University Computer Help Desk

Configuring BlackBerry for Exchange

You can configure your BlackBerry to access your Exchange email, calendar, and contacts through BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESX).

Before You Begin

To use your BlackBerry with Exchange email, calendar, and contacts, you must activate it on Illinois State University's BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESX). BESX provides a conduit between your BlackBerry device and the campus Exchange environment.

Requirements for BESX Activation

To activate your BlackBerry device on the campus BESX server, you must meeting the following requirements:

  • You must request access to the BESX server.
  • You must use Internet Explorer on a Windows computer.
  • You must connect your BlackBerry to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device. 
  • You must visit the BESX website and log in to perform the activation.

After completing this process, you will have access to Exchange on your BlackBerry. These steps are explained in detail below.

Cellular Data Plan

In the past, BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) users were required to pay for a more expensive corporate data plan. Now that the campus is using BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express (BESX), the corporate data plan is no longer required. A standard data plan is sufficient.

Request Access to BESX

To request access to the BESX server, send an email to sysbesadmin@exchange.ilstu.edu. Be sure to include the following information:

  • Your ULID
  • Your full name
  • A contact phone number
  • Indicate that you have a BlackBerry and would like to be added to the BESX server so you can connect to Exchange on your device

The BESX administrators will review your request and grant you access to the BESX server. You will be contacted once your account has been granted access.

Modify AD Permissions

To access the BESX server, your Active Directory (AD) account must be modified. This will be handled by the BESX administrators. However, any AD OU admin can make this change if necessary.

BlackBerry Activation on BESX

To activate your BlackBerry on the BESX server, you must use Internet Explorer on a Windows computer. If you try to use a different browser (like Firefox or Safari), the activation process will not work properly. If you do not have access to a Windows computer, please contact your department's local support or the University Computer Help Desk for assistance.

Add BESX to Trusted Sites in Internet Explorer

This activation process requires you add the BESX website to your Trusted Sites in Internet Explorer. If you are a local technical support person, you only need to do this once, regardless of the number of BlackBerry devices you will be activating on this computer.

To add BESX as a Trusted Site in Internet Explorer, do the following:

  1. Open Internet Explorer.
  2. Click Tools > Internet Options.
  3. Click the Security tab.
  4. Select Trusted sites (this looks like a green check mark).
  5. Click the Sites button.
  6. Put a check mark in the box labeled Require server verfiication (https:) for all sites in this zone.
  7. Enter https://bes.ilstu.edu in the box labeled Add this website to this zone: and click Add.
    • Make sure you specify https:// in this address, rather than just http://.
  8. Click Close.
  9. Click OK.

Activate BlackBerry on BESX Website

To activate your BlackBerry on the BESX server, do the following:

  1. Connect your BlackBerry device to the computer using the USB cable that came with your device.
  2. Go to https://bes.ilstu.edu.
  3. Log in using your ULID and password.
    • This must be the ULID and password of the person for whom you will be activating the BlackBerry on BESx. If you are a technical support staff member assisting someone in activating a BlackBerry on BESx, you must have the user log in with his or her ULID.
  4. You will see a yellow banner appear, which says, This website wants to install the following add-on: 'RIMWebComponents.cab' from 'Research In Motion'. If you trust the website and the add-on and want to install it, click here... Do one of the following:
    • In Internet Explorer 8, click the yellow banner and a pop-up menu will appear. Click Install this Add-on for All Users on This Computer....
    • In Internet Explorer 9, click the Install button on the yellow banner at the bottom of the page.
  5. A message that says, Internet Explorer - Security Warning, will appear. Click Install.
    • This will install BlackBerry Device Communication Components. This may take a few moments.
    • If you get a message that says, To display the web page again, the web browser needs to resend the information you've previosuly submitted. If you were making a purchase, you should click Cancel to avoid a duplicate transaction. Otherwise, click Retry to display the webpage again, click Retry.
    • The website will display the message, Communicating with device Please wait... You may notice the website flash as it begins the activation process.
    • When the website refreshes, you should notice a section that says, Current Managed PIN: XXXXXXXX (where the Xs are the PIN for your device). This indicates that the activation process has started.
  6. Your BlackBerry device will display a message that says, Application downloads or admin changes require device to reboot for approx. 2 minutes. Device inoperable for voice, data and 911 while rebooting. Notice 1 of 5. Automatic reboot in 10 minutes if no selection made.
    • You will see two buttons: REBOOT NOW and REBOOT LATER.
    • While this is happening, you will also notice Activation - XX% in the upper-left corner of the BlackBerry screen.
    • You can press REBOOT NOW at any point. You do not need to wait for the activation to reach 100%.
  7. It will take approximately five minutes or longer to complete the activation process. When it is finished, you will see a message that says, Activation complete. Click OK.
  8. After activation is complete, you will see a message that says, Resetting device. Your BlackBerry will now reboot.
  9. After your BlackBerry reboots, you will see the following messages:
    • The first message says, Application Permissions. The application Assistant has request a http connection to pushapi.na.blackberry.com. Leave the default options selected and click Allow.
    • The second message says, Application Permissions. Do you want to allow the application Assistant to receive http messages? Click Allow.

Disconnect your BlackBerry from the USB cable. Your device is now configured for use with Exchange.