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Greetings Everyone!
I have a user in our network who is thinking about purchasing an iPhone but wants to be able to connect to our email system. Obviously, he wants email, calendar, contacts, the whole package. Can i add an iPhone to the Exchange 2003 server? And if any of you have steps for this it would be awesome if you could pass along that knowledge, I awit your responses.

Many thanks!!!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by DimaYasny

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Both and pointed in the right direction: an iPhone uses Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync to keep mail, calendar and contacts in sync with Exchange. The practical requirements and common pitfalls for an Exchange 2003 environment are summarized below so the device will connect reliably.

  • Server-side checklist:

    • Ensure the Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync virtual directory is enabled and served over HTTPS.
    • Publish/forward TCP 443 (or place the Exchange front-end/ISA in a path that passes ActiveSync traffic).
    • Use a certificate the device will trust (public CA cert preferred; if a private CA is used, install the root cert on devices).
    • Confirm the mailbox is allowed to use ActiveSync and that Exchange 2003 has current service packs/patches applied.

  • iPhone setup (device-level):

    • Settings -> Mail -> Add Account -> Microsoft Exchange.
    • Enter Email, Domain, Username, Password; add the Server host name if automatic discovery fails (e.g., mail.company.com).
    • Choose which items to sync (Mail, Contacts, Calendars).
    • Accept/install certificate only when the server name matches the cert and the cert is trusted.

  • Troubleshooting tips:

    • Check IIS/Exchange logs for 401/403 errors to identify auth problems.
    • If the iPhone shows certificate errors or cannot authenticate, verify hostname matching and certificate trust before changing auth methods.
    • If remote access is needed, confirm the firewall/ISA is forwarding ActiveSync and not terminating or rewriting auth headers.
    • Use built-in diagnostics (recreate the account, reset network settings) and external test tools for ActiveSync connectivity when available.

Caveats: Exchange policies (password rules, remote wipe) may be enforced on the device. Feature availability can vary with iPhone OS and Exchange patch level, so keep both the server and the iPhone software reasonably up to date.

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Member Avatar for DimaYasny

the usual activesync connector should work, the same way, more or less as you would sync a PDA with exchange

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