VPN and Outlook 2003

[nishrags]

Hi:

I have SBS2003 running on my server with Static IP address connected to Linksys WRT54G router and the Server is wired. Have ports 25,80,110, 443, 445 ,1723 and 3389 forareded to the router IP address of the server.

On the client, I have Windows XP with Outlook 2003 and connected to a SMC 7004VWBR wireless router.

When I start outlook 2003, after connecting through VPN ( WIndows client VPN ) , it comes back and says " Microsoft Exchange server unavailble ".


I am struggling with this for the last 6 months and no one has an answer. However if I connect the SMC router to the server and linksys to the client with the same ports forwarded, then it works. But I need to keep the Linksys router at the server side.,

After connecting VPN, I can ping the router IP address of the Server and even before connecting VPN, I can ping the static IP of the server by name and address.

CAN ANY ONE PLEASE HELP ME.


Thanks
Nishrags

 

[patrichek]

i had a similiar problem and i ended up putting the exchange server ip in the hosts file on the xp box.
after that it connected no problemo.
hope this helps you too!

 

[dkediger]

There's also Outlook Web Access, which provides 95% of the functionality of regular Outlook but does it through regular port 80/443 HTML/SSL. No setup required on the client end.

 

[MoobyCow]

Check this thread:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=994129

 

[nishrags]

Hi:

I have my ip address and server name on the hosts and lmhosts file in XP.

I understand Oulook web access and I do use that but only when i travel , I use it to see my mail from others PC.

I need to use Outlook from home.

Moobycow, I checked the thread u had mentioned and changed my MTU value to 1350 on my XP machine using DRTCP and also changed the value 1350 on the Server side router also.

Still I have problems to connect the machine.

When I connect using VPN, I can ping my server using IP address and also using the name,.

 

[nishrags]

Hi:
I forgot to ask, do I have to change the MTU value at the Server side also ?? Do i have to change the MTU value on the router at my end also apart from changing on the router at the server side ??

thanks

 

[MoobyCow]

No, it should only be on the client side so if it's not working after changing the setting (and you can ping using the -f -l switches)it's not your problem.

There are so many different things that can go wrong with a VPN, it can be very difficult to trouble shoot.

You can try setting up RPC over HTTP which allows you to connect to your email server over HTTP without using a VPN. If you don't need anything besides Outlook when you're away from the office it is probably a better solution for you.

 

[nishrags]

Hi :

I have tried so many times RPC over HTTP and gave up. It never worked for me. I am not sure why. I have gone through the Micro soft article and followed exactly but no sucess. Unless u have better link where i can get some new ideas.

thanks

 

[volleyman]

how low can you change the MTU before it causes problems? I'm assuming too many tiny packets would cause serious collisions on the LAN.

Zane D.
Systems Admin