XFOR: NNTP Newsreader Users Cannot Use Exchange Newsgroups

• Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) newsreaders cannot use Exchange newsgroups. Attempts to logon to Exchange Server return the following 201 message:

  No posting allowed

RESOLUTION

To enable login, do the following:

1. Access the properties for NNTP Settings found in the Exchange Administrator program on Servers\<server name>\Protocols.

2. On the General tab of the properties for NNTP Settings, uncheck the "Use site defaults for all properties" box, leaving the other defaults undisturbed.

3. On the Anonymous tab of the properties for NNTP Settings, check "Allow anonymous access."

MORE INFORMATION

Exchange newsgroups can be configured to require authenticated access. If Exchange Server is configured to require authenticated access, NNTP readers who connect to the Exchange Server computer must use clear text or NTLM authentication before access to the Exchange Server computer will be allowed. An easy way to find out if the Exchange Server computer has been configured to require authenticated access is to use telnet.

To test this with telnet:

Using Windows NT, open a command prompt. At the command prompt type "telnet <machine name or IP address> 119" (where the machine name is the name of the Exchange Server computer). You should get a connection to the Exchange Server computer. The server will issue a greeting banner. If the first number in the banner is 201, then the server requires authenticated access. If the first number is 200, then anonymous access is allowed. ("Posting ok").