Cannot connect to Exchange Server using Earthlink dial-up

[Vincent Close]

Our remote sales reps all use Earthlink dial-up software to connect to the
Internet, and then open up Outlook to connect to our Exchange 5.5 server to
check/send/receive e-mail. They use Outlook 2000, and have offline folders
set up.

All has worked well until this morning. Now, they all get the message,
"Network problems are preventing connection to the Microsoft Exchange Server
computer. Contact your system administrator if this condition exists."

The first thing that I thought of was that Earthlink has all of a sudden
started blocking access to the ports that Exchange requires.

I spoke to two techs at Earthlink and they're clueless on the matter. They
kept asking me questions about what the Earthlink mail server settings were
set up to be in Outlook, as if we had POP accounts, which we don't.

Anyone have any ideas?


Thanks in advance,

--
Vinnie Close
Network Administrator
Barudan America, Inc.
Solon, Ohio
(e-mail address removed)
***Remove the "nospam" to reply***

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I suggest you implement it ASAP and close the ports you opened up to allow
Outlook MAPI connectivity through the firewall. You are taking a huge
security risk this way. The users can still dial up to the Internet through
whatever ISP they have, and make the VPN connection afterwards.

No, we aren't using VPN.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Are you using VPN?

(I sure hope so - having the requisite ports open in your firewall
is a very bad thing - as indicated by the recent outbreak of RPC
buffer overflow exploits)

 

[Vincent Close]

OK, but that still doesn't solve the problem of why all of a sudden no one
outside of our LAN can connect to the Exchange Server via Outlook.


"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

I suggest you implement it ASAP and close the ports you opened up to allow
Outlook MAPI connectivity through the firewall. You are taking a huge
security risk this way. The users can still dial up to the Internet through
whatever ISP they have, and make the VPN connection afterwards.

No, we aren't using VPN.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

Are you using VPN?

(I sure hope so - having the requisite ports open in your firewall
is a very bad thing - as indicated by the recent outbreak of RPC
buffer overflow exploits)

Vincent Close wrote:
Our remote sales reps all use Earthlink dial-up software to connect
to the Internet, and then open up Outlook to connect to our Exchange
5.5 server to check/send/receive e-mail. They use Outlook 2000, and
have offline folders set up.

All has worked well until this morning. Now, they all get the
message, "Network problems are preventing connection to the
Microsoft Exchange Server computer. Contact your system
administrator if this condition exists."

The first thing that I thought of was that Earthlink has all of a
sudden started blocking access to the ports that Exchange requires.

I spoke to two techs at Earthlink and they're clueless on the
matter. They kept asking me questions about what the Earthlink mail
server settings were set up to be in Outlook, as if we had POP
accounts, which we don't.

Anyone have any ideas?


Thanks in advance,

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Because your ISP has probably blocked those ports due to the recent worm
outbreak. A lot of ISPs have done so as a temporary fix. It's your chance to
do things over & set them up securely.

Sorry I didn't mention that earlier - I was having a minor aneurysm.

OK, but that still doesn't solve the problem of why all of a sudden
no one outside of our LAN can connect to the Exchange Server via
Outlook.


"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

I suggest you implement it ASAP and close the ports you opened up to
allow Outlook MAPI connectivity through the firewall. You are taking
a huge security risk this way. The users can still dial up to the
Internet through whatever ISP they have, and make the VPN connection
afterwards.

No, we aren't using VPN.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
message Are you using VPN?

(I sure hope so - having the requisite ports open in your firewall
is a very bad thing - as indicated by the recent outbreak of RPC
buffer overflow exploits)

Vincent Close wrote:
Our remote sales reps all use Earthlink dial-up software to
connect to the Internet, and then open up Outlook to connect to
our Exchange
5.5 server to check/send/receive e-mail. They use Outlook 2000,
and have offline folders set up.

All has worked well until this morning. Now, they all get the
message, "Network problems are preventing connection to the
Microsoft Exchange Server computer. Contact your system
administrator if this condition exists."

The first thing that I thought of was that Earthlink has all of a
sudden started blocking access to the ports that Exchange
requires.

I spoke to two techs at Earthlink and they're clueless on the
matter. They kept asking me questions about what the Earthlink
mail server settings were set up to be in Outlook, as if we had
POP accounts, which we don't.

Anyone have any ideas?


Thanks in advance,