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Outlook Anywhere – Message: The underlying connection was closed: The connection was closed unexpectedly.

Recent Visitor 27

I ran into this problem a while back and thought I’d share my troubleshooting steps with the other professionals out there.

When trying to configure Outlook Anywhere at Some Company and using the https://www.testexchangeconnectivity.com/ to test, I kept getting the following error:

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Testing Http Authentication Methods for URL https://mail.domain.ca/rpc/rpcproxy.dll

Http Authentication Test failed

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Additional Details

Exception Details:
Message: The underlying connection was closed: The connection was closed unexpectedly.
Type: System.Net.WebException
Stack Trace:
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.HttpAuthMethodsTest.GetSupportedHttpAuthMethods()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.HttpAuthMethodsTest.PerformTestReally()

Here’s the detailed test results:

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Connectivity Test Failed

Test Details

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Testing RPC/HTTP connectivity

RPC/HTTP test failed

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Test Steps

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Attempting to test Autodiscover for mailto:tluk@domain.ca

Successfully tested Autodiscover

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Test Steps

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Attempting each method of contacting the AutoDiscover Service

The AutoDiscover Service was successfully tested.

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Test Steps

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Attempting to test potential AutoDiscover URL https://domain.ca/AutoDiscover/AutoDiscover.xml

Failed testing this potential AutoDiscover URL

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Test Steps

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Attempting to resolve the host name domain.ca in DNS.

Host successfully resolved

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Additional Details

IP(s) returned: 99.999.999.99

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Testing TCP Port 443 on host domain.ca to ensure it is listening and open.

The port was opened successfully.

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Testing SSL Certificate for validity.

The SSL Certificate failed one or more certificate validation checks.

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Test Steps

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Validating certificate name

Certificate name validation failed

clip_image010[4] Tell me more about this issue and how to resolve it

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Additional Details

Host name domain.ca does not match any name found on the server certificate CN=webmail.domain.ca, OU=Domain Control Validated, O=webmail.domain.ca

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Attempting to test potential AutoDiscover URL https://autodiscover.domain.ca/AutoDiscover/AutoDiscover.xml

Testing AutoDiscover URL succeeded

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Test Steps

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Attempting to resolve the host name autodiscover.domain.ca in DNS.

Host successfully resolved

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Additional Details

IP(s) returned: 99.999.999.99

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Testing TCP Port 443 on host autodiscover.domain.ca to ensure it is listening and open.

The port was opened successfully.

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Testing SSL Certificate for validity.

The certificate passed all validation requirements.

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Test Steps

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Validating certificate name

Successfully validated the certificate name

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Additional Details

Found hostname autodiscover.domain.ca in Certificate Subject Alternative Name entry

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Validating certificate trust

The test passed with some warnings encountered. Please expand additional details.

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Additional Details

Only able to build certificate chain when using the Root Certificate Update functionality from Windows Update. Your server may not be properly configured to send down the required intermediate certificates to complete the chain. Consult the certificate installation instructions or FAQ’s from your Certificate Authority for more information.

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Testing certificate date to ensure validity

Date Validation passed. The certificate is not expired.

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Additional Details

Certificate is valid: NotBefore = 5/6/2010 3:34:15 PM, NotAfter = 5/6/2013 3:34:15 PM”

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Attempting to send AutoDiscover POST request to potential autodiscover URLs.

Successfully Retrieved AutoDiscover Settings by sending AutoDiscover POST.

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Test Steps

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Attempting to Retrieve XML AutoDiscover Response from url https://autodiscover.domain.ca/AutoDiscover/AutoDiscover.xml for user mailto:tluk@domain.ca

