Checking Email from external sources

Outlook Web Access is what to use if you have the proper setup.

Exchange 5.5 has Outlook Web Access as an option. You need to install it.

OWA needs to have an IIS server running since it uses active web pages.

You need a permanent connection to the internet and access thru a firewall if you use one.

Then those users out of the office can connect to the interent and access the Exchange server mail my going to

http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/exchange

were xx.xxx.xxx.xxx is he ip address that gets them access thru the file wall to the exchange server.

We are using 3 methods, and there is a 4th one possible.
1. Outlook WEB Access. We have this enabled, but I strongly suggest you use it with SSL (htps) and ALCs so nobody can sniff data (login & password). Attachments will kill them...
2. VPN -We have a VPN interface, users dial to internet and then connect to the VPN. When they are authenticated, is no different than having them on the local network (except for the speed, of course). They will be able then to access Outlook the same way as if in their office. Attachments will kill them...
3. Terminal Server: RDP connection. We have set-up this with tunneling so our clients can connect to a Terminal Server session. They will get all features as if in their office, including networkdrives, files, printers. It works quite well.
4. You can open IMAP and POP3 access for your users, so they can connect stright from the Internet.
Each one of these methods has it's pro and conns...
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Radu