New User Exchange Activesync ?

[bdevlin5983]

Hi All,

I just came from a BB Storm 9530 to my DInc, and I can't say how much I love it! What a POS the BB was compared to this thing. I have really learned a lot from the boards, and hope to continue learning about what this phone can do.

I have an Exchnage ActiveSync account set up on my phone, all was working fine, until last night, when the server went offline for some scheduled maint. My Exchange account stopped recieving emails (obviously), but then would not resume when the server was back up. On my BB, when this happened, it would prompt for you to update the account on the phone and all would be normal again. With the Droid, my last ditch effort was to delete the account and re-add it. This worked great, got my e-mails back, plus all the new ones. HOWEVER, since my contacts, calendar, etc are linked to this account, it deleted them all (yes, they came back), along with my favorites, some widgets, etc.

Is there a better way to "reset" the activesync account when there is a loss of communication continuity with the exchange server?

Thanks for the help,

Bren

 

[junipertodd]

I use the Touchdown app to connect to my company's Exchange server. It works great and I have not had to delete/add my account, etc. It does a great job keeping my mail, contacts and tasks in sync with my office computer. I think that it's worth the $20 that it costs.

 

[bdevlin5983]

I use the Touchdown app to connect to my company's Exchange server. It works great and I have not had to delete/add my account, etc. It does a great job keeping my mail, contacts and tasks in sync with my office computer. I think that it's worth the $20 that it costs.

Thanks for the reply. I have seen a few people talk about the Touchdown app, but I was really hoping to figure out the native app as it works great so far, as long as my server stays online.

Bren

 

[Q-fugee]

Does your Exchange Server use certificates for authentication? If so, the server maintenance and re-boot may have issued new ones for every user. You'd have to work with Verizon to figure out how to delete just the client certificate from the handset and get a new one from the server without wiping out everything. This happens to me on my HTC about once a year. You'd have the same problem if you used a non-stock client, too.

The Blackberry Enterprise Service accesses the Exchange Server directly and uses its own authentication, so BB users never have to worry about client-side certificates.

Exchange support is not built in to stock Android. The handset makers work with the carriers to write their own (and pay Microsoft a fee) and then add it to the handset, so Moto/Verizon's client may not be the same as HTCs or even Moto's on another carrier.

--Qfg

Edit: Wait, is the Incredible an HTC phone? I thought it was a Moto, but if it's an HTC then you may be having the same problem I had. Ask your Exhcange Server wizard if they use client certificates and if the reboot issued new ones. If so, there's an option in the HTC client to delete it and get a new one from the server.

 

[wckesq]

I use the Touchdown app to connect to my company's Exchange server. It works great and I have not had to delete/add my account, etc. It does a great job keeping my mail, contacts and tasks in sync with my office computer. I think that it's worth the $20 that it costs.

Likewise. Works much faster than the HTC Activesync as well.

 

[jdposhkus]

Our Exchange server must not issue a new certificated upon reboots, I get a message when the server will be kicked for an update or whatever, but I usually just get a ton of new messages when the server is back on line.

As for touchdown, Id say you are better off with the the HTC baked in support. A guy that works for me has an OG Droid and he has to use TD because of the crappy Moto Exchange support. He is forever resetting and messing with touchdown...He cant accept contacts sent from peoples phones, and has trouble interacting with calendar meeting requests and stuff. Id keep the 20 in your wallet and use the native HTC exchange app.

Just my .02

JDP

 

[Q-fugee]

One more update: Duh, of course it's an HTC phone. I actually didn't see what forum this was posted in becuase I read it via "new posts." Need more coffee.

I looked at my Hero, and the HTC email client on that does not have an option to request a new cert from the server; they are only pushed from the server. If you change client-side software (i.e. get a new phone or try a different client like Touchdown) the server admin has to generate a new certificate for you.

That could be the problem with your Incredible. If the server generates a new cert, the handset client may not be able to just delete the old cert and use a new one--you may have to delete the whole account and start over.

I don't remember if Touchdown has the same problem with certificates or if it can handle new certs pushed from the server without starting over from scratch. I used the trial and then didn't pay to keep using it. If it can that may solve your problem.

Of course, if your Exchange admin isn't generating new certs or doesn't use them at all this is all useless to you.

One last thing: ask your Exchange admin if outside POP3 access is enabled. If it is, you can set up your Gmail account from the Gmail website to poll it and grab that mail for you. Then Gmail will push it along with all of your other POP3 email to the Android Gmail client on your handset. One email client with one inbox for everything.

--Qfg

 

[bdevlin5983]

Thanks for all the replies... I am learning more and more about this phone every day. All is working for now (until the server loses connectivity again). I did contact HTC regardibng the issue, and their response was to use a third party app, which i found suprising. I think I will stick with the native app for now, and have directed some questions to my IT guru's to see if they can shed some more light on this for me.

Bren

 

[jmk32]

+1 on Touchdown (getting html emails alone is worth the price)
and +1 on the DINC being light years ahead of the Storm (my old Storm can't even touch all the great functionality and speed of the DINC)