Server 2022 - SMTP Relay

[CHiLL]

Just be aware for those upgrading to Server 2022, the Windows Server SMTP Relay using IIS 6.0 doesn't work on Server 2022. The SMTP service won't start automatically and will keep stopping, plus emails are not relayed through. I've had to resort to using hMailServer instead.

 

https://serverfault.com/questions/1088555/server-2022-smtp-server-issue

[Steve21]

Not sure if that’s a specific 2022 thing, as when you said about doing in place upgrades in the NPS thread, upgrading smtp always wipes settings, you need to export and import after upgrade (Same with service start up it’s not automatic by default so needs changing after upgrade)

 

May well be a 2022 issue too, but just worth checking as if it was just that it’s easy fix

 

Steve

[synaesthesia]

Just to add, we've tried fresh installs plus in place upgrades and SMTP is a gonner in either scenario. We ended up using 2019 instead, although it's always worth checking other services you may have that can run relays such as the majority of routers, smoothwall can do it etc.

[davidmalko87]

We found that doing the following worked, and can now edit the settings in the II6 Manager without errors (and without crashing when applying settings) every time:

1. Stop SMTPSVC service [Display Name: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)]
   
2. Stop IISADMIN service [Display name: IIS Admin Service]
   
3. Edit "C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\MetaBase.xml"
   
4. Find:
5. Add (Settings are alphabetical): RelayIpList=""
   
6. Save file
   
7. Start IISAdmin Service
   
8. Start SMTPSVC service
   

You can now open the Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 Manager (InetMgr6.exe) and work like normal. The setting above relates to the Access Tab > Relay Restrictions section, but doesn't set anything in it (i.e. "all except the below list" with a blank list).

After setting this value you can change it to what you need it to be. (i.e. the value doesn't need to be 'null' for the fix to work, just so long as the variable is present in the file).

The above has been tested on a few new installs of Windows Server 2022, and has worked for us every time. If you have done an upgrade there are some other things to consider (seems like the SMTP service is not installed after upgrade so will require a backup of the settings that can be applied post reinstalling the service. But that is discussed in other topics).

PS: Remember to set the SMTPSVC service to start "automatically". By default its set to "manual".

 

Source: https://serverfault.com/questions/1088555/server-2022-smtp-server-issue

Edited November 10, 2022 by davidmalko87

[HPlum78]

I will just add this MS has said that support for SMTP is deprecated so although you can shoe horn this into later versions of Windows Server you probably should not. I will bet that it's not getting the servicing that it should probably get these days and maybe a little risky running this in your production environments? Anyhow that's my thinking on it and there are better ways to skin this cat than this in my opinion (don't be that person who gets your network owned by playing it fast and lose with unsupported services) if you are going to do this I would make sure that you articulate what you are doing to the person who carries the risk and get yourself a chunk of paperwork to stuff down your pants to cushion any boot or stick that may come furtherdown the line.