Only one Exchange profile for inside and outside the LAN

[Peter Schoettler]

Hi NG.

Entourage 2004, Mac OS X 10.4.4, MS Exchange Server 2003

In the settings of an Exchange account in Entourage there are two
possibilities to enter the Exchange server. First enter the Exchange's
hostname; the other option is to enter the OWA adress of your account
(http://<hostname-owa-server>/exchange/useralias).

When I'm connected to the LAN both options allow to access my account.
When I'm not connected to the LAN it's not possible to use the first option,
because mapi is blocked by the firewall. The second option, i.e. the http
port, is allowed by the firewall.

So, I prefer the second option, but there is still a problem. The hostname
of the OWA server is different when I'm connected to the LAN instead of I'm
connected to the internet only. Does anybody has a clue how to manage this
on my Mac?


Greetings,
Peter

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi NG.

Hi Peter,

Entourage 2004, Mac OS X 10.4.4, MS Exchange Server 2003

In the settings of an Exchange account in Entourage there are two
possibilities to enter the Exchange server. First enter the Exchange's
hostname; the other option is to enter the OWA adress of your account
(http://<hostname-owa-server>/exchange/useralias).

Yeah, they both result in the same thing when you are inside your LAN.

When I'm connected to the LAN both options allow to access my account.'

Sure. The hostname reverts to the OWA address.

When I'm not connected to the LAN it's not possible to use the first option,
because mapi is blocked by the firewall. The second option, i.e. the http
port, is allowed by the firewall.

Well Entourage 2004 doesn't use MAPI. The actual reason is that your Mac
has no way to find out what the hostname should revert to when you are
outside the LAN.

So, I prefer the second option, but there is still a problem. The hostname
of the OWA server is different when I'm connected to the LAN instead of I'm
connected to the internet only. Does anybody has a clue how to manage this
on my Mac?

Hum... tricky... Did you try IP address using the IP you get for the
server from outside the LAN ??

Corentin

 

[Peter Schoettler]

Hi Corentin

Well Entourage 2004 doesn't use MAPI. The actual reason is that your Mac
has no way to find out what the hostname should revert to when you are
outside the LAN.

Which connection/protocol does Entourage use when it isn't MAPI?

Hum... tricky... Did you try IP address using the IP you get for the
server from outside the LAN ??

Yes, I did, but it didn't work.
I think the easiest way is to create a script which edits the hosts file on
the Mac. When the computer isn't connected to the LAN, the Exchange server's
hostname should be assigned to the outside IP adress - or vice versa.

Can this work?

Greetings,
Peter

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hi Corentin


Which connection/protocol does Entourage use when it isn't MAPI?

WebDAV. It's connecting through port 80 (or whatever secure port when
it's secure) directly to OWA.

Yes, I did, but it didn't work.
I think the easiest way is to create a script which edits the hosts file on
the Mac. When the computer isn't connected to the LAN, the Exchange server's
hostname should be assigned to the outside IP adress - or vice versa.

It could. It's tedious but it could do the trick.
From the LAN, can you access OWA in a web browser using the same address
as from outside the LAN ?? If you use this http:// address as your
server address, it could do the trick as well.

Corentin

 

[Peter Schoettler]

Hi Corentin,

thank you for your help up to now

It could. It's tedious but it could do the trick.
From the LAN, can you access OWA in a web browser using the same address
as from outside the LAN ?? If you use this http:// address as your
server address, it could do the trick as well.

No, I can't use inside the same adress as from outside.

I think, I'm going to try out it by manipulating the hosts file.

Hm, one question left
When I access an IMAP mailbox and change the mailserver's name when I'm
inside the LAN from the outside's name, I'm asked to update the view to the
folders and their mails inside. This happens both with Outlook Express and
with Entourage. I assume this is a feature of IMAP.
Will the same thing happen when I change the Exchange server's adress in
Entourage?
Will this also happen when I change the Exchange server's IP adress only in
the hosts file? Is Entourage going to recognize this?
(I can't test this configuration in the moment, because I can work with the
Mac not until Monday.)

Greetings,
Peter

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Hm, one question left
When I access an IMAP mailbox and change the mailserver's name when I'm
inside the LAN from the outside's name, I'm asked to update the view to the
folders and their mails inside. This happens both with Outlook Express and
with Entourage. I assume this is a feature of IMAP.

Well both apps see that the name of the server has changed and want to
make sure that the actual content of the folders is up to date.
It's more like a Mail client feature.

Will the same thing happen when I change the Exchange server's adress in
Entourage?

Probably yes, unless you play around with the host files and manage to
make sure the account is accessed through the same address both from
inside and outside the LAN.

Will this also happen when I change the Exchange server's IP adress only in
the hosts file? Is Entourage going to recognize this?

Not if the address can then remain always untouched.

(I can't test this configuration in the moment, because I can work with the
Mac not until Monday.)

One thing you could consider, is to have 2 accounts setup in ENtourage.
One from the LAN and another one with the address from outside the LAN.
THe account for the LAN will be inactive when outside and vice versa.
It's a bit tedious, but it could be manageable.

Corentin

 

[Peter Schoettler]

One thing you could consider, is to have 2 accounts setup in ENtourage.

One from the LAN and another one with the address from outside the LAN.
THe account for the LAN will be inactive when outside and vice versa.
It's a bit tedious, but it could be manageable.

To use 2 accounts is exactly what I want to avoid. This way you have to
download/synchronise each email on both accounts and you have to pay
attention from which account you want/have to send an email.

Now, it's up to me how to manage to create a script which edits/replace the
hosts file.

Peter