Enabling POP3/IMAP in Exchange Server 2007

There are plenty of articles on the net for this, but these are my notes, mostly for my own reference.. and if someone else runs into the same issues I do.

Scenario: Exchange 2007 currently only used via OWA (outlook web access). Users outside of the network want to use the full functionality of Exchange.



error: Exchange 2007 POP3 "Connection not valid in this state"


1. Start the microsoft exchange pop3 and imap service. set the service state to automatic. This can be done in the exchange shell, or just load it up in services.msc and set the service there. Start them both.
Make sure the ports are set (should be by default) in the Exchange Management Console
server configuration - client access - pop3 and imap4

2. Make sure IMap and/or Pop3 its set on the user's account. In Exhange System Manager, you can set a user's avaialble access (OWA/IMAP/POP3, etc)
3. Test it out via a telnet session. As of this point - it will fail since by default plain text passwords is not allowed. you must use ssl,tls.
The error you will receive when you try a telnet session is: "Command is not valid in this state"
So: enable plain text and test through telnet.

from an exchange command shell run: get-PopSettings

UnencryptedOrTLSBindings SSLBindings LoginType X509CertificateName
------------------------ ----------- --------- -------------------
{0000:0000:0000:0000:0... {0000:0000... SecureLogin lois

Note the LoginType us SecureLogin. In this simple configuration we will allow plain text login.
Run this command in the Exchange Shell:
Set-PopSettings -LoginType PlainTextLogin
If you don't do this, you will
Restart the exchange pop3 service. You can do the same for imap - set the login and restart the service.

Then try something like this (for pop3):
telnet localhost 110

type these commands (replace with your info)
user test
pass sometestpwd
stat
list


+OK QPOP (version 2.53) at myserver.local.com starting.
user test
+OK Password required for test.
pass sometestpwd
+OK testhas 2 messages (784 octets).
stat
+OK 2 784
list
+OK 2 messages (784 octets)


ok - good. pop3 is working.


4. enable firewall port 110 to allow remote clients in and test remotely via a setup in outlook.

No problem so far.. it is all working ok. I then try to use ssl, tls, secure password authentication (spa) and even with ports open it fails. I did get a message about the cert on the server and accepted it:

After that I could not make a valid connection. I am still investigating that one.
Similiar errors receives are:
Log onto incoming mail server (IMAP): General authentication failed. None of the authentication methods supported by your IMAP server (if any) are supported on this computer.