topic Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug in XPERIA archive

Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Makatech — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 13:23:15 GMT

Hello,

I have a Sony Xperia Z3 with Android 4.4.4 experiencing a serious Exchange ActiveSync bug with sporadic notification lag for Automatic (push) setting. I have no energy saving features enabled on my phone.

Since Microsoft Exchange is one of most common mail servers in the world this could be a showstopper for a lot of companies?

This is year 2014 and automatic notification for emails is a must otherwise the phone can't be trusted as a working tool? I don't want to login to my phone everytime I need to check if I have a received a new email.

This is being highlighted at official "Android Open Source Project - Issue Tracker" as well.

Issue 73691: Push notifications significantly delayed on stock email app

I assume this bug has highest priority, when will it be fixed?

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 13:56:18 GMT

Sorry to hear that you're having issues with delayed notifications.
It's not any issue i'm familiar with. Does this happen both over mobile data and WiFi and how much delayed are the notifications? If there's an issue with the data connection you may not get a notification until the next heartbeat.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Makatech — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 20:28:27 GMT

Hmmm, I have mostly been connected to Wifi so far, hence difficult to answer.

As you can see in above link to official "Android Open Source Project - Issue Tracker" I'm not alone.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 13:08:23 GMT

Could you perhaps see if the same thing happens over mobile data?

If the same thing also happens over mobile data, could you also try this with another server? You can for example test ActiveSync with an account at hotmail.com or outlook.com.

In my experience, issues with push is often related to the data connection. Push works by having an idle connection to a server. Some operators and firewalls may close idle connections after a certain time and then push doesn't work. At certain time intervals there's a hearbeat to check that the connection is still there. If the connection is dropped you will not get any notification until the next hearbeat. There are some articles on the internet about certain routers doing this like http://www.digitalinternals.com/mobile/fix-wifi-push-notifications-delay-android/361/

While i can't say for sure, it seems strange that this would be an general issue for Android when there's so few reports of it and push works fine for me.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

renaudc — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:28:40 GMT

This answer does not seem to correspond to what I experience with my brand new Xperia Z3 D6633 (dual).

The issue seems to be rather linked to the native email app of the phone.

Downloaded CloudMagic app, configured as push, and emails are arriving on the phone almost instantly.

Where the native email app does not receive them. I have to open the app and manually ask for update to get the inbox updated.

This is an Exchange ActiveSync account too.

The best option I have for now to use the native email application, is to configure it for synchronization every 5 minutes, which is the shortest refresh rate.

Thus, I agree with initial problem statement and I am asking for a solution too.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Novapix — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 01:27:10 GMT

When you are within the email client ( Native app) , if you drag down to refresh,, does it tell you that " mailxx requires that you update your security settings" ?? I am getting this after the latest Sony firmare update. And as per the latest update release notes: " Improved Exchange ActiveSync performance".

I think its a bug within the latest firmware because neither my manager or myself ( both own Xpera Z3's) had problems before.

For your info.. I had deleted the Exchange account and rebooted the phone, and re-added the account.

Have also changed the sec PIN and changed from PIN to Password. Makes no diff.

Hopes it gets fixed soon,, very anoying.

I still get emails, but they are very delayed.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 09:00:17 GMT

Sorry to hear that you have issues with push as well.

@renaudc

Have you tried this on both WiFi and mobile data?

Is STAMINA enabled under Settings -> Power management?

Which version of Microsoft Exchange are you connected to?

Have you installed any task killers, cache cleaners, battery savers or similar?

@Novapix

Could you please ask your IT-department if "Allow simple password" is enabled on your server and let me know if it's enabled or disabled?

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

renaudc — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:57:58 GMT

@novapix

No I don't have this "Security settings" message, the update works well without warning. I had this message only once, when I initially configured my exchange account. I accepted the change and it worked well. It could be the root cause indeed.

@Rickard

Thank you for your quick reply, I truly appreciate.

I just redid the tests with both wifi and mobile data, sending twice an email on each case:

in both situation, I got immediate notification through the BlueMail app (which is the one I finally chose for now, even it is not bug-free) and nothing came through the native app, even after opening it, I had to manually refresh it to get the email. I double-check before doing the tests that both apps were configured in push mode.

Everything is Off in the Power Management screen, I tested stamina some time ago but I had quickly deactivated it when I realized it was preventing some background actions, like email refresh.

The version of the Microsoft Exchange Server I am connected to is 8.3.330.0, which corresponds to 2007 version.

I did not install any task killer, cache cleaner, neither battery saver or equivalent. brand new phone with a much better battery than my former iphone5, I did not feel the need.

I had AVG Antivirus Pro installed. I uninstalled it, redid the test, same results.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Novapix — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 07:07:54 GMT

Hi @Rickard

Thanks for your reply.

