Troubleshooting Outlook Web Access

Daily Newsletters

Sign up to ZDNet UK's daily newsletter.

Firewall problems
So far you've verified that you've got a good communications link and that the DNS server is doing its job. If your clients are still unable to connect to the OWA server, it's probably either due to a firewall problem or an IIS failure. Testing for a firewall problem is easy. Just try to access the OWA server from behind your firewall. If both the OWA server and the client machine exist on your private network behind the same firewall, you can use the client machine to test the OWA server without the firewall interfering. If the test is successful, then the firewall is your problem. Verify that ports 80 and 443 are open to inbound traffic. IIS problems
If the firewall doesn't seem to be the source of your problems, then there's a really good chance that IIS is causing the problem. To test IIS, begin by selecting the Programs | Administrative Tools | Services commands from the Start menu. When you do, Windows will open the Service Control Manager. Go through the Service Control Manager and verify that the following services are running:
  • World Wide Web Publishing Service
  • IIS Admin Service
  • Protected Storage
  • Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
This is also a good time to verify that the various Microsoft Exchange-related services are running as well. Once you've verified that the necessary IIS services are running, open Internet Explorer directly on the OWA Server and enter the OWA Server's IP address into the browser. If the OWA session starts, IIS is working correctly. If you can't get OWA to start by entering the IP address, verify that IIS is configured to use the correct IP address. To verify that IIS is configured to use the correct IP address, select Internet Services Manager from the Administrative Tools menu. When the Internet Information Server console opens, select the OWA Web site from the console tree. Before continuing, verify that the word Stopped doesn't appear in parenthesis next to the Web site name. If it does, simply right-click the site and select the Start command. If you receive an error message, your OWA site probably has an IP address conflict with another site on the server. To solve this problem, read the following instructions for verifying the IP address, and then try to start the site again. Verifying the OWA site's IP address
To verify the site's IP address, right-click the OWA site and select Properties. On the site's property sheet, select the Web Site tab and verify that the IP address is correct. By default, the IP address will be set to All Unassigned. However, the All Unassigned setting should be used only for the default Web site. The OWA site should have a dedicated IP address. While on the Web Site tab, you should also verify that the OWA site is configured to use port 80. If all of your settings are correct but you still can't access the OWA Web site, the best thing to do is to implement a sample Web site to verify IIS's functionality. To do so, open the Control Panel and double-click the Network And Dial Up Connections icon. When the Network And Dial Up Connections window opens, right-click your main network connection and select Properties. On the connection's property sheet, select the TCP/IP protocol from the list and click the Properties button to reveal the TCP/IP property sheet. On the TCP/IP property sheet, click Advanced to reveal the Advanced TCP/IP Settings property sheet. On the IP Settings tab of the Advanced TCP/IP Settings property sheet, click the Add button under the IP Addresses section and add a unique IP address to the server. Click OK on all of the open windows to close them. Now, create a directory called Test on your hard disk and place a few random HTML files into it. Be sure to name one of the files INDEX.HTM. At this point, return to the Internet Services Manager. Right-click the server name in the console tree and select New | Web Site. This will launch the Web site creation wizard.

Talkback

hi. have a problem with a user using owa.
he can open a new mail message page but he cannot type anything as his page has a red cross in the top left hand corner.

he is the only user experiencing this problem, could it be because of his security rights?

Please advise

via Facebook 7 September, 2004 12:26
Reply

excellent article.

Took me straight to the heart of my problem after swapping servers around two sites.

Many thanks.

via Facebook 7 September, 2004 19:01
Reply

Post your comment

In order to post a comment you need to be registered and logged in.

You can also log in with Facebook. Log in or create your ZDNet UK account below

  • Login

Will not be displayed with your comment

By signing up for this service, you indicate that you agree to our Terms and Conditions and have read and understood our Privacy Policy. Questions about membership? Find the answers in the Community FAQ

Get ZDNet UK's daily newsletter

Enter your email address to sign up

ZDNet UK Live

bordero

ike fuelband is great for every healthminded person ! to work out! theres this website called textme4free.com that you can use to text anywhere in...

