XFOR: Verifying Basic POP3 Connectivity Using Telnet

ID: Q165186


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Exchange Server, version 5.0


SUMMARY

This article describes how to telnet to port 110 on servers running of Microsoft Exchange Server version 5.0. This is useful for troubleshooting communication problems between a POP3 client and a mailbox located on an Exchange Server 5.0 computer.


MORE INFORMATION

Follow the steps below to ensure that you have proper POP3 connectivity to a mailbox located on Microsoft Exchange.

NOTE: Press ENTER after you type each line:

  1. Start a TELNET session using the following command:
    Telnet <IP address of server> 110
    If this works, you will see this response from the server:
    
          +OK Microsoft Exchange POP3 server version 5.0.1457.10 ready
        


  2. Begin communication by initiating a login to the mailbox with the following commands:
    USER domain/NTAccount/Exchangemailbox
    You should see this response:
    
          +OK
        


  3. Type the following command:
    PASS <NT Domain Password>
    You should see this response:
    
         +OK User successfully logged on
        


  4. Type the following command to list all mail in the mailbox:
    LIST
    You should get the following response (this will vary, depending on the number of messages in the mailbox):
    
          +OK
          1 373
          2 388
          3 388
        
    The "message number"is the number on left


  5. Type the following command to retrieve a message:
    RETR <message number>
    You should see the message you selected via "message number" response:
    
          +OK
          Received: by YOMAN2.dns.microsoft.com
          id <01BC2F60.EA72A8C0@YOMAN2.dns.microsoft.com>; Thu, 13 Mar
          1997 03:44:55 -0000
          Message-ID:
          <A157B5AD9196D011A13A00AA0040DA1D07DB@YOMAN2.dns.microsoft.com>
          From: yoman2 <yoman2@Site-A.Microsoft.com>
          To: yoman2 <yoman2@Site-A.Microsoft.com>
          Subject: test2
          Date: Thu, 13 Mar 1997 03:44:55 -0000
          X-Priority: 3
          MIME-Version: 1.0
          Content-Type: text/plain
    
          <Body of Message>
        


If you are able to complete the above steps without error, any POP3 client conforming to RFC 1939 should work to connect to the mailbox.

Keywords : kbtshoot XFOR
Version : winnt:5.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: April 17, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.