How to install GFI FAXmaker on the same machine with IIS and SMTP server (non-Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003/2007)

The information in this article applies to:

  • GFI FAXmaker for Exchange/SMTP 12
  • GFI FAXmaker for Exchange/SMTP 14

Article ID: KBID002470

Query keywords: exchange, Exchange 2000, Exchange 2003, iis, install, installation, smtp

Introduction

This article explains how to install GFI FAXmaker on a machine that already has an SMTP mail server (including Microsoft Exchange 5.5 but excluding Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003/2007) and IIS (Internet Information Services) installed on it. In such a scenario, conflicts between IIS and the SMTP mail server are likely to arise since both make use of port 25 (SMTP). This document also specifies how to set up the SMTP mail server to forward emails with the domains @FAXmaker.com and @SMSmaker.com to the GFI FAXmaker IIS.

Note: This article does not apply to the installation of GFI FAXmaker on an Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003 SMTP mail server. If you make use of Microsoft Exchange 2000/2003, GFI FAXmaker can be installed on the same machine using the default installation without the need of further configuration as outlined in this document. Alternatively, it may be installed on the machine where the SMTP mail server is installed, without the need of having IIS installed and instead make use of the POP3 Downloader that forms part of the Email2Fax Gateway.

Configuring Internet Information Services (IIS) server

Before installing GFI FAXmaker, you must first install and set up IIS. Install IIS from the ‘Add/Remove programs’ in the ‘Control Panel’ and ensure the SMTP server option is installed. After doing so you need to change the port used by IIS SMTP server. Throughout this document, it is assumed that only one SMTP virtual server is available on IIS (this is the default IIS installation). To change the port used by IIS SMTP server:

  1. Go to the Internet Services Manager (Windows control panel -> Administrative tools -> Internet Information Services)
  2. Open and select the Default SMTP virtual server, right click on it and select ‘Properties’
  3. Under the ‘General’ tab, from the drop down list of IP addresses, select the IP address of the current machine
  4. Click on the button ‘Advanced’
  5. Under the ‘Advanced’ properties click on the IP address and click on ‘Properties’
  6. Change the port from 25 to 26
  7. Apply changes and close all. Restart the ‘Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)’ service from the services panel.

With the above setup, the IIS SMTP server is set to use Port 26. The Mail server will continue to work normally on Port 25.

Note: If port 26 is already in use by another application on the same machine where GFI FAXmaker is installed, you can use any other available port. In this case, you have to replace all the references to port 26 in this document to your new assigned custom port number. Make sure that the new port number is not a ‘well-known’ defined port number. E.g. Port 110 is for POP3, port 80 is for HTTP, etc.

Installing and setting up GFI FAXmaker

After following the above procedure, you can install GFI FAXmaker on the same machine on which IIS has just been installed. To install GFI FAXmaker, follow the guidelines in the GFI FAXmaker manual available at: http://support.gfi.com/manuals/en/fax12/fax12manual-1-013.html.

At the end of the GFI FAXmaker installation, the GFI FAXmaker Configuration wizard will run automatically. Make sure that all the steps in this wizard are carefully followed. For more information on how to use the configuration wizard, follow the procedure in the GFI FAXmaker manual available at: http://support.gfi.com/manuals/en/fax12/fax12manual-1-014.html.

When asked to choose the mail server (see Screenshot 1), choose the option ‘Mail server hosted at an ISP’. You will then be prompted to set up the GFI FAXmaker Email2Fax Gateway mail server settings (see Screenshot 2). Insert the IP address where the mail server machine is located (which should be the same machine in this example).
 
Choosing a mail server in the GFI FAXmaker Configuration Wizard
Screenshot 1 – Choosing a mail server in the GFI FAXmaker Configuration Wizard

GFI FAXmaker Email2Fax Gateway setup in the Configuration Wizard
Screenshot 2 – GFI FAXmaker Email2Fax Gateway setup in the Configuration Wizard

Sending faxes from the client

This is the recommended way of sending faxes when using a port number other than 25. With the GFI FAXmaker fax server set to use IIS SMTP on port 26, you need to check which email client the user will be using to send faxes and set this up for the SMTP setting changes carried out. There are two types/methods that the client can use which are the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form and a standard SMTP-compliant mail client. The changes required for each system are explained in more detailed below.

Setting up clients to send faxes with the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form

If the GFI FAXmaker client was installed with the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form and the IIS SMTP standard port 25 being used by GFI FAXmaker is changed (example to port 26 as detailed above), you would also need to change the specified port in the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form configuration settings. If the port setting of the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form is not changed, this client will be using the mail server as the SMTP server instead of IIS directly.

