Setting up Internal exchange Email on Blackberry Storm

[hillskill]

Hi all,

Looking for some help. My Headteacher has just purchased a Blackberry storm and wants to use it with her school internal mail.

we currently have an exchange server internally which outlook web access, pop3 and IMAP enabled.

Does anyone know if its possible and how easy it is to set up mail on a blackberry Storm.

I read you may have to buy some software to install at the server end, tho for 1 user this is something we cant afford even if it is the headteacher!!

Thanks in advance!
James

[Jamo]

We also need Blackberry's setting up with Outlook mail!! Having issues with the interface being somewhat clunky let alone connecting it in any way! Feel like I have fat fingers now lol

From what I have read you are correct about some software being required on the server side. Has anyone been successful at getting anything other than OWA working with one of these devices?

[Domino]

If it's for ONE user, you can download blackberry enterprise server express for free, which comes with one user CAL

BlackBerry - BlackBerry Professional Software Express
which is also expandable up to 30 users.

or you could try this How to set up a Blackberry with Exchange (without using Blackberry Enterprise server) | IT Support London - runPCrun (your mileage may vary...)

[Jobos]

HT walked in today with a new Blackberry curve and asked me to set it so his emails and calendar are in sync. Thanks to Domino’s post above I downloaded the free Blackberry express software and installed it on the print/av/wsus server as I didn’t want the hassle of trashing the exchange box.

Installing went ok even if a little long winded but I had a problem of assigning the Blackberry wirelessly so had to connect it to the server via USB, choosing the user in Blackberry Manager and assigning the device.

This worked and his emails and calendar synced but now unless I use the USB cable the Blackberry is not talking to the server.

I must have overlooked something but I’ve spent all afternoon on this and now I’m banging my head on the walls

Any ideas?

[SYNACK]

The god aweful blackberry software on the server must have access to a port outbound on your firewall

outbound TCP connection on one port 3101

This should allow it to talk to the BB server and in turn talk to the phone providers server assuming that the user is on a propper BB plan with support for this. If not you may be religated to using imap.

[box_l]

I could not get it to work till i found a post somewhere that said that the rule for the outgoing port must have an matching incoming rule, however, it still did not work till i made the incomng port dynamic instead of on port 3101.

@Jobos "a little long winded" lol, its ridiculous!

BoX

[Jobos]

I'm sure the outbound port is open as there is a test connection button in blackberry manager and it reports the connection to blackberrys server is ok. But the inbound port... now that's a different matter, I'll have to ask EMBC to open it.

Thanks for the replies.

[Domino]

another thing is I've found with a few is that if you do a cable activation it sometimes turns off wireless syncing in the email settings.

Worth a look.

[Willott]

I must have overlooked something but I’ve spent all afternoon on this and now I’m banging my head on the walls

Any ideas?

Check that the HT has BES (Blackberry Enterprise Service) enabled on his contract. Most Blackberry consumer contracts will be BIS (Blackberry Internet Service) enabled only, and BES is an extra monthly fee. BIS will allow you to go onto a web interface (there may be a link on the phone as well), and setup a connection to allow mail to be delivered to the device, unfortunately this will not allow for full sync, or for calendar/contacts sync.

I worked with Exchange and BES in a business environment for a year, and got to know a fair few of the wonders involved, so if there's any other questions, let me know.

Cheers

Will

[Willott]

we currently have an exchange server internally which outlook web access, pop3 and IMAP enabled.

If you only want email, then BIS should be enabled, and this should be fairly easy to setup, possibly on the phone or through a web interface, who's the phone provider? BIS will be able to access the account through OWA, or POP3 if you wanted, so it's just a matter of getting into the right settings.

Cheers

Will

[onehundredwatt]

Hi all,

Looking for some help. My Headteacher has just purchased a Blackberry storm and wants to use it with her school internal mail.

we currently have an exchange server internally which outlook web access, pop3 and IMAP enabled.

Does anyone know if its possible and how easy it is to set up mail on a blackberry Storm.

I read you may have to buy some software to install at the server end, tho for 1 user this is something we cant afford even if it is the headteacher!!

Thanks in advance!
James

Two ways to do this. You can create get an external email address (in NZ we get this from the phone company e.g. Vodafone). In Active Directory setup a contact and forward email to it.

For full functionality e.g. calendaring etc you need a Blackberry Enterprise Server. Only firewall change required is port 3101 outbound. You get one free license with the Blackberry phone normally but need to purchase client access licenses for additional phones.

[p858snake]

I read you may have to buy some software to install at the server end, tho for 1 user this is something we cant afford even if it is the headteacher!!

Blackberry Exchange Server is free for one user (aka your head teacher) and the blackberry should also accept pop3/imap accounts.

[Jobos]

Update:

EMBC has confirmed the port is open but still the dreaded Blackberry is refusing to sync.

I’ve resolved myself to setting-up a BIS address and just forwarding email from the HT Exchange account to a BIS address and even that doesn’t work. Email is not bouncing back but it’s not received by the Blackberry either.

[Willott]

BES is quite good at logging. You should be able to see from the logs whether your BES is able to connect through to RIM. I think the files are usually installed somewhere within "c:\program files\Research In Motion\BES\logs" (or somewhere nearby). IIRC the router log is the useful one to check connectivity through to RIM.

If you're able to show successful connectivity here, I would question whether the HT has BES service on his device (it's a purchasable extra from most phone companies in the UK, they'll give you BIS unless you ask). If you're able to sync by USB, and have connectivity to RIM, then this is the only option.

If that's the case, then BIS is usually straight forward to sort out. Maybe a quick call to the phone service provider may give you some clue. If the head gets you put on their account as authorised to talk to you, or calls them and hands the phone over, you may find that something needs to be enabled their end. From the fact that you've said they have a BIS address, I'm guessing it's Vodafone (Orange didn't use to give you a BIS address, just the use of the BIS interface to obtain email from other accounts).

Cheers

Will

[Jobos]

Spoke to Vodafone last week and they confirmed the HT has BSE enabled on his account but they were unable to help any further and said I should call Blackberry.