How To Turn On the IIS SMTP Server?

[JiaPei Jen]

I have the IIS SMTP server installed in my PC. While testing to send e-mails using the JavaMail, I can see that messages do not reach the server.

I have never used the IIS SMTP server before. I think the problem is that the server is not running (I could be wrong). How do I turn on the IIS SMTP server?

[Vladan Radovanovic]

It's probably set as a service. Go to admin tools/services and see if you can find it there.

[JiaPei Jen]

My IIS SMTP is running because

1. I typed http://xp-jenc-c/ in the browser and I am connected to the Windows XP Professional (http://xp-jenc-c/localstart.asp) and it says that 'Your web service is now running.'

2. On my desktop screen, I click on the IIS. And then expand the XP-JENC-C (local computer) node. Right-click on the Default SMTP Virtual Server. I can see 'Start' is grayed out. Only Stop and Pause are the available choices.

However, messages cannot reach the server. It is hanging after I submit the mail message. Here is the code of the msgsend. java:

import java.io.*;
import java.net.InetAddress;
import java.util.Properties;
import java.util.Date;
 
import javax.mail.*;
import javax.mail.internet.*;
 
public class msgsend {
 
    public static void main(String[] argv) {
new msgsend(argv);
    }
 
    public msgsend(String[] argv) {
 
String  to, subject = null, from = null, 
cc = null, bcc = null, url = null;
String mailhost = null;
String mailer = "msgsend";
String protocol = null, host = null, user = null, password = null;
String record = null;// name of folder in which to record mail
boolean debug = false;
BufferedReader in =
new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in));
int optind;
 
for (optind = 0; optind < argv.length; optind++) {
    if (argv[optind].equals("-T")) {
protocol = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-H")) {
host = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-U")) {
user = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-P")) {
password = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-M")) {
mailhost = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-f")) {
record = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-s")) {
subject = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-o")) { // originator
from = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-c")) {
cc = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-b")) {
bcc = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-L")) {
url = argv[++optind];
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("-d")) {
debug = true;
    } else if (argv[optind].equals("--")) {
optind++;
break;
    } else if (argv[optind].startsWith("-")) {
System.out.println(
"Usage: msgsend [[-L store-url] | [-T prot] [-H host] [-U user] [-P passwd]]");
System.out.println(
"\t[-s subject] [-o from-address] [-c cc-addresses] [-b bcc-addresses]");
System.out.println(
"\t[-f record-mailbox] [-M transport-host] [-d] [address]");
System.exit(1);
    } else {
break;
    }
}
 
try {
    if (optind < argv.length) {
// XXX - concatenate all remaining arguments
to = argv[optind];
System.out.println("To: " + to);
    } else {
System.out.print("To: ");
System.out.flush();
to = in.readLine();
    }
    if (subject == null) {
System.out.print("Subject: ");
System.out.flush();
subject = in.readLine();
    } else {
System.out.println("Subject: " + subject);
    }
 
    Properties props = System.getProperties();
    // XXX - could use Session.getTransport() and Transport.connect()
    // XXX - assume we're using SMTP
    if (mailhost != null)
props.put("mail.smtp.host", mailhost);
 
    // Get a Session object
    Session session = Session.getInstance(props, null);
    if (debug)
session.setDebug(true);
 
    // construct the message
    Message msg = new MimeMessage(session);
    if (from != null)
msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(from));
    else
msg.setFrom();
 
    msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,
InternetAddress.parse(to, false));
    if (cc != null)
msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.CC,
InternetAddress.parse(cc, false));
    if (bcc != null)
msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.BCC,
InternetAddress.parse(bcc, false));
 
    msg.setSubject(subject);
 
    collect(in, msg);
 
    msg.setHeader("X-Mailer", mailer);
    msg.setSentDate(new Date());
 
    // send the thing off
    Transport.send(msg);
 
    System.out.println("\nMail was sent successfully.");
 
    // Keep a copy, if requested.
 
    if (record != null) {
// Get a Store object
Store store = null;
if (url != null) {
    URLName urln = new URLName(url);
    store = session.getStore(urln);
    store.connect();
} else {
    if (protocol != null)
store = session.getStore(protocol);
    else
store = session.getStore();
 
    // Connect
    if (host != null || user != null || password != null)
store.connect(host, user, password);
    else
store.connect();
}
 
// Get record Folder.  Create if it does not exist.
Folder folder = store.getFolder(record);
if (folder == null) {
    System.err.println("Can't get record folder.");
    System.exit(1);
}
if (!folder.exists())
    folder.create(Folder.HOLDS_MESSAGES);
 
Message[] msgs = new Message[1];
msgs[0] = msg;
folder.appendMessages(msgs);
 
System.out.println("Mail was recorded successfully.");
    }
 
} catch (Exception e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}
    }
 
    public void collect(BufferedReader in, Message msg)
throws MessagingException, IOException {
String line;
StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
while ((line = in.readLine()) != null) {
    sb.append(line);
    sb.append("\n");
}
 
// If the desired charset is known, you can use
// setText(text, charset)
msg.setText(sb.toString());
    }
}
 

[Paul Sturrock]

Implement Transport and Connection handlers. They should let you see how the Transport and Connection is behaving. Enable SMTP debugging too - so you can see the actual SMTP messages. And check your smtp.mail.host property by using telnet to connect to your SMTP server.

[JiaPei Jen]

I appreciate you time and help.

I am very new and inexperienced. I do not know how to do what you have advised:

1. Check your smtp.mail.host property by using telnet to connect to your SMTP server

How to check the smtp.mail.host property? I tries to type in the DOS Window:

C:\>telnet smtp.mail.host<enter>

I got 'Could not open connection to the host, on port 23: connect failed'

2. Enable SMTP debugging too - so you can see the actual SMTP messages.

I do not know how to enable SMTP debugging.

3. Someone advised me to look for Admin Tools --> Services

I cannot find 'Admin Tools' anywhere. I found 'Tools' at many places, but, there is no 'Services' in the menu.

4. Implement Transport and Connection handlers. They should let you see how the Transport and Connection is behaving.

I do not know how to implement the Transport and Connection handlers.

I think that My IIS SMTP is running because

1. I typed http://xp-jenc-c/ in the browser and I am connected to the Windows XP Professional (http://xp-jenc-c/localstart.asp) and it says that 'Your web service is now running.'

2. On my desktop screen, I click on the IIS. And then expand the XP-JENC-C (local computer) node. Right-click on the Default SMTP Virtual Server. I can see 'Start' is grayed out. Only Stop and Pause are the available choices.

Somehow, mail messages just cannot reach the SMTP server.