If you are setting up clients to send faxes with the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form, the GFI FAXmaker client must first be installed with the option to use the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form as illustrated in Screenshot 3 below.
 
Choosing the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form
Screenshot 3 – Choosing the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form

After installation is complete, you can change the port for the client as follows:

  1. Load the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form
  2. Click and open the ‘Options’ dialog
  3. Click on the tab ‘SMTP Options’ (see Screenshot 4)
  4. Under the Mail server entry specify the IP address of the fax server machine and set the SMTP port to 26
  5. Apply changes and close the fax form.

GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form SMTP options
Screenshot 4 - GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form SMTP options

After this change is complete, all faxes sent by the GFI FAXmaker Fax Message Form will be sent directly to the IIS server configured, where faxes will be formatted by the GFI FAXmaker Fax Server and sent to the intended recipient.

Setting up the client to send faxes using a standard SMTP compliant mail client

When sending faxes from an SMTP client, there are three ways of inserting the fax number:

  1. Inserting <number@faxdomain> in the To address field. For example: <123456@faxmaker.com>

  2. Inserting the fax number in the alias and the email address being the FAXmaker mailbox email for example: “123456” <fax@mydomain.com>. The email alias is normally used as the associated email address display name and is usually passed to the GFI FAXmaker Fax Server as-is. GFI FAXmaker uses this alias field to gather recipient information including fax number and other related recipient fields.

  3. Inserting the GFI FAXmaker mailbox email in the To address field and the fax number in the first line of the message body in this format: ‘::faxnumber’ E.g. ‘::123456’ (excluding the single quotes).

Methods (2) and (3) can be used when the POP3 Downloader in the Email2Fax Gateway options are employed. However, to use method (1) you must have a mail server which allows you to create virtual domains and an option that specifies where to forward mail addressed to these domains. Furthermore, in order to make use of method (1), you must also have the possibility to specify which IP/Server and which port to forward it to when you move the IIS SMTP port used by GFI FAXmaker. This feature is entirely dependent on the SMTP mail server. If the mail server does not support this feature, then method (1) cannot be used, unless the client sets up the email client with a secondary account.

Setting up an SMTP client with a secondary account

If you prefer to use a standard SMTP-compliant mail client to send faxes, you can still set it to send faxes directly to the IIS SMTP server instead of sending faxes to the mail server. However, to be able to do this, the SMTP/POP3 client must be able to support multiple accounts and also be able to select which account/server to use to send the email. This kind of setup will be useful if you are using a mail server that does not support domain forwarding, but you still want to send faxes using method (1).

For example, if you use Outlook Express as your email client, the following steps need to be taken to set up the client to send a fax directly:

  1. Create a new account under the account lists as follows:
    a. Open Outlook Express and go to Tools menu -> Accounts
    b. Click on Add -> Mail. The new mail account wizard will pop up
    c. Enter your Display name (e.g. FAX) and click on next
    d. Enter your email address. This should be the email address of the FAXmaker user as specified in the FAXmaker Configuration -> Licensed users -> Properties -> Email address and click on ‘Next’
    e. Choose POP3 as the incoming email type
    f. The SMTP and POP3 server IP address fields must be both filled in with the address of the machine where the IIS server and FAXmaker are installed
    g. Click next
    h. Insert the user’s account name and password (can be anything since Outlook Express needs these settings to be filled in) and click on next
    i. Click on finish.

  2. The account should now be displayed under the Internet Accounts properties (see Screenshot 5)
     
    Outlook Express Accounts setup
    Screenshot 5 - Outlook Express Accounts setup

  3. Double click on the newly created account to open the properties:
    a. In the ‘General’ tab, ensure that the name of the account is FAX.
    b. Ensure the email address and reply address are set to the email address of the user (as specified in the FAXmaker Configuration)
    c. To disable the account from downloading emails (this is not required), deselect the option ‘Include account when receiving mail or synchronizing’
    d. In the ‘Servers’ tab, ensure the ‘Outgoing mail (SMTP)’ server is set to the IP address of the FAXmaker machine
    e. In the ‘Advanced’ tab (see Screenshot 6), change the ‘Outgoing mail (SMTP)’ port setting to 26 (as specified in the examples above).
     
    Outlook Express Fax account advanced options
    Screenshot 6 - Outlook Express Fax account advanced options

    f. Click on OK and close the Accounts dialog.

  4. Create a new mail message and select this new account when sending a fax. In the To field the user can now enter the fax number using method (1).
     
    Selecting the sending account in Outlook Express new message form
    Screenshot 7 - Selecting the sending account in Outlook Express new message form