We have two Surface RT machines. Neither will connect to our 2003 Exchange Server with the Exchange ActiveSync setup (EAS) option in Mail. We have lots of other Smartphones and tablets connected. After many hours, Microsoft Surface Technical Support has not been able to resolve. Errors received: "Unable to connect. Ensure the information entered is correct" A brief error message in the upper right corner of the screen that says ******@myOUTSIDEdomain.com is unavailable Data Entered: Using: Mail Tile/add your mail accounts/view all in set.../Other Account/ Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) /show more details setup screen: Email address: ******@myOUTSIDEdomain.com Server address: webmail.myOUTSIDEdomain.com Domain: myINSIDEdomain Username: johnsmith Password: mypassword Please let me know if you see something wrong with the above data - it works for about 40 other mobile device.

Does anyone know how to turn OFF the SSL setting in Windows 8 Mail (both Surface and Windows 8 Pro)?

I'm having a connection issue that may be related, but a different message. When trying to synch with our Exchange Server, I get the message that "This PC cannot support some of the exchange server's Policies". Similar to everything that has been said here, I find it hard to believe our policies work on iPhones, iPads, and Android 4.0, but not on a Surface tablet. So either the Surface does not have the level of policy support it has been "suggesting" (has anyone even seen a list of policies it supports?), or that there is a bug in RT that is not allowing the policy to be enforced. I find this really disappointing as a pro MS, anti-Apple guy. How can MS create a product that is less business friendly than Apple. I work for a company with tens of thousands of employees. There is no way our IT department is going to start tinkering around with the Server settings to get the Surface to work. They are going to say "screw this" and ask everyone to buy Playbooks or iPads and be done with it. Looks like mine's going back.

I'm having a connection issue that may be related, but a different message. When trying to synch with our Exchange Server, I get the message that "This PC cannot support some of the exchange server's Policies". Similar to everything that has been said here, I find it hard to believe our policies work on iPhones, iPads, and Android 4.0, but not on a Surface tablet. So either the Surface does not have the level of policy support it has been "suggesting" (has anyone even seen a list of policies it supports?), or that there is a bug in RT that is not allowing the policy to be enforced. I find this really disappointing as a pro MS, anti-Apple guy. How can MS create a product that is less business friendly than Apple. I work for a company with tens of thousands of employees. There is no way our IT department is going to start tinkering around with the Server settings to get the Surface to work. They are going to say "screw this" and ask everyone to buy Playbooks or iPads and be done with it. Looks like mine's going back. Honestly it's worth a quick call into IT. I work for a company that sounds like it is the same size as yours. I've had to report a number of issues with mobile client connectivity over the years and often times it is a server configuration problem that was never caught because a specific scenario had not been encountered before. The Surface absolutely does work well with Exchange. Me and many others have it going. That said, remember the Surface is a cross between a PC and mobile device, so while you can enforce strong passwords on a mobile device, you can't on the Surface. If the password for your surface account is a telephone number or a simple word, you may get the exact condition you reported. What happens if you make your Surface RT account's password as strong as your work password? Same problem?

Honestly it's worth a quick call into IT. I work for a company that sounds like it is the same size as yours. I've had to report a number of issues with mobile client connectivity over the years and often times it is a server configuration problem that was never caught because a specific scenario had not been encountered before. The Surface absolutely does work well with Exchange. Me and many others have it going. That said, remember the Surface is a cross between a PC and mobile device, so while you can enforce strong passwords on a mobile device, you can't on the Surface. If the password for your surface account is a telephone number or a simple word, you may get the exact condition you reported. What happens if you make your Surface RT account's password as strong as your work password? Same problem? First of all, during my last contact with MS support last week, they said it was a "known issue" and they are "working on it." That suggests to me the problem is, indeed, with Surface. Of course I contacted my IT person. I'm pretty senior at my company ("The Boss"). And, my IT guy basically said, "You should have gotten an iPad." It's hard to argue: it's tough to make my IT guy jump through hoops to get this device working. All other devices work fine with our Server (iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Droid).

NEED HELP - EXCHANGE ACTIVESYNC (EAS) will not connect to Exchange Server

Anonymous

We have two Surface RT machines. Neither will connect to our 2003 Exchange Server with the Exchange ActiveSync setup (EAS) option in Mail. We have lots of other Smartphones and tablets connected. After many hours, Microsoft Surface Technical Support has not been able to resolve.