Successfully Retrieved AutoDiscover XML Response

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Additional Details

AutoDiscover Account Settings
XML Response:
<?xml version=”1.0″?>
<Autodiscover xmlns:xsi=”http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance” xmlns:xsd=”http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema” xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/autodiscover/responseschema/2006“>
<Response xmlns=”http://schemas.microsoft.com/exchange/autodiscover/outlook/responseschema/2006a“>
<User>
<DisplayName>Terence Luk</DisplayName>
<LegacyDN>/o=domain/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Recipients/cn=TLuk</LegacyDN>
<DeploymentId>86ca6927-bc9f-43d0-8d7a-2b694bd93d75</DeploymentId>
</User>
<Account>
<AccountType>email</AccountType>
<Action>settings</Action>
<Protocol>
<Type>EXCH</Type>
<Server>hq-exch1.domain.local</Server>
<ServerDN>/o=Domain/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=HQ-EXCH1</ServerDN>
<ServerVersion>720280B0</ServerVersion>
<MdbDN>/o=Domain/ou=Exchange Administrative Group (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/cn=Configuration/cn=Servers/cn=HQ-EXCH1/cn=Microsoft Private MDB</MdbDN>
<ASUrl>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/EWS/Exchange.asmx%3c/ASUrl>
<OOFUrl>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/EWS/Exchange.asmx%3c/OOFUrl>
<OABUrl>http://hq-exch1.domain.local/OAB/0fa5be65-3c78-4ad4-826d-0775ea7cbc91/%3c/OABUrl>
<UMUrl>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/UnifiedMessaging/Service.asmx%3c/UMUrl>
<Port>0</Port>
<DirectoryPort>0</DirectoryPort>
<ReferralPort>0</ReferralPort>
<PublicFolderServer>hq-exch1.domain.local</PublicFolderServer>
<AD>hq-dc2.domain.local</AD>
<EwsUrl>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/EWS/Exchange.asmx%3c/EwsUrl>
</Protocol>
<Protocol>
<Type>EXPR</Type>
<Server>mail.domain.ca</Server>
<OABUrl>https://mail.domain.ca/OAB/0fa5be65-3c78-4ad4-826d-0775ea7cbc91/%3c/OABUrl>
<Port>0</Port>
<DirectoryPort>0</DirectoryPort>
<ReferralPort>0</ReferralPort>
<SSL>On</SSL>
<AuthPackage>Basic</AuthPackage>
</Protocol>
<Protocol>
<Type>WEB</Type>
<Port>0</Port>
<DirectoryPort>0</DirectoryPort>
<ReferralPort>0</ReferralPort>
<External>
<OWAUrl AuthenticationMethod=”Fba”>https://webmail.domain.com/owa%3c/OWAUrl>
<OWAUrl AuthenticationMethod=”Fba”>https://webmail.domain.ca/owa%3c/OWAUrl>
</External>
<Internal>
<OWAUrl AuthenticationMethod=”Basic, Fba”>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/owa%3c/OWAUrl>
<OWAUrl AuthenticationMethod=”Basic, Fba”>https://hq-exchange1.domain.local/owa%3c/OWAUrl>
<Protocol>
<Type>EXCH</Type>
<ASUrl>https://hq-exch1.domain.local/EWS/Exchange.asmx%3c/ASUrl>
</Protocol>
</Internal>
</Protocol>
</Account>
</Response>
</Autodiscover>

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Validating Autodiscover Settings for Outlook Anywhere

Outlook Anywhere Autodiscover Settings validated

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Attempting to resolve the host name mail.domain.ca in DNS.

Host successfully resolved

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Additional Details

IP(s) returned: 99.999.999.99

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Testing TCP Port 443 on host mail.domain.ca to ensure it is listening and open.

The port was opened successfully.

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Testing SSL Certificate for validity.

The certificate passed all validation requirements.

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Test Steps

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Validating certificate name

Successfully validated the certificate name

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Additional Details

Found hostname mail.domain.ca in Certificate Subject Alternative Name entry

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Validating certificate trust

The test passed with some warnings encountered. Please expand additional details.

clip_image003[67]

Additional Details

Only able to build certificate chain when using the Root Certificate Update functionality from Windows Update. Your server may not be properly configured to send down the required intermediate certificates to complete the chain. Consult the certificate installation instructions or FAQ’s from your Certificate Authority for more information.

clip_image009[42]

Testing certificate date to ensure validity

Date Validation passed. The certificate is not expired.

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Additional Details

Certificate is valid: NotBefore = 5/6/2010 3:34:15 PM, NotAfter = 5/6/2013 3:34:15 PM”

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Testing Http Authentication Methods for URL https://mail.domain.ca/rpc/rpcproxy.dll

Http Authentication Test failed

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Additional Details

Exception Details:
Message: The underlying connection was closed: The connection was closed unexpectedly.
Type: System.Net.WebException
Stack Trace:
at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.HttpAuthMethodsTest.GetSupportedHttpAuthMethods()
at Microsoft.Exchange.Tools.ExRca.Tests.HttpAuthMethodsTest.PerformTestReally()

As it turns out, when the RPC Windows component is installed, “Enable anonymous access” is enabled. The correct setting should be “Integrated Windows authentication” and “Basic authentication”.

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Once the proper settings were checked and iisreset was ran, the test ran correctly with:

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Testing Http Authentication Methods for URL https://mail.domain.ca/rpc/rpcproxy.dll

Http Authentication Methods are correct

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Additional Details

Found all expected authentication methods and no disallowed methods. Methods Found: Basic, Negotiate, NTLM

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Hello! My name is Terence Luk and welcome to my blog.

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10 Responses

  1. Thank you very much for this information. I recently worked on an active sync issue which was resolved after installing sp2 for exchange 2003. Unfortunately this broke RPCoverHTTP. I had searched several webistes prior to with no success. Your permissions on the RPC directory was spot on!

  3. Just helped me out as well. Much appreciated Terence. I had ripped out IIS and client access and reinstalled them, and set up virtual directories again. RPC over HTTP had defaulted to anonymous after reinstalling just like you said.

    Thanks for posting!

  4. Thank you for taking the time to post this.

    I had already checked a bunch of IIS settings (including this one) from the excellent article at http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Email_Servers/Exchange/A_1798-Exchange-2003-Activesync-Connection-Problems-FAQ.html. The settings was right, and after a reboot the problem persisted. I wouldn't have checked the settings again except for you having the exact cause listed here. I checked again and sure enough anonymous was set! It's as though the change was made but the UI didn't update until a restart. In any event unticking it fixed the issue.

  6. Greatly appreciated! Worked for me as well. Exchange 2003 on Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition SP2.

  10. Thank you so much for leaving this topic live on your blog. It just saved my bacon. You da man!

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