How to use Telnet to test Exchange Server

One of the most common management tasks perfomed by Empower is email management. A popular email platform for many users is Microsoft Exchange. Often a user will get messages returned or be able to deliver email to a specific user. If someone tells us they are having an issue sending and or recieving email, one of the first steps we take to evaluate the situation is to test connectivity via Telnet.

To test an Exchange server via Telnet

1. Open a command prompt, type telnet, and then press ENTER.
   This command opens the Telnet session.
2. Type set localecho and then press ENTER.
   This optional command lets you view the characters as you type them. This setting may be required for some SMTP servers.
3. Type open mail.yourdomain.com 25 and then press ENTER.
4. Type EHLO yourdomain.com and then press ENTER.
5. Type MAIL FROM:anyaddress@yourdomain.com and then press ENTER.
6. Type RCPT TO:anyaddress@someotherdomain.com NOTIFY=success,failure and then press ENTER.The optional NOTIFY command defines the particular delivery status notification (DSN) messages that the destination SMTP server must provide to the sender.
7. Type DATA and then press ENTER. You will receive a response that resembles the following:
   354 Start mail input; end with <CLRF>.<CLRF>
8. Type Subject: Test Exchange Mail Transport and then press ENTER.
9. Press ENTER. RFC 2822 requires a blank line between the Subject: header field and the message body.
10. Type This is a test message and then press ENTER.
11. Press ENTER, type a period ( . ) and then press ENTER. You will receive a response that resembles the following:
    250 2.6.0 <GUID> Queued mail for delivery
    
12. To disconnect from the destination SMTP server, type QUIT and then press ENTER. You will receive a response that resembles the following:
    221 2.0.0 Service closing transmission channel
    
13. To close the Telnet session, type quit and then press ENTER.