PROBLEM:
You are unable to connect to our Microsoft Exchange servers.
SYMPTOM:
You get the error message: "Your Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable".
CAUSE:
A misconfiguration is causing your MS Outlook to not be able to create a connection with the Exchange servers. This can range from a lack of Internet connectivity to corrupt Outlook settings.
SOLUTION:
This can be a complex problem to solve. Please follow this guide very carefully.
A. Check Internet connectivity to Exchange server: Using your favorite browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, etc.) go to this website: http://mx2.serverworld.com.au/ (without a "www." and ".com"). If you see our website, click on "Log In" on top right corner, then click on "Outlook Web Access". If you see a window popping up asking for your username and password, hit "Cancel" and process to step "B" below. If you did not get a window asking for your username and password, then do the following:
- Open an MS-DOS Prompt:
- Windows 95/98/ME: Start -> Run -> type "command" (without the quotes) and click "OK"
- Windows NT/2000/XP: Start -> Run -> type "cmd" (without the quotes) and click "OK" - Type "ping MULAN". Does it say this "Pinging MULAN [203.161.15.104] with 32 bytes of data:" ?. If no, submit a support ticket - there may be another issue not covered by this article.
- If yes, then Internet connectivity across the Internet to the Exchange servers is not working. Please contact your system administrator or your ISP.
- Type "exit" inside the MS-DOS Prompt to close it out.
B. Open the MS-DOS Prompt again. Type "telnet MULAN 135".
- Windows 95/98/ME: A new window named "Telnet" will pop up. Is there a cursor blinking in the top left corner? If this fails, then you will see an hourglass and the title of the window will change to "Telnet - (None)"
- Windows NT/2000/XP/2003: The MS-DOS window should clear everything and the cursor should blink in the upper right corner.
- Is the cursor blinking? If not, then either your company's firewall or your ISP's routers are blocking the connection. Please contact your system administrator to check whether your company firewall is blocking outgoing Port 135 TCP connections. If that is not the case, please contact your ISP to request that they unblock Port 135 TCP for you. If they refuse, please contact us to be setup for VPN access.
- To close out the MS-DOS Prompt, hit the "X" in the top right hand corner of the window.
If part A succeeds, part B fails, then your ISP is blocking port 135 - follow the instructions here.
If both A and B succeed, but you get this message while setting up MS Outlook: "Microsoft Exchange Server is unavailable", then click here.