I have not asked IT just yet but I have changed my Phone passcode to match my Windows/NT password instead, which is quite strong and this message still pops up when I pull down the screen to refresh.

"Co. requires that you update your security settings"

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Novapix — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:54:08 GMT

Just to add,,, I have reached out to my IT dept.

Exchange server is 2007 and Policy restrictions enforce that you have a PIN 5 digit long or a passcode of 6 characters long with at least 1 number.

I have tried different combinations with same out come --->

"Co. requires that you update your security settings"

I am contemplating of possibly wiping my phone , setting back to factory settings and start all over again.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 09:11:16 GMT

@renaudc

Could you please check if the push notification is delayed or if it's not coming at all? If it's delayed, by how much?

There may also be issues with push if there's a limit on number of units that can be connected to your account and that list is full. Go to Outlook Web Access and remove old devices that you no longer use from the device list and see if that helps. It's usually located under Settings -> Options on Outlook Web Access.

@Novapix

With the latest update we fixed an issue regarding policies for ActiveSync but changing the phone PIN/password to match the policy on the service should have helped so i'm not sure why you still see this message.

Would it be possible for you to repair the software in your phone using PC Companion? But please note that this will reset your phone and delete all your data.

If the issue should still remain, is there any chance that we could get a test account on your server so that we can investigate this?

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

renaudc — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:29:09 GMT

Dear Rickard,

Push notifications were not coming at all. No update since my last try yesterday.

I went to my exchange web access and removed in teh "mobile devices" list the 2 old iphones and 1 ipad I don't have any more.

I then shot an email, same behavior: bluemail notified on my phone but not the stock app.

Then I realized cloudmagic (other app I tried) was keeping asking for refresh on the exchange server though I uninstalled it on my phone.

I reinstalled cloudmagic on the phone to clean this account on my exchange server and when I activated the exchange account on the cloudmagic app, then something happened: my native email app got notified and was updating. So at some point, the connection got working between the exchange server and the native app.

I shot another email, but no magic... the native app did not get notified, while bluemail received it well.

Testing a potential conflict between the bluemail and the native app, I am now in the process of cleaning up all email accounts I have on the phone, removing all other email apps (bluemail) and reconfiguring the native app.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:37:16 GMT

That sounds like a good idea. If you have any other mobile devices connected to this account, could you also try turning them off and see what happens?

To make sure it's not a 3:rd party app causing issues you can also try starting the phone in safe mode where it doesn't load any 3:rd party apps. Hold the on/off button and then tap and hold "Power off". The phone will then ask if you want to restart in safe mode.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

gman16 — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:39:34 GMT

Hey I have a Problem with my Z3 Compact.Android 4.4.4

I use Exchange sync for my company email account. I receive the emails, but there is no written text when I open them. Sometimes it does show the text, most of the time it won`t??? I reinstalled everything a few times, but still the same! Some mails are even from the same sender! One I can read the others it will only show the Subject of mail! Any tipps?

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

tmichel — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 11:38:00 GMT

I have exactly the same problem that Novapix has. Since the last update my EAS account shows an error. When I re-apply the settings it says the server requires some security settings. The problem is, there is no way to accept tbe settings as the corresponding notification does not show up. There have been no changes to the server; it is not Exchange but Horde Groupware.

If you need a test account, please email me at android.thmi [at] gmail.com.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

renaudc — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 12:17:49 GMT

Hi Rickard

Tested the safe mode, and it did not work, same problem occuring: no push.

By the way, looks like returning to safe mode, my third party widgets disappeared, so I have to reconfigure them, that's a bad surprise :s

Except if you have other clues/tips, I give up with the stock email app.

I even had issues with IMAP folders that did not want to sync at all !

My phone upgraded to the 23.0.1.F.0.96 firmware version (this is a Z3 dual, D6633) but no change.

I reinstalled bluemail and I am pursuing with it for now, waiting for the lollipop upgrade and hoping it will be solved with this next upgrade.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 13:02:00 GMT

@gman16

What server are you using? We have heard of this with Icewarp and Zarafa and the issue is that these servers don't follow the EAS protocol properly.

@tmichel

That would be great. Could you send it to me in a PM?

@renaudc

I've been testing this more with different servers and i'm afraid i can't find any issue with push. Without a test account on your server i'm afraid it will be hard to investigate it further.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 14:42:29 GMT

@Novapix and @tmichel

Please let me know if you should encounter this issue in the update to Android 5.0 that's currently rolling out.

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

renaudc — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 07:58:11 GMT

Hi Rickard,

Thanks for coming back to us on this topc.

Upgraded to lollipop yesterday, and email push for exchange active sync is now working (I resetted the device to factory settings though)..

Thank you

Re: Exchange ActiveSync notification bug

Rickard — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 10:13:38 GMT

Glad to hear that