Exchange 2000

Hey, what's up everyone? I'm not sure if this is in the right forum or not so please forgive me if its not. I just installed Microsoft Exchange 2000 on my Win 2K server and I'm having a problem, already!!. Everytime I open up the Microsoft Exchange Administrator and I try to connect to my server, i get this error message:

A connection could not be made to the Microsoft Exchange Server computer "SERVER"

The Microsoft Exchange Server computer does not respond.

Microsoft Exchange Directory
ID no: DS_E_COMMUNICATIONS_PROBLEM.


When I hit browse to look for my server I get this message:

The list of Microsoft Exchange Server computers is not available because no Microsoft Exchange Server computer could be located.

Microsoft Exchange Administrator
ID no: c10312c8

I've never used Exchange before and I'd love to learn how to use it. I host my own site and I'd like to use Exchange as my mailer. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks alot for your help in advance..

I've never admin'd an Exchange Server but this might help..

http://www.dameware.com/support/faq/faq.asp?ID=FAQ1010
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;q150880

Doing a search on Google with the error brought this out fairly quickly. Microsoft's Knowledge Base is an excellent site when troubleshooting installs and such.

Did you actually name the server "SERVER"? Just from a security standpoint, thats not wise. Also, can you get to the machine by using an IP? Finally, make sure that exchange is running by checking your task manager, and also your services. If exchange isnt running, then obviously admin wont find it. HTH

Couple of things, first you need to make sure a reverse lookup for your email works with your ISP, both IP and name should work. May need to inform your ISP you are running a mail server. Next you need to configure your domain name in the main record, if you did a default install and did not enter all the information you will need to go back into the setup tabs and manually list the information. You must enter and have DNS records to enter a valid public static IP usually given by the ISP or Transport layer provider. Also depending upon the firewall you have you may have to do a proxy connection to the transport layer assigned by your ISP. The errors look like your transport layer do not see the server nor DNS and I agree "Server" is not a good name for the Exchange server.

Unfortunately, I have named my server "SERVER." I did this when i first installed my server. I'm not too concerned about security because I will be using exchange for my personal mail server for my personal website. I've never used it and I'd love to use it. As for typing in the IP of the server to access the exchange service, it will not accept it. I've also checked all the services and checked all the properties and enabled all to automatic. I still cannot connect to my server. As for my DNS, i put in the IP's that were given to me from my cable modem provider and for reverse look up zone i used 169.0.x.x because i wasn't too sure what to put there. I haven't read the articles that MsMittens sent me yet but hopefully they will help. I will try a few more things later on tonight. I appreciate everyone's help with this. If anyone has any other ideas or is bored later on tonight and wants to work with me on it, please email me at [email protected] or IM me on AIM at AccoLude4Chris.

Thanks alot for your help.