7 hours ago by bordero on Nike's FuelBand wristband gamifies exercise
BrownieBoy

> I'm told it's somewhat annoying when people have their Macs stolen > and Apple stores treat the thief as the owner, but there you go. Ouch,...

9 hours ago by BrownieBoy on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
Moley

@kevinmchapman. OK, I acknowledge that 'most' was a gratuitous throwaway comment as an afterthought and too presumptuous. As to proof, as you...

13 hours ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Jack Schofield

@BrownieBoy > Works really well for thieves.... >> Nice attempt to deflect the argument by tossing in a point that's totally >> irrelevant, even...

15 hours ago by Jack Schofield on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
raskolnikof

fantastic that the so called piracy bills have been withdrawn. however, these anti-democracy supporters are still in the shadows so lets be alert...

15 hours ago by raskolnikof on SOPA, Protect IP support wavers in face of online protest
Tony Douglas

Please God no; teach them anything you like - thinking rationally, the uses and misuses of data, what data is and what it's not - but leave the...

18 hours ago by Tony Douglas via Facebook on Kids are the future. Teach ’em to code.
BrownieBoy

@Jack, > Works really well for thieves.... Nice attempt to deflect the argument by tossing in a point that's totally irrelevant, even it were...

1 day ago by BrownieBoy on AMD Ultrathins to challenge Intel Ultrabooks
bootlegger

Make that 13 people now - I got refused today at Manchester airport. I thought I was up to date on this legislation - I knew of the EU ruling from...

1 day ago by bootlegger on UK airport body scans will not be opt out
tinycg

Don't forget to check out apps like GoodReader or SlideShark either, they're indispensible for people on the go in presentation situations. Best...

2 days ago by tinycg on Four top iPad apps for people on the move
TerryRK

Well it seems there is something a number of us agree on. Why is the Ubuntu Unity launcher so ugly? I thought perhaps it was something to do with...

2 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Freebies202

Duplicate comments are not made intentionally. Its very good to know that now you are keeping check on this problem because sometimes a commenter...

2 days ago by Freebies202 on Microsoft fixes blog comments, speeds up blogs with open source
kevinmchapman

"the very significant number of users" and "many (most) of us" - you have no evidence for these statements. It is a fact that most users are saying...

2 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Marg Menzies Harrison

Another grammar faux pas is the improper use of "you". When sitting down down in a restaurant, for example, I get cringe when the waitress...

3 days ago by Marg Menzies Harrison via Facebook on 10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
zdnetukuser

And NOW, folks, for Canonical's next trick... Kubuntu is late. Here's a pencil. Draw your own conclusions. cf.:...

3 days ago by zdnetukuser on Linux Minterface
Moley

@kevinmchapman. The discussion here reflects the very significant number of users who really do like the traditional menu system and who wish to...

3 days ago by Moley on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

Er, no... It is an efficient means of finding the application/file/setting you need in one place. The icons are a simply a fallback for when you...

3 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

Isn't the provision of a text based search an admission by the developers that the mass of icons approach does not work? I don't need to use a...

3 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
kevinmchapman

"Unity and GNOME 3 both abandon the old text-based cascading menus in favour of a graphical icon-driven system." Point truly missed. Both use a...

3 days ago by kevinmchapman on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
TerryRK

whs001 - Thank you, I'm glad you liked the article. I absolutely agree with you on your first point. I should perhaps have made it clearer that...

3 days ago by TerryRK on A tale of two distros: Ubuntu and Linux Mint
Dennis Nilsson

If we allow corporate interest to dictate the way our government circumvents due process against foreign entities then we should accept the same...

3 days ago by Dennis Nilsson via Facebook on ACTA stumbles in Germany