Gaining Outlook access to an Exchange Server email account

[jmt356]

I have a Gmail email address and an Exchange Server email address. I understand I can gain access to the Gmail email account via Outlook by setting up a POP/SMTP account. How can I gain access to an Exchange Server email address?

[HansV]

Is this from an office within the organization where you work, or via the internet?

[jmt356]

The email account is within a work organization but it can be accessed via various remote working solutions, such as VPN / Cisco. The emails download to a work desktop computer and they can be accessed via a VPN on another laptop. I am interested in actually downloading the emails to Outlook on my laptop by configuring the email account as a new account without having to go through VPN / Cisco.

[DaveA]

If I were you, I would contact your IT people and see what they have to say about this. It just may be controlled by them and any work around could be in violation of company rules and your job could in jeopardy.

[jmt356]

A person who works in IT said that it is not possible to download emails from an Exchange Server to Outlook on a personal computer. However, I am 99% certain he is wrong because he is generally wrong about most IT-related things. Moreover, if I recall correctly, I have had work email on an Exchange Server with another employer downloaded to a personal computer.

[HansV]

It depends on whether your work organization makes Exchange available over HTTP or not. You'll have to get the server name/IP address from your IT department - if they can't or won't give it to you, there is no way you can access your Exchange account from Outlook...

[jmt356]

Is this a question of will or of possibility? In other words, is it possible that an organization can honestly say, "It is not possible to download work email on a personal computer (i.e., our technology does not make it possible" or is it always possible but the answer one receives--"It cannot be done"--is because the person making the statement is lazy or incompetent or misinformed or simply does not wish to grant the access?

[HansV]

Making Exchange available over HTTP (directly, not through a VPN or through the web application) is seen as a potential security risk, so some organizations decide not to do that. Others only allow it if you install special software that secures the Exchange connection.

[jmt356]

Is it true that any organization can allow direct access to Exchange over HTTP if either: (a) it assumes the security risk or (b) installs special software that secures the Exchange connection?

[HansV]

I think so, but I'm not an Exchange expert.