Remote access to Outlook email 1

[MHUK]

Hi

I run a small network which runs on Windows 2000 and has Exchange 2000 for all our email accounts running on Outlook. One user is on the road a lot and wishes to buy a laptop and access his work email account remotely by using a dial up connection and simple 56k modem in the laptop. Is there a simple way to set this up, without the need to buy lots of extra equipment? Ideally he will just find a phone connection and dial up to the internet with his laptop and then access his work email. But how could this be set up?

How can I enable the web mail services within Exchange 2000? Will this allow the user to check their work email via web pages? I have also heard of Outlook Web Access. What is this, and is this the same thing as 'web mail services'? I'm not that familiar with Exchange but we have Small Business Server 2000 which I do know.

Thank you very much for any help.

MHUK

 

[MHUK]

Hi thank you for your reply. I'm not sure if the URL I'm using is our public address. How do I find out what our public address is so I can ensure I am using the correct URL? Does our "domain" get used anywhere in the URL... nameOfuser@domain.com would be the normal email address, and would 'domain.com' form part of the URL?

And is the Internal IP of Exchange Server different to the server machine address and DNS IP? If it is different, how do I find out this IP, and then do I add it to the list and assign Port 80 as the TCP port, in the Default Website properties as before? Do I have to make the same changes to Administration Website properties? Up to now I have only been adding any IPs and port numbers in the Default Website properties.

Thank you again for your help. And apologies for this taking so long to get right. I am sure I can't be far from working if I can get it to work internally on a web browser.

 

[Marcs41]

huh.. you should know your ISP assigen IP number no?
If not, check with the ISP or send an email to someone external and have them check the header.

Or, lookup your domain's MX record with NSLOOKUP:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q203204

 

[MHUK]

Here is one of the internet headers:

---------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Mail Internet Headers Version 2.0
Received: from SERVER1.CottonBottoms.local ([192.168.0.762]) by smtp.btclick.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.0.2195.5329);
Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:46:02 +0000
Received: by SERVER1.CottonBottoms.local (Microsoft Connector for POP3 Mailboxes 5.00.2195) with SMTP (Global POP3 Download)
id MSG03162004-154559-3260.MMD@CottonBottoms.local; Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:45:59 -0000
Return-Path: <DKeiller@beta.dabs.com>
X-Original-To: matt@cottonbottoms.co.uk
Delivered-To: cottonbot@rs1.mbcommerce.co.uk
Received: from horus2.dabs.com (horus.dabs.com [194.70.94.160])
by rs1.mbcommerce.co.uk (Postfix) with SMTP id A62A7454042
for <matt@cottonbottoms.co.uk>; Tue, 16 Mar 2004 15:38:29 +0000 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

"cottonbottoms" is the name of my company (eco-friendly nappies!).
"mbcommerce" is the company who hosts our domain "cottonbottoms.co.uk". Do I need the IP address of our ISP as well as the Exchange IP? Can you tell what either is from the header above?

"server1" is the name of our server, and "COTTONBOTTOMS.LOCAL" is the server domain. 192.168.0.762 is the IP address of our network server machine.

All I need to know is which IP address I need to add to the Default Website properties list with TCP port 80. Can you tell what our Exchange IP address is from the header above? I suspect it is the same as our network server IP 192.168.0.762 as this is what it runs on. However I am not sure. But do I need to add our ISPs IP address to the Default Website properties list with Port 80 as well as the Exchange IP?

And finally which IP would I use in the URL to access outside work, network server IP, or Exchange server IP, or DNS IP, or our ISP's IP? What would be the 'public' address?

Sorry for all the questions. I appreciate your help.

MHUK

 

[MHUK]

Just used your link to find out our domain MX records and the following was displayed but I'm not sure which needs to be used for allowing external access to OWA.

Here is what was the output:
---------------------------
>cottonbottoms.co.uk

Server: Unknown
Address: 192.168.0.761
---------------------------
Then it proceeded to show our MX record 'preferences' and 'name server addresses' for cottonbottoms.co.uk. The IP above also happens to be the DNS IP.

Anyway, any help to solve this problem will be really appreciated.

Thank you.

MHUK

 

[Marcs41]

Your server is 192.168.0.762, but that you can find typing ipconfig /all at a command prompt too.

That address is irrelevant for external use, but the router or firewall HAS to forward port 80 to that address !!!


as far as i can tell, cottonbottoms.co.uk is at 64.246.46.184 but that is your website address, not the WAN side of your office. Or, is the website INSIDE your office too?

 

[Marcs41]

PS: are you Matt ?
If so, I will send you, by big exeption, an e-mail for you to respond to, so we can figure out your IP.

Or another thing to try is, on a command prompt from the server type:
tracert

http://www.cottonbottoms.co.uk

Normally, the second IP address you see is the external one.

 

[MHUK]

The company, mbcommerce, hosts our website as well as our domain for email etc. Mbcommerce is an outside company and has its own web server etc, but our email uses their web server for collecting email.

When you say our server IP is 192.168.0.762 are you referring to the exchange server? I have already added this IP address to the list in Default Website properties in the IIS with Port 80 as the TCP port...How do I ensure the router and firewall both point this IP to port 80? Does the Default Website properties not do this?

Thank you for your help.

 

[Marcs41]

Matt, I assume?
You don't have to add that address to the IIS.
As far as I can tell, that address is your Exchange server, at least, if it was the server who sent the mail.

