Exchange 2016 and Outlook 2013

[high_revs]

Does exchange server 2016+ require outlook 365? We've become more a MS shop for email/calendar moving from google. What sucks is I used to be able to access either with my home PC with 2-factor authentication. That way, I don't have to bring work PC with me and risk breaking it or losing it on personal trips. My home pc has bitlocker and what not (same tech as our new PCs)

I can't seem to connect my outlook 2013 to work email. My work outlook 365 doesn't show the exchange server info. However MS webmail gives me imap settings. And oddly with my home PC, I can connect the stock MS Mail program to my outlook using only email addresses. The prompts do say Exchange, Outlook 365 and then two-factor authentication to begin with.

So does this mean I need outlook 365? I'm only guessing it's exchange 2016 or greater. I can't find a way to tell and new IT folks won't tell me.

hate the subscription model of office 365 but i have no real need for it personally.

[ocabj]

If you have O365 at work, then you should be able to download the latest desktop clients for 'free'.

As far as settings, this is a very generic response in that I don't know your O365 setup (complete cloud vs hybrid), but the server for your environment might be outlook.office365.com (and smtp.office365.com).

I don't know how you have MFA configured in your O365 tenant. We don't use Azure AD and its native MFA since we currently rely on SAML2 with our on-premise Federated Identity Management infrastructure (since we have lots of Federated services we provide and rely on, e.g. InCommon). Our environments O365 MFA is actually done with our on-premise SAML2 IdP workflow.

[vino68]

With regards to version supported by an Office 365, I think Outlook 2013 is oldest version supported. I recall it should be supported going three versions back, with 2019 now released. Also, it is possible to restrict access to OWA only for non authorized devices.

[NYT]

op, youre fine with 2013. you prob dont have the configuration correct. here are the steps to connect your desktop app:

login to office.com
click on the outlook app shortcut
click on the gear icon in the top right corner
click on the mail hyperlink in the settings menu
under options and mail, look down the menu for "POP and IMAP"
under this menu item, you will see your company's settings for mail

the issue is you will need to test to see what works if you cant get ahold of your IT dept.

for 2 factor auth, you will need to add app passwords as well but that is a bit more complicated for a standard user.

i would recommend you get in contact with your IT dept and have them walk you through it. it is strange that they are basically having you try to do it on your own without providing you documentation.

If you have O365 at work, then you should be able to download the latest desktop clients for 'free'.

As far as settings, this is a very generic response in that I don't know your O365 setup (complete cloud vs hybrid), but the server for your environment might be outlook.office365.com (and smtp.office365.com).

I don't know how you have MFA configured in your O365 tenant. We don't use Azure AD and its native MFA since we currently rely on SAML2 with our on-premise Federated Identity Management infrastructure (since we have lots of Federated services we provide and rely on, e.g. InCommon). Our environments O365 MFA is actually done with our on-premise SAML2 IdP workflow.

not sure what youre talking about. outlook is never free, were you referring to OWA?

as far as licensing goes, in order for you to download outlooks desktop app, you need at least proplus if your business is enterprise licensed and business premium if your SMB licensed.

[OlderThanDirt]

The company in Canada that I use for an exchange server provides a free copy of the appropriate Outlook version for their server software. With the server being located in Toronto I also get free NSA virus scanning.

[ocabj]

not sure what youre talking about. outlook is never free, were you referring to OWA?

as far as licensing goes, in order for you to download outlooks desktop app, you need at least proplus if your business is enterprise licensed and business premium if your SMB licensed.

I said 'free' not free.

I put free in quotes in my reply because I just assumed that if anyone is paying for O365 for an organization, company, institution, etc., they'd be getting a tier that includes the desktop apps.

[high_revs]

If you have O365 at work, then you should be able to download the latest desktop clients for 'free'.

As far as settings, this is a very generic response in that I don't know your O365 setup (complete cloud vs hybrid), but the server for your environment might be outlook.office365.com (and smtp.office365.com).

I don't know how you have MFA configured in your O365 tenant. We don't use Azure AD and its native MFA since we currently rely on SAML2 with our on-premise Federated Identity Management infrastructure (since we have lots of Federated services we provide and rely on, e.g. InCommon). Our environments O365 MFA is actually done with our on-premise SAML2 IdP workflow.

I can't tell also if it's cloud or hybrid. I primarily use OWA on my home pc. I like multi-tasking with personal stuff also hence I want to use only my pc. I do have 2-factor authentication thru OWA though. I tried the server names you mentioned including imap and smtp. I do this for my other emails (yahoo, hotmail, gmail). even when we were on google mail, my outlook was configured via imap and smpt. Calendar was a pain because google discontinued the simple sync between google calendar and outlook. I ended up buying companion link later for personal stuff. I installed G suite sync for work (pita to get calendar to connect w/o g suite).

op, youre fine with 2013. you prob dont have the configuration correct. here are the steps to connect your desktop app:

login to office.com
....
under this menu item, you will see your company's settings for mail

the issue is you will need to test to see what works if you cant get ahold of your IT dept.

for 2 factor auth, you will need to add app passwords as well but that is a bit more complicated for a standard user.

i would recommend you get in contact with your IT dept and have them walk you through it. it is strange that they are basically having you try to do it on your own without providing you documentation.

they're tight wads.. they mandate - use your laptop, or owa. no middle ground. hate relying on outlook in iphone (company phone) but that seems to be the easiest. though i have extra android table, i can dedicate one for work for a bigger screen but hate to put on MDM.

i actually tried all those imap/smtp settings also as mentioned above to ocabj.

now the one thing my outlook 2013 doesn't have in advanced tab (control setting -> mail ..... -> add account -> manually steup or additional server types) is that i don't have STARTTLS in the drop down. I wondered if that is what is missing?

But trying to have it self-configure for me via email and password wasn't working in outlook 2013. But the frsutrating part is windows mail (theone os comes with or you can download from microsoft stoer) works using email and password only.

That's why I'm wondering if outlook 2013 is not compatible anymore but windows mail is??

[NYT]

office 2013 is definitely compatible. i have about 1000 virtual desktops running it.

for starttls, it is the check box "my server requires authentication".

personally, i wouldnt continue down this path though. if your company didnt specifically say you can load outlook on your personal machine, they may not want you to for a specific reason, data loss prevention with mdm may be one of them.

we terminate employees here for circumventing security policies. not sure about your company but its just not worth the risk imo.

[high_revs]

we terminate employees here for circumventing security policies. not sure about your company but its just not worth the risk imo.

thanks for insight. not actually circumventing since it allows me to configure windows mail. just trying to make it work with my outlook and my own machine meeting security standards.

mail is just pretty difficult to use (not liking the UI) which is stock with my win10. we use owa and can be used anywhere since i have 2-factor authentication hence risks is all but the same and they allow us to use owa anywhere (due to 2-factor). but just as windows mail and with volumes of email, just need something more UI efficient. I'm sure i can get used to windows mail but... eh... that's why it policy doesn't make sense if i cna use owa anywhere as one can save data off owa or windows mail.

btw, i'm not loading outlook. i already have it (personally paid license, full outlook pro with visio and stuff). only excel is what i use the most these days since i use em client for personal mail instead for desktop programs.

appreciate all the insight.