This is a common question from corporate users, and the answer can be difficult because of the various ways that your network and server(s) may be configured. In this brief article I will try to touch upon the basic principles and give you enough information to at least understand what your specific configuration is and what needs to be changed.
First off, let's clarify some terminology:
Sync: To synchronize data, typically meaning mail/calendar/tasks. Outlook and Exchange have a special proprietary connection which keeps data synchronized between client and server. There is no true Exchange client for the Pocket PC.
POP3 & IMAP4: These are industry standard mail protocols. IMAP is a sync protocol.
Firewall: A device that blocks specific TCP ports (think of them as specific internet services like mail, web, FTP) from being accessed on your internal servers from the internet. A firewall is configurable for specific needs and access.
VPN: Virtual Private Network; a software layer that is established between two points on the internet and provides for secure data transfer. This is typically between a laptop/home user and a firewall device at a company. This basically "punches a hole" in the firewall for the authenticated VPN client user.
Active Directory: This is an authentication protocol used in 2000 Server, Exchange 2000, and newer. It can also run in "mixed mode" if you have older servers (IE, NT).
MIS: Mobile Information Server; this is software from Microsoft which allows you to do a full remote sync with Exchange. It will sync mail/calendar/tasks, but it takes much more time and data. This is generally impractical unless you have a large data transfer budget or have very little data to sync. MIS can NOT be run on a mixed-mode Active Directory installation nor on the old NT authentication scheme. You need to use it with native mode Active Directory only.
Now the absolute easiest way to sync your PPC e-mail is via IMAP directly to the Exchange server. To do this, your firewall needs to have the IMAP ports open between the server and at least the subnet of your wireless carrier. The ports are 143, 220, and 993. You can find out your carrier's subnet range by calling them, or by running vxUtil on your device while you have a connection and getting your IP configuration. Your Exchange server needs to have IMAP enabled, which literally takes just a few clicks. Any Exchange admin can do this in a few minutes.
On the Pocket PC, open the Inbox, tap the Services menu, New Service... Enter your e-mail address in the box, and press Next. Skip the automatic testing. In the next dialog enter your user info such as your real name (as you want it to be in the "from" field), your login name (typically [email protected], same as your e-mail address), and password. Hit Next, and select IMAP4 service type, then enter a name for this account (any name you want, this is for you to remember which account this is), hit Next. Here you will enter your mail server names. Typically this is mail.domain.com, but ask your IT department. Tap the options buttons and select "Outgoing mail requires authentication" then hit Next. Set your preferences here, hit Next twice, and you're done.
The only drawback to this method is a very slight security risk which can be averted by keeping the latest service packs on your Exchange server. This is the methodology I use and recommend, and that all of my clients use. I do not know of any specific security risks with IMAP, and find that most objections to it are based merely on FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt). Unfortunately, FUD plays a big role in many IT decisions. The other factor is the nerds; they want to do lock things down just because they can or think they should. IMAP is a proven, secure, industry-standard protocol that is well-implemented on Exchange server 5.5 and above.
You can also use POP to get your mail. The drawback is that POP is not a sync protocol like IMAP. People using POP tend to run into issues with not knowing whether an e-mail is on the server or has been removed to a client. This makes it undesirable for the non-technical business user. The ONLY caveat for IMAP is that you should sync again after you've done anything with your e-mail to make that change to the server. IE, if you delete an e-mail on the client, it will not be deleted on the server until you sync again.
Now if your IT department refuses to allow outside access directly to the Exchange server, you may need to establish a VPN to the firewall. To do this you will need client software, and this is more complicated than what I'd like to discuss here. The best starting point is to ask the manufacturer of your firewall for a recommendation on a Pocket PC VPN client. Once you connect the VPN, then you can use IMAP as outlined above to get your mail. With a VPN, it will work just as if you were in the office.
Speaking of which, you can test these things using the pass-through function of ActiveSync while the device is in the cradle at the office. This will help you determine the source of a problem, for example. If you can connect in the office but not wirelessly, then you have a proper e-mail configuration but you have a network/firewall issue.
Please feel free to shoot any specific questions my way. However, this is meant as information you can use to guide your Exchange and firewall admins and not a complete how-to for the novice. If you do not have admins on site, someone will need to configure this. You can contact any qualified Exchange and/or firewall admin to help you with this, and I'm also available for implementation, design, and consulting work. My background is in wide area communications, security, and internet services.
