XFOR: How to Change the NNTP Port

ID: Q174199


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Exchange Server, versions 5.0, 5.5

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SUMMARY

The Services file, located in the %SystemRoot%\System32\Drivers\Etc folder, contains a list of well-known port numbers for TCP/IP services. Microsoft Exchange Server uses the Services file to determine which TCP port is used for accepting or initiating NNTP connections. This article tells you how to change the NNTP port used.


MORE INFORMATION

For connections using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), the port number associated with the SNEWS service is used; for all other connections, the port number associated with the NNTP service is used.

To change the port number used by the server, edit the Services file and change the port number associated with these services. The default port numbers for the SNEWS and NNTP services are 563 and 119, respectively.

You can also force the Internet News Service to connect to a specific port number you when make an outbound connection for a news feed. This is useful when traversing a firewall that can map port numbers to different destination hosts on the Internet. To specify the port number for outbound connections, you need to edit the registry.

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT, you should also update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).

To specify the port number for outbound connections:

  1. Create the news feed.


  2. Create the following REG_DWORD registry value, and set it to a value between 1 and 65535:


  3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeINS \Parameters\Newsfeeds\Newsfeed Test\PortNumber
The Newsfeed Test registry value should be replaced with the name of the news feed you want to customize. If this registry value exists, it overrides the value in the Services file for any outbound NNTP connections for that news feed. It does not affect the port number used for accepting inbound NNTP connections. That is always obtained from the Services file.

If you plan to specify a custom NNTP port, you may not be able to download the active newsgroup list from your news provider with the Newsfeed Configuration Wizard because the registry value does not exist at that point. Instead, you should import it from a file or download the active file after you have set the registry value.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbusage XFOR exc5 exc55
Version : winnt:5.0,5.5
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: December 16, 1999
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.