Outlook Exchange Server/Mac Connectivity problem

[bgoldes]

We have input every conceiveable name server IP address into the
TCP/IP control panel, are using an additional local search domain and
have created a hosts file and we are still having only intermittant
connection between our Macs (static IPs) and the Exchange server.
There is an ongoing name resolution problem: The server will recognize
the Macs for a time (all at the same time) and then desert them
(again, all at the same time). One thing that has changed is that
there no longer exists a seed router providing FSM/AFP, but I wonder
if that even matters as we're all operating on TCP/IP, anyway?

 

[William M. Smith]

We have input every conceiveable name server IP address into the
TCP/IP control panel, are using an additional local search domain and
have created a hosts file and we are still having only intermittant
connection between our Macs (static IPs) and the Exchange server.
There is an ongoing name resolution problem: The server will recognize
the Macs for a time (all at the same time) and then desert them
(again, all at the same time). One thing that has changed is that
there no longer exists a seed router providing FSM/AFP, but I wonder
if that even matters as we're all operating on TCP/IP, anyway?

Since you're using TCP/IP to connect to Exchange, you're right in thinking
that the seed router makes no difference.

What Mac OS are you running? Outlook 2001 runs in Classic or Mac OS 9. Any
network connections established in Mac OS X won't really apply to the
Classic environment other than acquiring an IP address.

Do you have a DNS server on your network? If so, then you don't need a Hosts
file so long as your Exchange server is listed in the DNS. I can't remember
if you have to have it listed as an MX (mail exchange) record as well as an
A record, but you at least need the A record.

The Mac OS 9 TCP/IP Control Panel is still a necessary working component of
networking for Outlook 2001 if you're running it in Classic under Mac OS X.
If you've assigned static IP's to the Mac OS X environment, but left the Mac
OS 9 TCP/IP configured as DHCP, this may be causing part of your problem.
(I'm never had to deal with static addresses in Classic before, so I could
be wrong.)

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "the server will recognize the Macs"
and "then desert them"?

Thanx! bill