username" in base64:
    334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
  5. Type the Base64-encoded user name from Step 1 into the Telnet session and press Enter. The following response will appear, which represents the word "Password" in base64:

    334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6

  6. Type the Base64-encoded password from Step 2 into the Telnet session and press Enter. The following response will appear, which indicates a successful login to the IMS:
    235 LOGIN authentication successful
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/28/2005
Keywords:kbhowto KB173656
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