Problems Connecting Outlook to an Exchange Server over the internet

  • Thread starter Thread starter RDK45
  • Start date Start date
R

RDK45

I have a new Exchange 2000 server which I'm testing with three colleagues.
For this testing phase I have exposed the server to the internet (and locked
it down, of course). Two of us are able to connect Outlook to the server
over the internet without difficulty. Well, there was a small problem for
which we determined a workaround, which required that we create a record in
the hosts file for the "short name" for the server, ie if the server is
EXCH1.ABC.COM then we needed a hosts record for "EXCH1" which pointed to the
IP address for EXCH1.ABC.COM. It appears that Outlook, initially
authenticates using the FQDN and then plugs in the "short name". And, there
after, it seems to be looking for "EXCH1" which it doesn't find without help
from the HOSTS file.

Anyway, all of us are using broadband (cable or DSL) behind
firewalls/routers (Sonicwall SOHO2, LinkSys BEFSR41, Netgear ???) and
getting internal address via NAT (different 192.168. subnets). The
successful testers are using Win2000 workstation with Outlook 2000 or WinXP
(both Home and Pro were tested) with Outlook XP. Our unsuccessful tester
has tried Outlook XP and Outlook 2000 on a laptop running Win2000 server.
The error messages all indicate that the server can not be found or is
unavailable (but in fact is working for the rest of us!).

Also, this laptop user has no problems connecting when he is on the same LAN
as the Exchange server. And, all three of us can connect using the Web
interface.

Any ideas about why we are having this problem?


Thanks.....RDK
 
Yep...

Hook the laptop user up at a known good location (where your other users
have connected to the server from). If he can connect from a good location,
it means something at his location is preventing the conection (firewall,
router, ports, routing table, etc.).

Go back to basics..."The Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable" error is
a routing issue. Ping the server, tracert to connection, netstat -n -a, etc.

It's not a security issue, which would be returning a different result.

Hope you find it!
 
In addition to the other advice, note that opening up the ports required to
do this is unwise from a security standpoint. Use VPN or ISA publishing.
 
Lanwench....Thanks for the good advice. We're just testing right now. The
final client installation will use VPN, and that seems to work just fine in
our testing.....RDK

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
 
Glad to hear it! Best o' luck...
Lanwench....Thanks for the good advice. We're just testing right
now. The final client installation will use VPN, and that seems to
work just fine in our testing.....RDK

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
In addition to the other advice, note that opening up the ports
required to do this is unwise from a security standpoint. Use VPN or
ISA publishing.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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