Question

iPhone won't sync with Exchange, Windows Mobile phone syncs fine

Asked by: inetomaha

Hello, a client of ours is having an issue with getting an iPhone to work with their server.  The site is running SBS 2003 and Exchange 2003 (unknown SP level), and has no other mobile devices.  I don't have the client's iPhone but I have access to one of my own, and I have a Windows Mobile 6 device as well.

When I set up the WM6 phone and make it use SSL I get no problems connecting with the clients account.  Mail, calendar, and contacts all pull down.

When I set up the iPhone with the same settings and credentials I first get an "unable to verify certificate" message, and then when the sync is tried I get a "The connection to the server failed".

Any thoughts?  Unfortunately I don't have administrative access to their server so I can't really play around in it, but does anyone have suggestions as to what it might be, and what might cause the iPhone not to work when a WM6 device works fine with the same account/server?

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Asked On
2009-09-10 at 07:08:10ID24721370
Tags

iPhone

,

Exchange

,

ActiveSync

Topics

iPhone

,

Exchange Email Server

,

Windows Mobile (Pocket PC / Win CE) Operating Systems

Participating Experts
4
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-10 at 07:14:23ID: 25300419

Here is my activesync troubleshooting guide - please check all settings, run the tests and all should be well:

You need to make sure that you have Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Installed - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=535BEF85-3096-45F8-AA43-60F1F58B3C40&displaylang=en

Open Up Exchange System Manager - Start, Programs, Microsoft Exchange, System Manager.  Expand Servers, Right-Click your server and choose properties.  This will display whether you have SP2 installed or not.

If you have installed SP2, check on https://testexchangeconnectivity.com running the Exchange Activesync check.  You may need to tick the Ignore Trust for SSL check box if you have a self-signed certificate as these always fail.

Ensure that port 443 is open and forwarded on your firewall to your Exchange server.

Please check and mirror the settings below - Open up IIS and expand the default website then Click on the Directory Security Tab:
 
Exchange Virtual Directory
·         Authentication = Integrated & Basic  
·         Default Domain = NETBIOS domain name - e.g., yourcompany  
·         Realm = yourcompany.com  
·         IP Address Restrictions = Granted Access  
·         Secure Communications = Require SSL NOT ticked  

Microsoft-Server-Activesync Virtual Directory
·         Authentication = Basic  
·         Default Domain = NETBIOS domain name - e.g., yourcompany  
·         Realm = NETBIOS name  
·         IP Address Restrictions = Granted Access  
·         Secure Communications = Require SSL NOT ticked  

For SBS 2003 - please check this MS article - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937635
 
Then issue IISRESET from Start, Run

Make sure that the name on the certificate that you are using matches the FQDN that you are connecting to e.g., mail.microsoft.com.  If it does not match, either re-issue the certificate if you created it yourself, or re-key the certificate from your SSL certificate provider.

Ensure that the IP for the Default Website is set to All Unassigned

Ensure that Forms Based Authentication is NOT turned on under HTTP Virtual Server under Exchange Protocols.  If it is  read http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817379

ASP.NET should be set to version 1.1 for all virtual directories listed above.

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-10 at 07:15:41ID: 25300431

Did you also accept the certificate on the iPhone as you would need to to make it work.

Without server access, about all you can do is run the https://testexchangeconnectivity.com test and post back the results.

 

by: lastlostlastPosted on 2009-09-10 at 07:25:50ID: 25300539

Try disabling SSL and sync with the Exchange Server. See if that works. Also in iPhone's, they can automatically install a certificate incase the root CA is missing from the device. You just need to click 'accept' on prompt.

Here are a few articles to double check the configuration on the iPhone.
http://www.theiphoneblog.com/2008/07/13/walkthrough-exchange-activesync-on-your-iphone-20/

http://blog.fosketts.net/2008/07/10/how-to-set-up-iphone-exchange-activesync/

Let us know how it goes.

 

by: ollfriedPosted on 2009-09-10 at 07:50:07ID: 25300777

Do you have mobile device security enabled in your exchange's configuration?

 

by: Narayan_singhPosted on 2009-09-12 at 16:51:39ID: 25318424

As you said you can sync windows mobile not the iPhone ,please check Sp on Exchange it should be Sp2 ,iPhone wont sync without it.

And let us know if you use SSL or not,if you have internal certificate you will need to install it on the iPhone

By default iPhone configures with SSL you need to manually turn it off.

Follow http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2480 to configure iPhone.

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-12 at 17:00:57ID: 25318451

Narayan_singh - If Windows Mobile Syncs - SP2 has been applied.

 

by: Narayan_singhPosted on 2009-09-13 at 13:30:20ID: 25321601

Windows mobiles can sync without sp2.

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-13 at 13:51:14ID: 25321670

My mistake - it is the direct push feature that requires SP2 to work.  Sorry.

 

by: inetomahaPosted on 2009-09-14 at 10:51:55ID: 25327709

Wow, quite a few responses.

I know that SSL is required for this, as when I used the WM6 phone it would only work with SSL enabled.

However, I do not think Exchange 2003 SP2 was applied, or any SP for that matter.  When I contacted the technician he read off a build 6XXX number to me when he went into the server properties in ESM, and said that no SP text existed.  He installed SP2, but now neither the WM6 phone nor the iPhone connect.  The iPhone is acting the same as it has been, and the WM6 device is giving off a 0x85010014 error.  OWA still works fine, however.  Additionally, the testexchangeconnectivity.com website is erroring out with Attempting FolderSync command on ActiveSync session - FolderSync command test failed.  Both of which are leading me to MS KB 817379, which I am about to pass on to the technician who has access to the server.  Once this gets resolved and I can verify that the WM6 device works I'll try the iPhone again and work through your suggestions.

Thanks all, I'll let you know how it goes from here.  Just wanted to update you all with the new info.

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-14 at 11:00:17ID: 25327774

If you send your IT department my checklist - now also sitting at http://www.it-eye.co.uk/faqs/readQuestion.php?qid=1 then they should be able to run through the check list and confirm that all settings are correct.

Security / permissions / authentication methods need to be setup correctly for Activesync to work.

Once the WM6 phones are working, the iPhone should also work.

 

by: ollfriedPosted on 2009-09-14 at 11:00:34ID: 25327778

There a free App for the iPhone: Active Sync Tester. Install it and give it a try, it will tell you, what's wrong.

 

by: inetomahaPosted on 2009-09-14 at 12:23:52ID: 25328435

Alanhardisty, that link appears broken on my end, and I cannot access just www.it-eye.co.uk.  Is that site having issues?

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-14 at 12:27:08ID: 25328475

Not from my end.  What browser are you using?

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-14 at 12:32:38ID: 25328519

Try this instead.

 

by: inetomahaPosted on 2009-09-14 at 14:30:56ID: 25329535

That attachment worked.  Dunno why I couldn't open the link, tried it in both IE and FF.  I just left a voicemail with the IT tech who has access to their server so that I can pass this information on, and will fill everyone in on what fixes it.

 

by: alanhardistyPosted on 2009-09-14 at 14:35:14ID: 25329575

Weird - the site is my own site hosted on my own server and I can get to it!

Oh well - as long as you have the info and can pass it on - it has worked for many an EE question :-)

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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