Outlook access over http

[200820]

We currently have exchange accounts in satelite offices which connect to our exchange over http, this has worked fine for as long as I can remember and any users who have previously used this are having no problems.

I have set up the exact same settings on a new exchange account but this refuses to connect to the exchange.

The user is asked for username and password and when the correct credentials are entered the outlook client just sits at 'trying to connect'

Due to this user having the exact same settings as everybody else I believe this to be an issue with our exchange server which is running sbs2003 hence me posting the problem here!

If anyone can think of any services that may need to be running or any settings that need to be reset could they let me know?

 

[noveyron]

If everyone else is working, then it must be a client issue, surely?

Double check the configuration from the info you are provided with on the RHS of the screen when connected to RWW.

 

[200820]

Sorry I may have explained this a little wrong. The client is not actually connecting through RWW.

This works fine from the client computer but as this is a little awkward we use a setup of connecting to the exchange mailbox through http with exchange proxy settings set-up through outlook itself.

The client seems to be communicating with the exchange server as it is asked for authentication but when the credentials are given nothing else happens and it won't connect.

 

[noveyron]

I think it may have been me who wasn't clear, I meant that the documentation for setting up your RPC over HTTPS is available to you on the RHS of the first screen when logged on to RWW, should you need it

When you enter the username, it needs to be in the format domain\username - is this the format you are using?

 

[200820]

Sorry think we got our lines crossed.

I have actually already configured the computer with those settings though and yes when asked for authentication I am using the domain\username format. I am only asked for those credentials once which makes me think the server is accepting the credentials as when they are wrong you get asked again.

Do you have any ideas as to why the server would ask for authentication, (making me think the http settings are correct & communication is occuring with the server) seem to accept the credentials but not let outlook connect to the mailbox??

 

[PaulGillespie]

Are the rest of the HTTP users ok?

I had a similar issue the other week and I was configuring the client wrong. A collegue politely pointed out my error and all was fine after that. As noveyron suggested, get the config info out of RWW.

 

[200820]

All other users who have connected previously using http are fine but when I try to configure a user to use http who has not used http before cannot connect. I am 100% sure that it is configured correctly which is why I think the issue is with the exchange server!

 

[PaulGillespie]

In AD, go into the user's account and in exchange features, is HTTP enabled? it should be by default.

Can the clinet machine resolve the server name in DNS?
Can you telnet onto 443 from the client machine?
reboot the server?

The problem I had was that I was putting MSSTD:: an extra colon. This stumped me for about 4 or 5 hours and I was certain it was a server issue, can you compare side by side with a working one?

 

[200820]

OWA, POP3 & IMAP4 are all enabled! Because some users can still use http (ones who have used it before) I am thinking it is an autentication issue or some sort of cache that needs to be cleared.

I have already tried to reboot the server & we don't use telnet.

I have compared side by side by side and can see absolutely no differences.

 

[PaulGillespie]

Telnet can use used to see if the client pc can access the server on 443.

in a cmd prompt: telnet mail.mydomain.com 443

if you get a blank screen then all is fine.

In the clients control panel, go to the user accounts section, click advanced, click manage passwords and delete all the password entries. This is the local password cache. I've had this help with XP offline files but i've never needed to do it for outlook over HTTP.

I take it you've tried another email profile?
have you tried another user profile?
have you tried another PC?
have you tried rebuilding the PC?

 

[200820]

I gave the telnet command a try an everything seemed fine, blank screen just appeared.

I have tried a different e-mail, different PC & different profile but no new users will be accepted

 

[PaulGillespie]

Is your digital certificate valid?
Are you using the self signed cert? If so, you may need to add it to the trusted root authority in IE.

 

[200820]

The certificate on the server is vaild until 2012 and it is self signed.

Do I need to add this to the trusted root on the client?

 

[PaulGillespie]

Yes. It is self signed and therefor not trusted! that's why you get the warning when accessing webmail.

Go to the webmail page and add the certificate. You will know it is trusted as subsequent visits will not show the warning.

 

[200820]

Do you think this will help the issue of connecting over http through outlook though?

 

[PaulGillespie]

Yes.