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External users can't access OWA

I've set up OWA on a Server 2003 Standard box. I can access OWA from the network using either servername/exchange or publicip/exchange. External users who type publicip/exchange get a "page not found" response, much less a login box. I've forwarded port 80 in the firewall to the IIS server, and I've double-checked everything against other OWA sites I've set up and I can't find the problem. We've got dynamic DNS set up, but it doesn't matter whether the DDNS name is used or the actual public IP address - if you're outside the network you can't access it. I think it's a permissions problem but I'm stumped.

Thanks in advance.

Michael Worsham

On the firewall, open the following ports:

* For Exchange Communication:
o Port 80 for HTTP
o Port 691 for Link State Algorithm routing protocol
* For Active Directory communication:
o Port 389 for LDAP (TCP and UDP)
o Port 3268 for Global Catalog Server LDAP (TCP)
o Port 88 for Kerberos Authentication (TCP and UDP)

Reference: http://www.msexchange.org/tutorials/OWA_Exchange_Server_2003.html

Network_Data_Support

when you say the iis server i take it its the exchange server right?

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LeeDerbyshire

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Michael Worsham

Also found this link as it has some step-by-step solutions available:

http://forums.msexchange.org/m_1800385027/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm#1800385027

klancy

ASKER

The Server is the Exchange Server, we're using a single server not a FE/BE combo and we aren't using an ISA server. I'm starting with plain HTTP.

I'll check the logs shortly and post another reply.

Thanks for the quick responses.

klancy

ASKER

I've checked the log and it doesn't change when someone tries to access OWA externally.

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Network_Data_Support

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klancy

ASKER

It turns out that the ISP blocks port 80 (among others) for dynamically assigned IPs. Once we switched to a static (unblocked) IP, OWA worked perfectly.

I'm splitting the points because checking the IIS log proved that it wasn't an OWA configuration issue, and checking the firewall log proved that external requests weren't even hitting the router. Which left the ISP as the culprit.

I've got a user who's traveling in South Africa right now who is very, very happy that he can check his Outlook.

Thanks everyone.