POP3 and exchange account sharing domain email address

[acquiredtaste]

I have a site that has users who have individual POP3 accounts. They also have an exchange server. Most people travel so they do not have access to the exchange server, but can send/receive email because they are using the POP3 mailbox. The exchange server and the POP3 address are the same companydomain.com, for continuity purposes.

Due to Outlook's whims, sometimes email gets sent through the exchange server instead of the POP3 account. If the recipient is not connected to the exchange server, they won't get the message.

Since sometimes the users send email from the exchange server, the outgoing SMTP address needs to match the POP3 account. Therein lies the problem. Exchange sees a match and routes the mail into the exchange mailbox instead of forwarding it to the POP3 mailbox.

Is there a way to get exchange to forward emails to user@companydomain POP3 account even though there is a match in the user account?

For example, an email sent to brian@companydomain.com gets sent via the SMTP smart host instead of being routed to BrianUser account who has a SMTP primary address of brian@companydomain.com.

Thank you.

 

[reynolwi]

why cant they setup rpc over https and then just use the exchange server and get rid of the pop3. that would be more logical than having both pop3 and an exchange account.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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Network Error:
Hit any user to continue

 

[58sniper]

agreed. Or, at the very least, they should be configured to use the Exchange box as the POP3, or better, IMAP server.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[acquiredtaste]

Relying solely on the exchange server means keeping the box and the internet connection up 100%. They are a small company, with people who travel a lot, so if there is an on-site problem, they would need 24 hour support. That is not practical for now. So a remotely hosted email service is much more reliable option.

 

[58sniper]

much more reliable"?! A properly configured Exchange server is VERY reliable.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[acquiredtaste]

Reliability of the entire system. From internet connection to hardware, to exchange to server software. This a SBS 2003 installation which does from time to time have its issues. For example, last week or so auto update kept IIS from rebooting properly. OWA and other related services did not start up properly and needed manual attention. These little glitches aren't a big deal if there is someone on site to handle the request.

For a small business there is a balance between what you and I might consider the best way and what is the most practical. A provider hosting POP3 is going to be configured with redundant hardware and services. A small business is not.

So, all that said, regardless of the perceived merits or not, does anyone know of the technical way to achieve this?

 

[nsanto17]

If they have problems with the SBS server RDC to the server and fix the problems....

 

[Zelandakh]

Well if you can't rely on the Exchange server, you'll need to keep the users on the POP mail box at the ISP.

SBS shouldn't go down at all - it is a bulletproof. I use it in numerous small businesses with no-one on site and it runs for months on end with no need for intervention.

 

[reynolwi]

if SBS is going down there may be other issues behind that... but exchange is MUCH more reliable than pop3 and is very easy to configure one properly so that remote users can use it. Its also much more secure than pop3 is.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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Network Error:
Hit any user to continue