Question : CONNECT OUTLOOK TO EXCHANGE REMOTELY

We setup Internet Mail Service for the Exchange Server in the office and have no problem using OWA anywhere with the Internet connection. We also use Outlook in our network in the office to connect to Exchange. The problem is to connect to the Exchange Server by using Outlook 98 from a remote location. I would like a very concise explanation on how to set this up, settings, etc. step-by-step.

Answer : CONNECT OUTLOOK TO EXCHANGE REMOTELY

Alexy, your question is excellent and I do have the answer having had much experience in this area!

There are effectively two ways I can see you connecting to your Exchange server remotely.  These are:
1. Via the Internet
2. Via RAS connection directly into your LAN (also same as using a VPN)

The answer I will provide is identical in both situations, with exceptions for the internet option.  To connect into your exchange server via the internet without using a VPN, you need to make sure the client PCs can utilise a couple of UDP ports that may be blocked if you are using a firewall (or well configured router).  These ports would need to be opened before you will be able to connect to the exchange server UNLESS you are connecting using POP3.  I don't use POP3 for my remote outlook clients because it negates having a powerful tool like Outlook with its Contact lists and calendar functions.

OKAY - now for the main answer.

I will perform this in steps.

1.  Make sure clients can see the Exchange server by "pinging" them across the internet (or even your LAN).  If you can ping it by it's name, then you're OK.
2. Once you know you can connect your clients to the Exchange server, you can configure their e-mail profiles. Do this as per a LAN profile.
3.  To configure their ability to use Outlook while not connected, you want to set up an "Offline folder store".  You do this by going into the "Advanced" options of the Exchange Server service (in outlook).  You need to tick the "enable offline use" button and select an offline folder file to create.
4.  Once you have Outlook enabled for offline use, you can tell it which of your mail folders you want to be "synchronised" so they are available offline.  By default I think this is most of your mail folders except a couple.  To check which folders are configured to be synchronised, check their properties and click on the "Synchronisation" Tab.  You want the folder to be available for both Offline and Online use.  Once that is done, when synchronisation occurs those folders will be synchronised to the offline file on their hard disk.  This can also be accomplished for "Public folders".  So long as a public folder has been dragged into your "Favourites" folder, you can synchronise it.

5.  Decide how you want to work their connections.  You can get Outlook to dial a RAS or internet service automatically and also hang up when finished synchronising.  personally I like to leave all my dialling up to the user because they also use files on network drives and printers.  However, you may find that it's better for the not-so-smart people that they get all their dialling done automatically.

6.  Set up Outlook so that it asks you whether you want to use it offline or online each time you start it up. This is called "Choose the connection type when starting" and you also configure this via the properties of the Exchange Server service in Outlook.

Hope all this info gets you on the right track!  There are many many little things you can do and configure, but the basics are provided here.  It's not easy to fit this answer into a web based message, either!

Cheers