Mercury/32 - common problems and solutions

FAQs - Mercury/32, problems and solutions

Problem: I am using the MercuryE end-to-end delivery module but it's failing to deliver to some addresses I know are good.

Solution: If your workstation connects to the Internet via a dialup connection, or if it uses DHCP to determine its IP address, you will have to configure MercuryE explicitly to use a specific name server via its configuration dialog. MercuryE sometimes cannot determine a name server automatically on dialup or DHCP-configured systems.

Problem: Mercury/32 does not see my Novell NetWare system

Solution: To run in NetWare mode, Mercury/32 must be run on a Windows 95 or 98 workstation equipped with Novell's Client32, or a Windows NT workstation equipped with Novell's Workstation Manager; the default Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks does not support 32-bit NetWare-aware applications. Novell's clients are available from the Novell web site, www.novell.com

Problem: In Bindery mode, Mercury/32 does not log in to my NetWare server to deliver incoming mail

Solution: Mercury/32 requires a username and password to be able to connect to the target NetWare server. NetWare demands that this information be supplied in uppercase characters; if you entered this information in lowercase or mixed-case characters in Mercury/32, it will be unable to connect to your NetWare server to deliver mail.

Problem: I have Client32 installed, and have specified the NetWare login name and password in uppercase letters in the Mercury/32 configuration, but mail still does not get to my NetWare Bindery Mode system

Solution: Check the Local Domains you have defined in the Mercury core module configuration dialog - when running in NetWare Bindery mode, Mercury/32 uses the left-hand side of the equations to specify which NetWare file servers correspond to the domains given on the right-hand side. This is a new feature in version 2.0 - previously, the left-hand side of each equation was ignored.

Problem: I get errors like "503 Need recipient" from Mercury

Solution: This error (and any error like it starting with a 3-digit number) is actually being issued by the mail host which Mercury uses to relay mail, not by Mercury. It usually indicates an addressing problem in your message, but you should refer it to the system manager on the mail host.

Problem: I can send mail out, but no-one can send mail to me

Solution: This usually means that your server's Internet name is not being advertised on the Internet. You must have an entry in a DNS (Domain Name Server) system somewhere which allows other sites to work out your server's address from its name. Contact your IP network manager or Internet Service Provider for details.

Problem: Mail goes out with the wrong "From" address even though I've changed the "Internet name for this system" value in the core module configuration dialog..

Solution: You also need to change the Pegasus Mail configuration information to reflect the new Internet name. Use the Pegasus Mail PCONFIG or NCONFIG program to do this.

Problem: Every time I receive a mail message I get a "message loop" - the message just bounces around between the smart host and Mercury until eventually one of them discards it.

Solution: You almost certainly have an incomplete or inaccurate Local Domains page your Core Module configuration dialog. You must list in your [Domains] section every possible Internet name by which your file server could be addressed. Mercury uses the [Domains] section to determine whether mail is local or remote: if you omit a possible name for your server then Mercury will not know that the mail is local and will refer it back to the smart host, which in turn will send it back to Mercury... and so on.

Problem: Error messages from mailing lists are returned to the sender of the original message.

Solution: This is an area where usage is vague on the Internet and it is difficult to provide a general solution. Try adding an "Errors-to:" field to the definition for the list in Mercury's "List of Lists". This will force error notifications to go to the specified address in many cases, but unfortunately not all Internet mail systems follow the rules.