iOS: Setting up a corporate email server

Summary

This article explains the key steps for setting up a corporate mail server which can be accessed by an iOS device. These key steps will need to be completed by the IT support team or network administrator to enable email access.

Products Affected

iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Verisign

If you have or are setting up a Microsoft Exchange server, see Exchange ActiveSync and iOS Devices for further information regarding the required configuration of Exchange for iOS access to Mail, Calendars, and Contacts.

 The following information, from Microsoft's TechNet Library, may also be useful when setting up or configuring Exchange servers for iOS mail access:


For Exchange 2010 documentation:
technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124243.aspx
For Exchange 2007 documentation:
technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb124234(EXCHG.80).aspx
For Exchange 2003 documentation:
technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb123755(EXCHG.65).aspx

For non-Exchange mail server configurations, or for Exchange server access via IMAP, use the following settings to enable secure iOS access: 

Step 1

Open port 993 to allow email to be received through the firewall.

The proxy server must be set to IMAP over SSL only. SSL ensures that mail is securely encrypted during wireless transmission.

 

Step 2

As a best practice and for additional security protection, install a digital certificate on the server from a trusted certificate authority such as Verisign.

Installing a certificate from a certificate authority (CA) is an important step in ensuring that your proxy server is a trusted entity within your corporate infrastructure.

 

Step 3

Either port 587, 465, or 25 must be opened to allow email to be sent from iOS.

Additional Information

When sending a message, iOS automatically checks first for port 587, then 465, and then 25. Apple recommends opening 587 as the most reliable, secure port because it requires user authentication. Port 25 is considered to be the least secure because it's been around the longest and is subject to more attacks by hackers. It's also the port that some ISPs block by default to prevent unsolicited spam.

Find more information about integrating the iPhone or iPad in your business.

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