exchange external mail problem

[vfret]

I have an XP desktop running outlook 2000 that connects to an exchange server. The problem is external mail will not show up in the clients inbox. The client can send mail out and receive internal mail. I have completely removed the client exchange configuration and reconfigured on the client computer and still no ne external mail. I can see mail populating the mail box from the small business console. There are no rules set up on the client. This is so strange. The client computer can connect to the mailbox but not receive the external mail. Only internal mail. Can anyone help me with this weird problem?

[rpertusio]

Just to verify...

You can add a new profile with "internet email" capabilities by:
(1) Control Panel -> Mail
(2) Click [Show Profiles...]
(3) Click [Add...]
(4) Check both [x] Microsoft Exchange Server and [x]Internet E-mail, and click [Next >]
(5) Follow the rest of the wizard to the "Internet E-mail" page, and click [Setup Mail Account], where you should enter all the external mail information.

Otherwise, you might need to press the "Send/Receive" button to initiate a mail server connection.

Are you using Active Directory? What exchange version?

- rp

[vfret]

When I say external mail, I mean any mail from any source outside of the domain. Im running small business server 2000 and exchange 2000.

[M_Six]

Is everyone else able to get outside mail? Can you get to the internet on the problem machine?

[rpertusio]

strange. I don't claim to know enough about exchange to give you a solid answer.

However some ideas:

Use the Active Directory Users & Computers utility, view the properties on the user, and check the following:
(1) SMTP address set up correctly? (E-mail Addresses tab)
(2) Delivery Restrictions? (Exchange General tab)
(3) Mailbox Rights...? (Exchange Advanced tab)

Any messages in the event log (exchange server)?

Using the Exchange System Manager (ESM) and drilling down to the server (Admin Groups -> Site -> Servers -> [server name]), check the Directory Access, Policies, Security tabs for anything that you'd think might be blocking access.

Is it just ONE user having this problem, or multiple clients?

- rp

[vfret]

OK, I found the problem. It seems the prior support company for this client configured the email to be sent and recieved via POP mail even though they have a fully functioning exchange server on site. Weeks ago I deleted the pop account on the client because I felt there was no need to have both an exchange connection and a pop connection to the same server. I have no idea why they are using POP mail instead of their exchange server. Once I added the POP account back on the client, mail started flowing again. I obvious that I need to change the mail exchange record to start getting the mail the come in and out of the exchange server. This is why we document what we do, right? apparently the prior support company felt this was unnessesary. Thanks for your help and efforts.