Your router or firewall is a seperate device or PC, nothing to do with you Exchange Server.

 

[MHUK]

Just did the 'tracert' at command prompt and it came up with the following:
-------------
Server:

http://www.cottonbottoms.co.uk

Address: 64.246.46.184

***

http://www.cottonbottoms.co.uk

can't find tracert: Non-existent domain
>
-------------

Not sure if this says anything. There is only the one IP, and its the one of our website as you mentioned.

 

[Marcs41]

nono, we do not need the address from the www.
the SECOND one in the list is what you need:

you will get something like:
1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms SERVER1.CottonBottoms.local ([192.168.0.762]
2 1 ms 11 ms 10 ms bla.bla.isp.co.uk [A.B.C.D]
3 12 ms 12 ms 11 ms 100.132.6.129
4 * 13 ms 12 ms 100.131.0.217
5 12 ms 12 ms 12 ms xxx.xxx.xxx [123.123.123.123]

it is the A.B.C.D we need.

 

[MHUK]

Hi just sent you an email from the server pc using the Administrator account.

I didn't get anything like the above. Only the following:

Server:

http://www.cottonbottoms.co.uk

Address: 64.246.46.184

***

http://www.cottonbottoms.co.uk

can't find tracert: Non-existent domain
>

All of our IPs of the local machines are dynamic and found automatically (apart from 2 pc's where I set up static IP addresses, and the server pc too)...could this be a cause of this problem?

Anyway please let me know if my email helps to give this second IP. Is this second IP the 'public' address I will then use in the URL to connect to our network externally?

How can I check if our router and firewall are forwarding to port 80? I know with a firewall you can sometimes type in an address and it will show all properties etc but I am not sure.

Thank you again for all your help.

 

[Marcs41]

Your mail did not help, sadly, as you seem to use soem btclick smtp service which does not reflect your IP, or it is closed for pings and ports.

About your router/firewall, I have no idea as I do not know what or where it is, that is something you nee to find out there.
It 'should' be your default gateway and it 'should' have some management tools.

Try the tracert on another machine and trace something else, like tracert

http://www.microsoft.com

 

[Marcs41]

Try this, it will be faster:
tracert

http://www.bbc.co.uk

which should give you 212.58.224.111 at the end

If that does not work do:

tracert 212.58.224.111

again here, we need the second or third IP address (A.B.C.D)

Post the first 4 or 5 to be sure.

 

[MHUK]

Hi

I have been away from work. I have not had any luck with the above but while I was away I have found out about a much easier and more secure way of connecting to our server remotely. That is to use Terminal Services Remote, as opposed to changing the settings in Exchange. When I log into our router software I can see the public IP address finally. However this keeps changing as our "Internet IP Address" is retrieved dynamically from our ISP. I have contacted our ISP, British Telecome, to get a static Internet IP Address however they are going to charge money for this! Is this usual to be charged for a static Internet IP?? I think my company is going to have to pay however to get this working.

We currently have basic terminal services installed but I need to know how to add the program called Terminal Services Remote. I assume I have to go to "Add/Remove Programs", however I am not sure what to do next. Do I need the original Windows CD?

Once I have downloaded Terminal Services Remote how do I find out the Port number for this service?

Once I have Terminal Service Remote added and its port number it should just be a case of forwarding to this port number from our server (which I can do in our Router set up page no problem) and then get a static Internet IP from our ISP.

Any help on adding the Terminal Services Remote and finding its Port will be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully I will finally solve this problem of accessing our server externally.

MHUK

 

[Marcs41]

I get the impression you are making a big mix of things.

OWA will get you to your email, period.
Terminal server will give you a session (remote) to your server, or other pc.

Of course you need to pay for a fixed IP, everyone has to.

But, you don't really need to have a fixed IP if it is for sporadic use.
You can use services like

http://www.dyns.cx

or dns2go.
A small client will keep your IP up-to-date to a chosen name like yourcompany.dyns.cx which you can then use.

For access to the terminal server, if you use XP, you don't need to install anything, just make a connection as Remote Desktop.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC![/sub]
How Do I Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? See faq219-2884

 

[MHUK]

How do I make a connection as remote desktop?

Thank you for all your help with this.

 

[MHUK]

It is only email I need to access however access to any of the server is a bonus as the workers who are on the road can check other work. Terminal services remote will allow access to email? Is Terminal Services Remote different to just "Terminal Services" which we already have? I can see Terminal Services as an existing program when I go to Add/Remove programs.

We use Windows 2000.

Thank you again for your help.

 

[Marcs41]

Start - Programs - Accessoires - Communications - Remote Desktop Connection.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC![/sub]
How Do I Get Great Answers To my Tek-Tips Questions? See faq219-2884

 

[MHUK]

I don't see Remote Desktop connection but I do see something called HyperTerminal. Is this what I need?

Thanks for your help.

 

[MHUK]

Also, I forgot to ask sorry, what or how will I find the port number for this Remote Desktop Connection as I will need to forward to this port number? Is the port number going to be the same where ever I am - 3389? However I am not sure if Windows 2000 has an equivalent, only have HyperTerminal.

When the "Remote Desktop Connection" option is selected what should normally happen - are you guided through some kind of wizard? Just need to know as "HyperTerminal" may do exactly the same thing.

Thank you again for your help.