How to Troubleshoot ETRN Using Telnet (252148)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0a
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.5
  • Microsoft BackOffice Server 4.0
  • Microsoft BackOffice Server 4.5
This article was previously published under Q252148

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:

    1. On the Terminal menu, click Preferences.
    2. 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:

    1. Press CTRL + ] to start the Telnet program's configuration mode.
    2. Type the following command:

      set local_echo

    3. 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 on a line by itself.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/17/2003
Keywords:kbinfo kbnetwork KB252148
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.