VPN and Outlook 2003 with SBS2003

[ragskash]

Hi:


I have Windows XP connected to a Linksys Router.

My Server SBS2003 is on the WAN which is connected to a SMS wireless router.

Till today, I used to connect first using VPN and then start outlook 2003 at the XP side which is configured to the SBS2003 exchange server and see my mail.

Yesterday , the SMS router was shutdown and so as the server for maintenance purpose and restarted the server and the router.

From then on wards, I can connect to my exchange server to check my mail even without connecting VPN.

Please note my SERVER is not on DMZ. then how can one in the world, can connect and check the mail using outlook 2003 which is confirgured to the SBS2003 exchange server as I mentioned earlier.

Can any one suggest any ideas? Is my machine unsecured or what?


thanks

[johnnyis42]

what kind of a vpn were you using? do the routers have their own VPN settings for IPSEC authentication? is the SMS router forwarding the exchange ports through by default, possibly using UPnP to detect what the server is offering to the WAN?

[ragskash]

Hi:

thanks for your message.

1. I am using the VPN software which is bundled along with the XP .

2. I am forwarding the ports on the SMC router for the Server's IP address . The ports fowarded are

1. 80 for http, 110, 25 for SMTP basically Mail, 1723 for VPN connection, 445 and 443 for SSL and Outlook web access.

thanks

[johnnyis42]

well, the fact that you are forwarding pop3 and smtp ports, i would think that is allowing the passage of the traffic to your exchange server.

you may want to not forward the ssl ports if you only want the secured authentication from VPN clients. make sure the exchange server is set up to use secured authentication as well.

[ragskash]

Hi :

thanks again. Please let me know what port #s should be opend on the SMC router where my server is connected.

also I try to use RPC over HTTP since I have XP at my client side. I just could not make it work . I strictly followed the procedures given even at the Microsoft website for the same.

I get the error message "Microsoft Exchange Server unavailable"

any idea how to make it work or what mistake I am doing in making RPC over HTTP work ?

thanks

[johnnyis42]

Originally posted by ragskash

From then on wards, I can connect to my exchange server to check my mail even without connecting VPN.


thanks

so you can or cannot connect to your exchange server?

[ragskash]

Hi:

Now I can connect to exchange server. The problem was the SMC wireless router misbehaved. Even though my server was connected to it, it did not protect the server. just shut the power off to the router and powered it on.

then i could not connect to the server. Conected VPN and then was able to connect to the server.

IT was SMC server probelm.

However still i have provblem with RPC over HTTP.

Can u help

thanks


also even now, afger connecting to VPN, first time when i start outlook, it will give the same problem " Server not availble", but when i click on retry, it works. this happend all the time.

why so ?

thanks

[johnnyis42]

here's how to configure the client side:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/as...402731033.aspx

there's also mention of a hot fix for the error problem which may apply.

if the server is configured for RPC over http then all you would have to do is keep the ssl port open.