Can anyone help me in the steps involved to remotely connect to my
microsoft exchange server 2003 remotely with GPRS T-mobile?
This is what I have working so far and each one has been incredibly
painful to set up, but working.
I have windows 2003 server running exchange 2003 server on a DC, and an
I-mate Jam running windows mobile 2003 2nd edition.
Working:
1) My ISP is T-mobile and running GPRS perfectly.
2) OWA (Outlook Web Access) is working perfectly from my lan computer.
ex. http://mail.manster.com:81/exhange
3) OMA is working perfectly from my phone.
4) I set up activesync 3.8 to be standard and connect to my exchange
server and that works perfectly if I put the netbios name
manster-4qgshpl.manster.local in the server name. Everything syncs fine
and it works. The passthrough on my activesync says to connect to
"internet" and I have pda connected to lan comp.
Not working:
1) I put my exchange server smtp name mail.manster.com in my activesync
and it no longer works.
What am I missing, I'm so close. Do I need to create a vpn or
something. How come I don't need vpn for owa and oma?
Note: When I change the exchange server to mail.manster.com and put
"work" in the passthrough it works but only when I have it connected to
computer. I also have to put for some reason mail.manster.com in the
proxy server and port 81. Even though I don't have proxy server. I need
to be able to do this remotely from anywhere with GPRS.
Thanks, I greatly appreciate any help.
Hi
I'm waiting for my unlock code to come through from Virgin. Once it does, I'd like to use my O2 sim in it - will I be able to set it up for O2Active etc? Also, once a month I'll need to put the virgin sim back in to get the license download for the telly - will I still be able to do that if I've changed the GPRS settings to O2?
Cheers
Did you ever get your Lobster working on O2?
I had a quick play this morning but it didn't work with trying to apply the settings I used on my Universal, but then not all the settings would fit.
I've seen there is a proxy setting too, must be something to do with that...
here are the o2 settings (lifted from modaco.com - thanks to smallfoot)
Contract
1) Start>Settings>Data Connections>Menu>Edit Connections
Dialup connection:
Description: O2 CSD WAP
Connects to: The internet
Phone number: +447712927927
User name: o2web
Password: password
Domain: blank
Proxy connection:
Description: O2 WAP proxy
Connects from: The Internet
Connects to: Wap Network
Proxy(nameort): 193.113.200.195:8080
Type: HTTP
Username:
Password:
GPRS Connection:
Description: O2 Internet
Connects to: The Internet
Access point: mobile.o2.co.uk
Username: o2web
Password: password
Primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
Secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0
I.P address: blank
GPRS connection:
Description: O2 GPRS WAP
Connects to: The internet
Access point: wap.o2.co.uk
Username: o2wap
Password: password
Primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
Secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0
I.P address: blank
GPRS connection:
Description: O2 MMS
Connects to: Secure WAP network
Access point: wap.o2.co.uk
Username: o2wap
Password: password
Primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
Secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0
I.P address: blank
In the main data connections menu.
Internet connection: O2 Internet
Work connection : Automatic
WAP connection: O2 GPRS WAP
Secure wap connection: O2 MMS
Start>Messaging>Media Messages>Menu>Options>Account Setup>Media Messages
Menu- Edit connections - Menu- Add
Server: O2 MMS
Download Messsages: automatically
Outgoing message size: less than 100kb
Allowed message types: personal
Menu>Edit connections
Description: O2 MMS
MMSC Address: http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
Data Connection: Secure WAP network
Gateway: WAP 1.0 Gateway
I.P Address: 193.113.200.195
Port: 9201
In Internet explorer, Menu-Options-Connections
Untick 'automatically detect settings'
Make 'Select network: The Internet' or 'Select Network: WAP network'.
