Troubleshoot The Outlook Connection Issues With Exchange 2013 Mailboxes

There are many reasons that causes connectivity issues while connecting Outlook to Exchange. The Outlook connection issue with Exchange server is very frustrating problem for Admin. There are number issues that admin will face while connecting Outlook with Exchange. In this article we will discuss different issues and walkthrough for solving the this problem.

Common Outlook Connection Issues With Exchange 2013

The common difficulties that admin faces while connecting Outlook with Exchange includes:

• Freezing of Email client or becomes unresponsive
• Outlook unable to establish connection with Exchange
• Client prompting continuously or intermittently for credentials
• Outlook gets disconnected with Exchange
• Client unable to download the Office Address Book
• Certification issue
• Autodiscover problem

Outlook Connection Issues With Exchange Mailboxes Due To Remote Procedure Call Encryption

Indications
When the admin will open Microsoft Outlook using a profile having the mailbox on Exchange Server 2013, receive the following errors:

• Can not open Outlook Window 
  
• Can not open the default email folder 
  
• MS Outlook could not log on 
  
• Connection to Exchange server is unavailable 
  

Other then that if the user using a cache mode profile, then user may face following symptoms:
Outlook will start in Disconnected state

• There will be only two connection within the “Microsoft Exchange Connection Status” and if the user will try to create new Outlook profile then user may get the error message “the action could not be completed”. 
  

Cause & Solution

Cause: The main reason behind the above mentioned problem is: if user will disable the Encryption data setting between Outlook and Exchange server.
The default configuration of Exchange 2013 needs RPC Encryption from Outlook, this will create huddle while connecting Outlook with Exchange.

Solution

• Go to Control Panel, click Mail item.
• Now click Show Profiles.
• Select the profile, & then click Properties.
• Click on E-mail Accounts.
• Select the Microsoft Exchange account, and click Change.
• the dialog box will have the mailbox server and user name, now click More Settings.
• Now in Microsoft Exchange dialog box, click on Security tab.
• Click to on Encrypt data between Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Exchange check box,
• and then click OK
• Click Next, click Finish.

Initially the RPC encryption setting is enabled in Outlook 2013, therefore user must deploy this setting using group policy because, the actual Outlook 2013 deployment disables RPC encryption between Outlook and Exchange Server.

Applying Group Policy setting is the best way to control RPC encryption between Outlook and Exchange. In order to update Outlook with Group policy, user can follow the following steps:

1. Download and install Office 2013 ADM templates.
2. Add admx and adml file in domain controller that will vary according to Windows version.
3. Now start Local Group Policy Editor.
4. In User Configuration, open Administrative Template to find the policy node, will be named Microsoft Outlook 2013.
5. In Account Setting, Select Exchange node and double click on RPC encryption policy Settings.
6. Go to Setting Tab and click Enabled.
7. Click OK

Conclusion

User can tackle the problem of Outlook connection issues with Exchange by resolving the issue of Remote Procedure Call (RPC) encryption. In addition, this problem can be easily handled by making Encryption data setting enabled between Outlook and Exchange server. User can take help of above mentioned procedure for enabling the RPC encryption setting.