I have Exchange Server 5.5 SP3 running on NT 4.0 SP6a. I have relaying clamped down -- but now the server is denying relaying to an entire IP scope to which I need to relay. I've tried adding the scope and the specific IPs individually but it still refuses to relay. I'm telneting into the server to test. If I open up relaying, it will allow the relay -- but when I try to allow relaying by those specific IPs or that entire scope, it is not allowed. What should I do?

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In Exchange 5.5, relaying can only be controlled on Exchange servers with SP1 or higher. No real improvements to relay restrictions were made post SP2 for Exchange 5.5. In short, you can either "control" relaying or you can turn it off. I think what is happing to you is that you are turning it off and then configuring access control in an attempt to allow limited relaying using the Specify by hosts option on the Connections tab of the IMS. Unfortunately, this will not work.

In order to accomplish what you want, you will need to keep relaying enabled but use the Routing Restrictions option in the Routing tab of the IMS. Once there, you will want to configure a range of address in the Hosts and Clients with these IP addresses option.

It is a bit tricky to configure a range, as it does not let you specify a starting address and ending address. Instead, you must enter and IP address with its subnet mask, which essentially gives relay rights to the entire subnet. If you want to specify an individual IP address, then you must use the syntax: 1.2.3.4 255.255.255.255. In addition to this, you do not want to include IP addresses for any of your Exchange servers.

For more information on configuring and testing controlled relays see Knowledge Base article 836500, "Relaying and unsolicited commercial e-mail in Exchange Server 5.5".

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This was first published in December 2004

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