O2 PAYG
1) Start>Settings>Data Connections>Menu>Edit Connections
Dialup connection:
Description: O2 CSD WAP
Connects to: The internet
Phone number: +447712927927
User name: o2wap
Password: password
Domain: blank
Proxy connection:
Description: O2 WAP proxy
Connects from: The Internet
Connects to: Wap Network
Proxy(nameort): 193.113.200.195:8080
Type: HTTP
Username:
Password:
GPRS Connection:
Description: O2 GPRS Wap
Connects to: The Internet
Access point: payandgo.o2.co.uk
Username: payandgo
Password: password
Primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
Secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0
I.P address: blank
GPRS connection:
Description: O2 MMS
Connects to: Secure WAP network
Access point: payandgo.o2.co.uk
Username: payandgo
Password: password
Primary DNS: 0.0.0.0
Secondary DNS: 0.0.0.0
I.P address: blank
In the main data connections menu.
Internet connection: O2 CSD WAP
Work connection : Automatic
WAP connection: O2 GPRS WAP
Secure wap connection: O2 MMS
Start>Messaging>Media Messages>Menu>Options>Account Setup>Media Messages
Menu- Edit connections - Menu- Add
Server: O2 MMS
Download Messsages: automatically
Outgoing message size: less than 100kb
Allowed message types: personal
Menu>Edit connections
Description: O2 MMS
MMSC Address: http://mmsc.mms.o2.co.uk:8002
Data Connection: Secure WAP network
Gateway: WAP 1.0 Gateway
I.P Address: 193.113.200.195
Port: 9201
In Internet explorer, Menu-Options-Connections
Untick 'automatically detect settings'
Make 'Select network: Wap network' (for WAP over GPRS) or 'Select Network: The internet' (for WAP over CSD).
This was copied from another post.. but for the MMS part, u must go to Configurations which is among the menu such as settings, games etc.. right at the end ! and u'll find MMS settings.
Thanks, it was a bit of a ***** but I believe I managed to find the right place to put the right bits in the end
thanks for this thread but im still stuck i got wap internet working but mms just wont download. does anyone have a cab file for the settings that work.
thanks in advance
02 Cab for Monet
hoyler30589 said:
thanks for this thread but im still stuck i got wap internet working but mms just wont download. does anyone have a cab file for the settings that work.
thanks in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cabs are available!!
Google for UK_Setup_ZD.Exe this has cabs for all uk operators on HTC devices. I use it on my monet when I want to change sims.
minidvr
Lobster user
minidvr said:
Cabs are available!!
Google for UK_Setup_ZD.Exe this has cabs for all uk operators on HTC devices. I use it on my monet when I want to change sims.
minidvr
Lobster user
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank You, this will help alot
Hi all,
i've switch over to Miui today and was going to use K9 mail as i need pinch to zoom on my emails, typically there is trick to getting it to work with gmail and i can't remember for the life of me what it is.
can someone punch up the data I need to get this working as i'm facing IOException errors.
so I need info on
username: luke.push
password: xxxxxxx
exchange server: m.google.com
security type: SSL
port: 443
mailbox alias: blank
owa patch: blank
authentication path: blank
i've done the usual of adding @gmail.com/googlemail.com/google.com to username without any success i'm pretty sure a \ or / needs to go somewhere but i can't remember and after 2 hours, i need help, badly lol.
help please
TIA Luke.
I have an iCloud Account and k-9 Mail is synced to it using the basic settings by apple:
IMAP (Incoming Mail Server) information:
Server name: imap.mail.me.com
SSL Required: Yes
Port: 993
Username: [email protected] (use your @me.com address from your iCloud account)
Password: Your iCloud password
SMTP (outgoing mail server) information:
Server name: smtp.mail.me.com
SSL Required: Yes
Port: 587
SMTP Authentication Required: Yes
Username: [email protected] (use your @me.com address from your iCloud account)
Password: Your iCloud password
This Syncs, but I do not get push notifications even with the poll via push checkbox being checked in the settings. I use similar settings on my Gmail and it does push with any problems. I have tried everything to fix pushing for my icloud account, any help would be appreciated.
Hello all,
I'm trying to connect my phone to my company email and it never completes the step where it refers to "checking incoming server settings..."
it then displays a message "Couldn't finish: couldn't open connection to server" I'm using the same credentials everyone else at my work uses, with my own specific email of course. The settings I've entered:
Domain\Username: domain\myusername
Password: ***
Server: mail.mycompany.com
use secure connection (ssl): checked
port: 443
there are two people in my office who have the exact same phone and use the same credential setup and there is no problem. I'm currently running cm 10.1 which is the only difference between myself and them.
I have checked and searched and can't find a fix, I also tried using touchdown to no success either. Any suggestions?