Can not connect to Exchange Server internally 1

[thabrock]

My workstation suddenly lost connection to the Exchange Server.

I have been connected to this same Exchange Server via our LAN for 1 1/2 years (since April 2005) without a problem and my workstation is the only one out of 15 that is having the problem.

If I go to Control Panel -> Mail -> View or Change Exisiting E-Mail accounts I get the following message:

"The name could not be resolved, the connection to the microsoft exchange server is unavailable. Outlook must be online or connected to complete this action".

 

[Fatboy0341]

What client are you using to connect to Exchange (Outlook 2000/XP/2003).

An as aside - why go through Control Panel > Mail Serrings etc? Check your mail settings directly through whatever client you are using.

Now...are you able to connect to any other network resources?

Do you have internet conectivity?

Has your PC changed recently (Windows firewall, PC name change, new IP address etc)?

Are you using DHCP or static IPs?

Can you ping the server by IP address and name? How about other servers in your domain?

Can you create another mail profile on your PC and connect or is it the same error?

A few suggestions in the meantime:

Log on to your PC as another user and see if you can open their mailbox.

Try deleting your PCs account from the domain and re-create it...any change?





"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[thabrock]

What client are you using to connect to Exchange (Outlook 2000/XP/2003).
*** Outlook 2003

An as aside - why go through Control Panel > Mail Serrings etc? Check your mail settings directly through whatever client you are using.
*** Tried both ways - neither way worked.

Now...are you able to connect to any other network resources?
*** Yes - I can connect to ALL network resources.

Do you have internet conectivity?
*** Yes.

Has your PC changed recently (Windows firewall, PC name change, new IP address etc)?
*** While I was away for a few hours the computer did lose connectivity when someone acidentally unplugged the ethernet cable, but computer received IP Adress via DHCP and seems to be fine. I can ping the server. Also Windows updates were auto-installed and restarted computer.


Are you using DHCP or static IPs?
*** DHCP

Can you ping the server by IP address and name? How about other servers in your domain?
*** Yes I cna ping the server by name and get good results.

Can you create another mail profile on your PC and connect or is it the same error?
*** New mail profile gets same error, with exception, I can connect via POP3 and IMAP.

I will try your other suggestions and let you know what happens.

Thanks!

 

[Fatboy0341]

Sounds good - on your last answer stating that you can connect via POP3 and IMAP - is that internally, externally or both?



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[thabrock]

I can connect via POP3 & IMAP both on the LAN (internal) and from the WAN (external).

It's got me stumped...

 

[Zelandakh]

ok - ping server. You'll prob get a response.
Ping server.internaldomain.com. You'll probably get a failure.
Ping whatever is in your mail settings as the Exchange server name if different.

I reckon its DNS suffix registration.

 

[Fatboy0341]

thabrock...any progree with this issue? Zelandakh makes a good point. How do your DNS settings look?



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[thabrock]

Hey thanks for the tips, here are the results:

>>> ok - ping server. You'll prob get a response.
RESULT: Yup.

>>> Ping server.internaldomain.com. You'll probably get a failure.
RESULT: Nope - got a response 100% success

>>> Ping whatever is in your mail settings as the Exchange server name if different.
RESULT: 100% success

>>> I reckon its DNS suffix registration.
If it were the DNS settings, would it not affect all workstations? Just asking...

Thanks again for the help...

 

[Fatboy0341]

Did you delete your PCs account from the domain - leave the domain and then re-join?



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[ashleym]

Are you useing cached mode in outlook 2003? If yes, try diabling it, if not, try turning it on.

AM

 

[thabrock]

Ashley - I tried with Cahced Mode on & off - no luck either way.

Fatboy0341 - My PC's account is still part of the domain; and just for clarification: at the end of your post are you asking me if I left and then rejoined the domain or are you recommending I leave the domain and then rejoin?

Thanks!

 

[ReadRight]

Make sure your Outlook is not set to "work offline" 8)

Does the little status word in the bottom right corner say disconnected or offline?

 

[Fatboy0341]

I wanted to know if you removed your PC from the domain, deleted the account and then rejoined. If you hadn't - I was suggesting that you give it a try.



"He who laughs last probably made a backup. He who laughs loudest probably hasn't checked his backups in a while."

 

[rbby2003]

Thabrock,

Did you check your Exchange server's log? I had the same problem with one of our clients, and the problem is with Windows / Exchange licensing issue, user's Outlook can access Exchange server using cached mode after we added some more licenses to the server.

Let us know if the server log shows some licensing errors. Is the problem resolved?

 

[thabrock]

Okay, here's the scoop - I ws out of the office for about a week and 1/2 busy on another project. When I came back I tried removing the PC from the domain and then rejoining - it did not work.

The next day when I came into the office I fired up Exchange, and lo-and-behold it worked!

It has been working for two days now! Thanks for all the help guys!!!!!

You guys all rock!

T