GWIA Not Able to Send Outbound Mail Under Windows 2000 or 2003

  • 7001309
  • 08-Sep-2008
  • 27-Apr-2012

Environment

Novell GroupWise 5.5
Novell GroupWise 6
Novell GroupWise 7
Novell GroupWise Internet Agent
Microsoft Windows 2000
Microsoft Windows Server 2003

Situation

GWIA will not send outbound mail under Windows 2000
Error: "550 Host Unknown"
Error: "450 Host Unknown"
Outbound Internet mail will not go out
Other Internet applications work properly
Ping and telnet to remote Internet host works properly

Resolution

For GW5.5 GWIA:  The current workaround to this issue is to manually populate the field where GWIA is expecting the nameserver information to appear.

GWIA expects the nameserver information to appear in the following location in the registry:

My Computer\HKEY_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\NameServer

Windows 2000 actually places the information into this location of the registry:

My Computer\HKEY_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{unique interface key}\NameServer

GWIA can be made to work by manually populating the field where GWIA expects the nameserver information to be.  This can be accomplished by running REGEDIT and placing the IP address for the appropriate DNS server at My Computer\HKEY_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\NameServer.
Also for GW 5.5, try the following:   Right click on my computer |  Network Identification (tab) | Properties  | More...| Primary DNS suffix of this computer | type in your domain name | shutdown and restart server.
1. Right click on My Network Places and select the properties.
2. Select Local Area Connection.
3. Select Properties.
4. Edit Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
5. Select Advanced.
6. Select the DNS tab.
7. Check the box that says "register this connection's addresses in DNS." 

For the GroupWise 6, 6.5, or 7.0 GWIA on Windows 2000 or 2003 server:  If the server contains multiple interfaces specified in the registry, the GWIA looks at the first unique interface key that has a NameServer entry.  This must point to a valid DNS server.  You can find the key at:

Computer\HKEY_Local_Machine\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\Interfaces\{unique interface key}\NameServer

Also make sure that the native Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) service in administrative Tools | Services is disabled to clear port 25.  

Additional Information

Windows 2000 now stores the DNS Nameserver entries in a different location of the registry than Windows NT 4.0
Formerly known as TID# 10053688