IMAP Implementation Problem

[Jacinthe]

Basic Information: Using Outlook XP to access IMAP server.

Problem: I have just started a new job which (for some random reason) uses
an IMAP server as its main configuration. Okay, fine. They provided me with
the Outlook setup information and NOTHING seems to be going my way. When I
created my IMAP information, it set up the IMAP as a separate folder from the
Personal Folders. So, my contact information, calendar, etc. is unavailable
from the IMAP. Also, every time I try to send an email, it seems to think it
should be sending from the Personal Folders section, so the email goes into
that Outbox and never sends.

I have tried everything I can think of. This job also puts us behind a
STRONG firewall, so a google search is out of the question (only 3 or 4 sites
are approved). Any ideas or do you need further information? Thanks in
advance for your help!

 

[VanguardLH]

in

Basic Information: Using Outlook XP to access IMAP server.

Problem: I have just started a new job which (for some random reason) uses
an IMAP server as its main configuration. Okay, fine. They provided me with
the Outlook setup information and NOTHING seems to be going my way. When I
created my IMAP information, it set up the IMAP as a separate folder from the
Personal Folders. So, my contact information, calendar, etc. is unavailable
from the IMAP. Also, every time I try to send an email, it seems to think it
should be sending from the Personal Folders section, so the email goes into
that Outbox and never sends.

I have tried everything I can think of. This job also puts us behind a
STRONG firewall, so a google search is out of the question (only 3 or 4 sites
are approved). Any ideas or do you need further information? Thanks in
advance for your help!

In Outlook, all POP3 and Exchange accounts get aggregated into one
message store (Personal Folders). Each IMAP account gets its own
separate message store (so you see a separate tree with Inbox and other
folders for that message store). Each HTTP account (Hotmail) also gets
its own separate message store.

Rules won't get exercised on IMAP and HTTP accounts, just the aggregated
POP3/Exchange accounts. Similarly, your contacts folder within each
message store is what is available within that message store.

What account do you currently have configured as the default e-mail
account? Do you have more than one e-mail account defined within
Outlook?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287574/en-us

Tell your employer to use Exchange, or to give you access to a POP3 mail
host (which can also be linked to Exchange). You'll have to discuss
with your employer as to why they stuck you with an IMAP account when
lots of the integrated features within Outlook for use within an
enterprise/corporate network rely on using Exchange as the mail host.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Rules won't get exercised on IMAP and HTTP accounts, just the
aggregated POP3/Exchange accounts.

Not true. Rules do run on IMAP accounts, provided you have elected to
download complete items when the folders synchronize.

Similarly, your contacts folder
within each message store is what is available within that message
store.

Even for IMAP accounts, there is noly one default Contacts folder and it's
in the delivery location PST. Perhaps I'm not grasping what you're saying.

 

[Jacinthe]

I have since done a little research (outside of work) on IMAP and everything
makes sense except that my sent mails are moving into the outbox in the
Personal Folders file and then failing. I don't get an error message when
they fail, but they get "returned as undeliverable" into the Personal Folder
with various undeliverable messages. The most recent one was:

504 <HP10409150401>: Helo command rejected: need fully-qualified hostname

Any further thoughts?

 

[Jacinthe]

OP Here. Did a little research on my own, figured that the folders are
behaving correctly with the exception of sent mail. Currently, sent mail is
moving itself into the "outbox" on the pst side, trying to send from there,
and failing. When it fails, I get a "message undeliverable" message in the
inbox of the pst side - not the IMAP. So I figure there must be a link
somewhere that is incorrect. And yes, this is Outlook 2002. Any ideas?

(Again, the firewall here is absurdly strong, so no links, please. I can't
even access google.)

 

[Brian Tillman]

OP Here. Did a little research on my own, figured that the folders
are behaving correctly with the exception of sent mail. Currently,
sent mail is moving itself into the "outbox" on the pst side, trying
to send from there, and failing. When it fails, I get a "message
undeliverable" message in the inbox of the pst side - not the IMAP.
So I figure there must be a link somewhere that is incorrect. And
yes, this is Outlook 2002. Any ideas?

You are seeing correct behavior in that the mesasges are moving to your
default Outbox. There is only one Outbox that Outlook uses, and that's the
one in the delivery location folder set. If the messages are not leaving
the Outbox, you may have a problem in your account's SMTP settings.

 

[Jacinthe]

Okay ... so I double (and triple) checked the settings vs. what I was given
by my employer. The IP of the IMAP server is correct, the username and
password is correct, I have the "outgoing server requires authentication" box
checked, and he says all the other settings should be default. Is it
possible there is an incorrect server setting somewhere?

Also, boss told me that IT guy told him they set it up as IMAP because
"POP3" will basically disable webmail by removing all the mail from the
server. That's not true, right? I was under the impression that you just
had to check the "leave a copy of messsages on the server" box and that would
be set, right? Or am I incorrect?