Synchronizing Exchange Server Outlook with laptop Outlook via Remote Desktop Connect

I hope someone can help me with this. I don't know if I can't explain it correctly but we had Microsoft "certified" trainers come in for an Outlook training at work and they didn't have an answer for me.
In any case, here is the problem. I travel a lot and I need to be able to synchronize changes that I've made on my laptop outlook with my office server outlook and vice versa. However, our system administrator only allows us to connect to the network via Remote Desktop Connection. I mention this because I thought a VPN connection might solve my problem but it may not be an option. The problem is that I don't always have a way to connect with RDC because I can't always connect my laptop to the internet, and our home base does not allow public access computers to connect via RDC. So, basically, if I work offline, I can only send those messages or receive new messages from and to my laptop respectively when I go to the office and make a physical connection to the network.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!!

Hi 88OIroc,

Initially, it sounds as though VPN would be your ideal solution - I implemented a 2Mbps VPN link into our offices a few months ago and it works great for mobile / home users accessing the network or Outlook. We have home users accessing it via 2Mbps/256Kbps ADSL and mobile users with wireless Internet cards in their laptops that connect at up to 384Kbps from anywhere with a 3G or GPRS mobile phone signal.

However, if your system administrator won't allow a VPN, then it sounds like you're currently being restricted to 56kbps modem dial-up and RDC to view a session on a PC or server that's left running in the office. And that's where I got a bit confused with what you had described. You've said that your office network doesn't allow access from public access computers. If you're at home or in a hotel room, etc connecting to the office somehow via RDC, then that's a "public" connection in the sense that you're connecting into the office from an unknown external computer. Is that how you're doing it at the moment? If it is, then you should be able to connect from any PC outside the network that has a 56Kbps modem dial-up connection. Internet cafes, airport lounges, etc won't use dial-up - they'll be on an ADSL-type link .... so that's where VPN comes into it.

If you can clarify what your current situation, I'll be happy to give a little more advice if I can

It would also help to know if you're in the UK or somewhere else as this is a UK-based international site. Thanks.

__________________
DJNafey
http://www.FutureSystems-Sussex.Co.UK
Future Systems (Sussex) - IT services to homes and small businesses

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Thanks for the reply. You were correct about the using a public computer to access via RDC. I always thought so too but, upon further inspection, I found out that both times I attempted it before, the network had been down. One note on that though, is that it's not only dial up, it works with high speed as well. However, I still have the problem of lowered productivity since I can't do anything on Outlook unless I am connected, otherwise, the changes won't occur until I connect physically at the office. Two quick questions...if I connect via VPN, will I have access to the server hard drives (they keep a lot of files I need on the road and can't download them and take them without using too much space). If I can convince my administrator to allow access, is it as easy as asking him to open up a specific port on the firewall for me? If so, which port and what should I instruct him to do? (I know, he should know but he's our company president and think he knows more about this than he does). Thanks for any advice.

I think there's still some confusion here about how you are currently accessing the network via RDC. If you can connect via a 56k dial-up modem, then that's using a service on the network known as Remote Access Server. It phones up a modem on the server, which authenticates your username and password and you then have a direct PC to server connection - it's not on the public Internet and, therefore, it poses a very low security risk. This is how most businesses (my own included) start out.

However, if you are also able to use RDC using a high-speed connection, e.g. broadband / ADSL / DSL, then that IS already a VPN connection. So there's nothing to ask the system administrator to open up because you're already doing it.

What you now need to address though is your Outlook connection. In a typical standard VPN environment, Outlook will be able to connect and let you browse and view your "live" mailbox on the server without any alteration. Have you tried it or have you just assumed or been told that it wouldn't work? Connecting to Outlook using your normal mail profile that you use in the office ought to allow you to do everything live without having to wait until you get back to the office to send and receive messages (although it will be a bit slower and might even give you "timeout" errors). If, however, you only connect to Outlook Personal Folders (into which you previously drag and drop your messages) when you're away from the office, then that may explain the "missing piece of the puzzle".

__________________
DJNafey
http://www.FutureSystems-Sussex.Co.UK
Future Systems (Sussex) - IT services to homes and small businesses

D-A-L Online Hardware Scan

Thanks for the help once again. So basically, I may just need to adjust some settings on my email account. In any case, my email account type is an Exchange (default) and I use cached exchange mode. If there is any other info you need to let me know what settings I need to change, please let me know. Thanks.

Are you using Outlook 2003? You can find the version number by going to About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu.

Have you tried making an RDC connection (which would, therefore, mean that you are also on the VPN) and then starting up Outlook on your laptop to see whether it shows updated messages?

__________________
DJNafey
http://www.FutureSystems-Sussex.Co.UK
Future Systems (Sussex) - IT services to homes and small businesses

D-A-L Online Hardware Scan

Yes, I'm on 2003 and I've tried connecting through the RDC and then opening my local Outlook but no go. The Outlook sticks on "Trying to Connect" and then "Disconnected". I was even thinking of emailing my ost file and setting it up but I don't know if it'll work and sounds difficult. I also thought I could "Synchronize" my laptop to the remote computer like I do with my handheld but no luck either. I appreciate the help. Thanks again.

Hey guys,
I'm still chasing my tail with this problem and would really appreciate any other details you may be able to provide. I understand what you said before. I was also under the impression that with my account settings I should be able to open my Outlook anywhere I am connected and I'd get my information automatically. However, like I stated above, the connection does not go through. My administrator is extremely paranoid and it would not surprise me if he did something to prevent this but I can't come up with it. Please help!!! Thanks.

Hi

Can anyone help me with connecting my Outlook to Exchange via a VPN.

I am finding that sometimes Outlook's connection to the Server will work immediately and on some ocassions I have to exit Outlook and the connection then reconnect the VPN and even then it sometimes takes mutliple attempts before the connection to the Server eventuates.