Symptoms
At startup or when searchng for an address the mail client reports that the directory service could not be contacted.
E.g. Outlook 2003 reports the error “Can’t contact LDAP Directory server (81)”
More Info
Note: For WorkgroupMail v7 the LDAP directory service is an optional WorkgroupMail component called the Shared Address Book plug-in.
Refer to the following FAQ for more information on setting up the mail client to use the workgroupMail LDAP service.
How do I configure Outlook or Outlook Express to connect to the WorkgroupMail LDAP Directory?
Detail
If the WorkgroupMail LDAP service fails to start because the port is already active, for example, then a failure entry will appear in the WorkgroupMail Event log as follows:-
30/09/2003 08:55 The LDAP service cannot start. There is already a service on the specified port.”
Also, if Outlook is correctly configured to use the WorkgroupMail LDAP service as a directory service, then it will generate an error if an LDAP server cannot be found as specified. (NB That there may be an LDAP server other than the Shared Address Book already running on that port that masks this error. Check the results of the Netstat test below).
At a command prompt, type
C:>netstat -ap tcp
The reply will show the following information if the LDAP port has an actively listening device.
TCP MailServer:ldap MailServer.softalk.ws:0 LISTENING
Note that if port 8389 has been selected in place of the standard LDAP port (389) then the following line will be displayed
TCP MailServer:8389 MailServer.softalk.ws:0 LISTENING
If there is no reference to the ldap port or the specific port number being used then it is not active and the Shared Address Book is not running.