Set Up Autodiscover (Microsoft Exchange)

The best way to use Microsoft Exchange is with Autodiscover. Autodiscover allows email clients to connect directly to the Exchange server for setup. It involves two main steps: the email administrator will need to build a CNAME DNS record, and each user will need to connect through their specific email software. Outlook users should setup an Outlook profile, as described below.

Note: Full Exchange functionality requires Autodiscover.

To build a CNAME DNS record:

  1. Contact your DNS provider and ask them to create the following CNAME record. If you have access to the control panel for your DNS, you can make this change yourself. Note: Depending on your DNS provider’s requirements, you may need to add your domain to your hostname: autodiscover.yourdomain (For example, if your domain is "doughnutcity.com" your hostname would be: autodiscover.doughnutcity.com)
    2. Hostname: autodiscover
    Address: autodiscover.emailsrvr.com
  2. It could take up to 24 hours for this change to take effect, even though most DNS providers update their DNS records within three hours. You may want to ask your DNS provider what their "update time" is. After that time has passed, you can move to the next step.
  3. Click the Windows Start button.
  4. Select Run.
  5. Type "nslookup" and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  6. Type in the name of the hostname you created above (e.g., autodiscover.doughnutcity.com), and press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  7. If your records were correctly created, you should receive results similar to the following:
    8. Name: autodiscover.emailsrvr.com
    Address: 67.192.133.251
    Aliases: autodiscover.doughnutcity.com
  8. Next, each user will need to create their individual Outlook profile, according to the following instructions.

Internal DNS and Autodiscover

If you are running Windows Server 2003 or 2008 with internal DNS, you will need to perform the following steps:

  1. On your remote desktop session, select Start / Programs / Administrative Tools / DNS.
  2. Right-click your domain name and select New Alias (CNAME).
  3. Under Alias Name enter:
     
    autodiscover
  4. Under Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for target host enter:
     
    autodiscover.emailsrvr.com
  5. Click the Ok button.

If you need to setup an A record instead of a CNAME, use the following:

Address: Autodiscover

Host Name: 67.192.133.247

To create an Outlook profile using Autodiscover:
After your administrator has successfully completed the previous steps for creating a CNAME DNS record, you will need to create your Microsoft Outlook profile on your computer.

  1. You will need to have Outlook 2007 installed on your computer. To download Outlook 2007, visit https://cp.rackspace.com/usercp, log in with your email address and password, and then click the Download Outlook 2007 link.
  2. Click the Windows Start button.
  3. Select Control Panel.
  4. Double-click the Mail icon. Note: Depending on your version of Windows, you may need to switch to Classic View to find the Mail icon.
  5. Click the Show Profiles button.
  6. Click the Add button to build a new profile.
  7. Enter a name for this profile, as desired. This is for your reference only. Then click the OK button.
  8. In the resulting window, enter the following information:
     
    • Your Name—Enter your name, as you would like it to be displayed within Outlook.
    • E-Mail Address—Enter your full email address, using all lowercase letters.
    • Enter your email password in the Password and Retype Password fields, and then click the Next button.
  9. You may see a pop-up window, asking if you want to "Allow this website to configure your server settings."

    If so, select the check box for Don’t ask me about this website again, and then click the Allow button.

  10. When prompted, enter your username and password. Your username is your entire email address, using all lowercase letters.
  11. If your DNS records are correct, then you should see a message that states, "Your e-mail account is successfully configured to use Microsoft Exchange."
  12. Click the Finish button.
  13. Outlook will open, and you can start using your Hosted Exchange Mailbox.