E-mail Is Getting Blocked

[mcconnell]

There is a particular user I am working with who cannot receive Excel attachments which include macros. Below is some more information on the topic:

The user can receive excel attachments without macros.

The user is in same security group for outside e-mail as other users which can receive excel files with macros.

I have confirmed that the local machine firewall is disabled.

I even tried setting the Excel macro security to low.

Added the Level1Remove registry entry for .xls;.exe;.vbs

I added the user as a delegate. When I viewed my inbox under her login the e-mail was viewable. I was able to receive the e-mail, however, I was required to save the attachment before it could be viewed. (Level2)?

Currently using Exchange 2k3 and Outlook 2k3

All Office updates are current.

Any suggestions on how to get this type of file through to these users?

Let me know if more information is required.

TIA

[Rob Pomeroy]

Zip the file first, then send it.

Are these users connected to Exchange, by any chance?

[mcconnell]

Yes they are.  2k3

[Rob Pomeroy]

Could be security settings on Exchange; attachments can be stripped by filename extension.  But that probably would not discriminate against a particular user...  One of the Outlook service packs introduced fairly aggresive policies with regard to attachments, but again if all Outlook installations are patched to the same level, you wouldn't expect differing behaviour.  I wonder if the rogue PC has a particular virus checker installed...?

Anyway, try the zip method; should get through, unless it is indeed a virus checker problem.

[mcconnell]

That is not something that I have tried yet.  I will give both a try.  I will let you know what the outcome is.

Thanks for the information.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Okay.  Best of luck.

[mcconnell]

There is no virus checker on that pc - I checked this myself.
I sent an email with a .zip file as the attachment - This email was not received.

I have some more info for you.  

There are a few users here which use a different domain name in their email address.  I have recently checked with the other users who use this same domain name and they have the same problem.  

This company uses a single domain with one exchange 2k3 server with outlook 2k3 email client.

The problem may rest in the domain name and for some reason is blocking the emails from being received.  Any suggestions on how to look into this further?  Security settings for individual domain names?

Thanks

[Rob Pomeroy]

Are you using the same ISP for both domains?  Are you retrieving email from a smart host, or do the MX records for those domains point directly to your mail server?

[mcconnell]

Yes, it is a T1 line.
We are not using a smart host.  All points to the exchange server.

[Rob Pomeroy]

I don't currently have an Exchange machine to play with so here are my off-the-cuff thoughts:

• check the Exchange settings for the domain (obviously)
• trawl through the GPE on the server
• have a look at >this article<
  
• check the settings for your server-side antivirus

[mcconnell]

There is nothing in the settings which lead me to believe that these emails would be getting blocked.

I have not looked through the GPE for the server yet.  This is something that I plan to do.

I am familiar with this article.  This did not solve my problem.

Antivirus is ok.

It has to be a setting some where.  I just have to find it.

Thanks again for the suggestions.  I am still working on it.  I will let you know what the outcome is.

[mcconnell]

Rob, I wanted to update you on my situation since you took so much time to help me out.  I was able to resolve the problem.  You were correct in asking if we were using a smart host.  We were just not knowingly.  About nine months to a year ago we were using a smart host.  By the time I was hired everything had already been switched to an exchange environment and the smart host service was canceled.  However, that service was cancelled for this location but not for our other location, the location where we were having these problems at.  

I noticed that all email going to that location had the same IP address for the sender.  I made a phone call to the host and he confirmed that he was still routing email for that location only.  So that service is now canceled.  It took about a week for the IPs for the senders to begin changing.  No more problems.  Thanks again for your time.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Thanks so much for posting back.  Glad you got it sorted.  Some ISPs try to be a little too helpful...