What to check when encountering Exchange user name and password errors

A C# web app I’m developing requires pulling (and deleting already read e-mails) from an Exchange 2003 server.  I used the POP3 code that I actually shared/posted about yesterday; however, I was getting this error, though I had the correct user name and password:

-ERR Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.

It was getting to be very annoying, so I googled for any answers and found out that setting up an Exchange alias was (sort of like) a requirement to get the issue resolved.

Here were the questions and needed settings I had to check on the Exchange 2003 server:

  • Do the accounts have an email address, i.e., username@ad_domain?
  • Do the accounts have the POP3/IMAP protocols enabled?  They can be set to on or off on a per-account basis – default is on?
  • Are the Exchange Alias and account user name the same for all accounts?

I had bullet’s #1 and #2 set – but not bullet #3!

So if all else fails, check that setting out if you encounter POP3/IMAP user name/password errors.  =0)

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