Recently, I decided to set up Small Business Server (SBS) 2003 Premium with Exchange 2003 so I could get a better idea how to configure Exchange to synchronize with Windows Mobile 2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0. Synchronizing with Exchange is called Exchange ActiveSync (not to be confused with using ActiveSync with your desktop), or AirSync. In this article I use the term AirSync to refer to synchronizing with Exchange.
Setup
Setting up SBS went smoothly. It's a straightforward installation: I just followed the prompts. After SBS was installed, I installed Exchange 2003. I then installed Service Pack 1 for Windows 2003 and SBS and Service Pack 2 for Exchange 2003. I then configured the Internet connection and domain name I wanted to use. I had already set up the DNS entries pointing to my SBS server so it was live once I finished the configuration.
After the setup was complete, I created my first account and selected the profile which allowed the user to have mobile access. I was then able to log in via the Web to the SBS server and access my e-mail using SSL. However, the default digital certificate required me to answer a prompt about the certificate not being issued by a supported certificate issuer.
Configuring AirSync
The default installation of Exchange 2003 allows users to sync with Exchange from their Pocket PC or Smartphone. However, if you have not previously acquired and installed a digital certificate from a trusted certifying authority, you will need to purchase one and install it on your Web server, and then install a digital certificate extracted from it onto your Pocket PC or Smartphone. By default Exchange 2003 encrypts data between it and mobile devices using these digital certificates.
Unless you've installed an appropriate certificate, you'll get this Security Alert Screen when you sync your device with your Exchange Server.
Installing a locally issued digital certificate
There are multiple ways to extract the digital certificate from the Web server that is providing access to Exchange. You can contact the network administrator and ask him or her to extract the .cer file so that you can install it on your device. If you don't have access to the server you can still extract the certificate using a Windows XP PC by visiting Outlook Web Access and right clicking a blank portion of the Web page. Then click on the Properties. Then click on Certificates, click on the Details tab and then click on the button to Copy to File. Then follow the prompts to extract the file. Make sure you select the "base64" format for the certificate. This is the only format that Windows Mobile 5.0 and Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition devices support. The digital certificate formats of "der" and "pks7" are no supported. To install the certificate, copy it to the device using ActiveSync's File Explorer and place it in the My Documents folder, or copy it to a SD card and insert it in the device. Once you have the certificate copied to the device, you need to use the Pocket PC or Smartphone's File Explorer to navigate to the folder that contains the certificate. Then click on the certificate to install it. The Windows Mobile device will ask you if you want to install it. Answer "Yes."
Setting up AirSync on the device
To activate AirSync on your device, click on Start>ActiveSync to open ActiveSync. For the Pocket PC click on Tools>Options and select the Server. Then follow the prompts to set up the connection to the server. For the username you may have to enter your domain name\user name to connect. Also make sure that the option to use SSL is checked to ensure that your data is encrypted.
For the Smartphone select Start>ActiveSync. Then select Menu>Configure Server. Then follow the prompts to set up the connection to the server. For the username you may have to enter your domain name\user name to connect. Also make sure that the option to use SSL is checked to ensure that your data is encrypted.
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