Errors received:

"Unable to connect. Ensure the information entered is correct"
A brief error message in the upper right corner of the screen that says ******@myOUTSIDEdomain.com is unavailable

Data Entered:

Using: Mail Tile/add your mail accounts/view all in set.../Other Account/Exchange ActiveSync (EAS)/show more details setup screen:

Email address: ******@myOUTSIDEdomain.com
Server address: webmail.myOUTSIDEdomain.com
Domain: myINSIDEdomain
Username: johnsmith
Password: mypassword

Please let me know if you see something wrong with the above data - it works for about 40 other mobile device.

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Wow, there is a lot of misinformation on this board..... Surface does connect to Exchange and has since day 1. The problem is that you are using self signed certificates, and surface does not accept self signed certificates unless you install them yourself. This is done for security, it had nothing to do with joining domains or anything like that, there is no bug. Exchange mail has worked on my surface since October 26th. Make sure you install the cert under

"Trusted Root Certification Authorities"

http://www.lonecpluspluscoder.com/2012/10/how-to-make-a-self-signed-ssl-certificate-work-with-windows-rts-mail-app-on-a-microsoft-surface-rt/

http://blog.brightpointuk.co.uk/adding-exchange-email-account-windows-rt

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68 additional answers

Anonymous

2012-11-04T14:48:34+00:00

Does anyone know how to turn OFF the SSL setting in Windows 8 Mail (both Surface and Windows 8 Pro)?
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Anonymous

2012-11-04T19:13:14+00:00

I'm having a connection issue that may be related, but a different message. When trying to synch with our Exchange Server, I get the message that "This PC cannot support some of the exchange server's Policies". Similar to everything that has been said here, I find it hard to believe our policies work on iPhones, iPads, and Android 4.0, but not on a Surface tablet. So either the Surface does not have the level of policy support it has been "suggesting" (has anyone even seen a list of policies it supports?), or that there is a bug in RT that is not allowing the policy to be enforced.

I find this really disappointing as a pro MS, anti-Apple guy. How can MS create a product that is less business friendly than Apple. I work for a company with tens of thousands of employees. There is no way our IT department is going to start tinkering around with the Server settings to get the Surface to work. They are going to say "screw this" and ask everyone to buy Playbooks or iPads and be done with it.

Looks like mine's going back.
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments
Anonymous

2012-11-04T20:54:42+00:00

I'm having a connection issue that may be related, but a different message. When trying to synch with our Exchange Server, I get the message that "This PC cannot support some of the exchange server's Policies". Similar to everything that has been said here, I find it hard to believe our policies work on iPhones, iPads, and Android 4.0, but not on a Surface tablet. So either the Surface does not have the level of policy support it has been "suggesting" (has anyone even seen a list of policies it supports?), or that there is a bug in RT that is not allowing the policy to be enforced.

I find this really disappointing as a pro MS, anti-Apple guy. How can MS create a product that is less business friendly than Apple. I work for a company with tens of thousands of employees. There is no way our IT department is going to start tinkering around with the Server settings to get the Surface to work. They are going to say "screw this" and ask everyone to buy Playbooks or iPads and be done with it.

Looks like mine's going back.

Honestly it's worth a quick call into IT. I work for a company that sounds like it is the same size as yours. I've had to report a number of issues with mobile client connectivity over the years and often times it is a server configuration problem that was never caught because a specific scenario had not been encountered before.

The Surface absolutely does work well with Exchange. Me and many others have it going.

That said, remember the Surface is a cross between a PC and mobile device, so while you can enforce strong passwords on a mobile device, you can't on the Surface. If the password for your surface account is a telephone number or a simple word, you may get the exact condition you reported. What happens if you make your Surface RT account's password as strong as your work password? Same problem?
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2012-11-04T21:01:35+00:00

Honestly it's worth a quick call into IT. I work for a company that sounds like it is the same size as yours. I've had to report a number of issues with mobile client connectivity over the years and often times it is a server configuration problem that was never caught because a specific scenario had not been encountered before.

The Surface absolutely does work well with Exchange. Me and many others have it going.

That said, remember the Surface is a cross between a PC and mobile device, so while you can enforce strong passwords on a mobile device, you can't on the Surface. If the password for your surface account is a telephone number or a simple word, you may get the exact condition you reported. What happens if you make your Surface RT account's password as strong as your work password? Same problem?

First of all, during my last contact with MS support last week, they said it was a "known issue" and they are "working on it." That suggests to me the problem is, indeed, with Surface. Of course I contacted my IT person. I'm pretty senior at my company ("The Boss"). And, my IT guy basically said, "You should have gotten an iPad." It's hard to argue: it's tough to make my IT guy jump through hoops to get this device working. All other devices work fine with our Server (iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, Droid).
Was this answer helpful?

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