Access work email from home without vpn?

I'm hoping someone might help me understand what this guy who is a good friend of mine, is talking about.

I want to try and help the lad, as he's done free work for me on my website, but honestly I can't think how he could do this myself.

In theory his IT department ought to help him, but it may be a small place with him *as* the IT dept, also I can understand him not wanting to look like he can't do things with PCs, and I can actually empathize with that.

I'll paste what he asked me, please - all I'm looking for is opinions on what take other people have on this.

Quote:

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[23:06] Ovy: At work I access emails, comes through server at local ip eg 192.168.0.2(server ip) now when I'm away I have to dial to the work server though a vpn
[23:06] Ovy: how can I receive email without vpn?
[23:06] Moira: yes
[23:06] Ovy: the server has a dyndns address, but that address doesn't seem to download
[23:07] Moira: let me find out for you
[23:07] Ovy: Thanks, just saves the time, dialling to work, and going through 2 networks

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Whether or not he can access his email externally in dependent on a number on things.

Let's start with, How does he access his email at work?

Is it in a client (Outlook, Thunderbird, Eudora) or Web-Based? If it is a client, does the client use POP3 or IMAP? Is he connecting to an Exchange server?

These all matter...

Next... just because the VPN is at the dyndns address (makes it sound like a small company, which makes me assume it's basically a linksys router on the perimeter) doesn't mean that email is available at that address. Some valid options.

1) The address isn't port forwarded on the router, and therefore isn't available externally and has to be accessed via VPN.
2) He uses a client at work and is trying to replicate that at home... but he has to access the web-based software while at home.
3) There's a server he can connect his client to, but it's at a different address then the VPN client.

Unfortunately there just aren't enough details to make a call on this.... In 4 companies, I've seen all three of these setups used...

Thanks HTRegz, I have just asked him all this. In fact, as he wants to follow the thread, I think I will have to edit my original post so people can make more sense of it and realise that the friend with the question will now look here for answers not me. I'm sure you can see this is best ;)

I might suggest he signs up to the forum and posts here himself - that way we get another member!

Thanks to Moira for taking the time to post this on my behalf!

we access using outlook, which is through POP3, we don't use an exchange server, but we use "http://www.pscs.co.uk/products/vpop3/index.php" ( yeah i know, some company installed the server with this installed :S )

the dyndns address allows us to connect through VPN and allow us to access our on line web server through a port address eg: ??:1234

at work i use a laptop, which connects to our network and downloads through a local IP (which is the dyndns address)

Any other questions please ask.

One thing we need to establish is...is it ok with your company that you pickup\access your mail from home???

I am guessing VPOP stands for Virtual POP3 mail...so your company has created a virtual mail server

Next I would contact Paul Smith....

This is a paid service I am sure he will help you set it all up.

MLF

This quote is right from the URL you have posted:

Quote:

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WebMail

VPOP3 comes with a full WebMail server, so you can access your mail using a web browser from anywhere. You can read and send your email messages, view the VPOP3 address book etc through any modern web browser.

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Have you tried that service?



Cheers

I can already receive my emails at home, e.g. through webmail or connecting through a VPN connection, so I don't see this as a problem.

It would probably best to contact him, but i was wondering if there where any other ideas without getting in contact with him.

I have used the VPOP3 which is very useful, but I am wanting to use Outlook, so i can keep the emails in there and compare to other emails etc, instead of searching through pages and pages of old emails through the web browser (which are only kept on the server for 10 days).

I am guessing that there would need to be a port opened to allow the mail to flow through..?

It all depends on how the server is setup...and if it allows you to directly pop it.

You would need the popserver name, username, and password.

Why dont you want to contact him??

Smells phishy to me

MLF

The Managing director and Me have looked into the admistration side of the email server, we have found that port 110 is applied for POP3, and port 5108 is applied for webmail, he previously set up port 5108 to access the web through dyndns, so if i was to set up port 110 in the router rules, it should allow me to access as a pop3 address? eg: eg.dyndns.org:110

any ideaS?

Hmmm,

Quote:

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The Managing director and Me have looked into the admistration side of the email server,

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For my overseas friends, that means "CEO"

I would trust Moira implicitly, and ask the provider to sort it out.

Just my 2 pence ;)

I am not getting this..

what does dyndns.org have to do with this at all???

Is this a hosted vpop

or a vpop server???

I think that will make a huge difference on whether you canpop it or not....and probably for security reasons is why you can omly access it through VPN...hence a local non routable ip

Why not contact thier tech support???

MLF

You "could" open up port 110 (you would also need to open up port 25 if you want to send mail) so that you could use outlook from home without the need to VPN. You would also need to port forward from the router to the local IP of the VPOP server. However, depending on how your email server is setup (authentication, relay) , opening up the ports may cause you several headaches.

You need to ensure that users are getting authenticated for both receiving and sending. You also need to configure smtp to ensure spammers cant use your mail server as a relay host. Suggest you read the VPOP knowledgebase and/or contact VPOP tech support. Both are free.

csr