SOLVED

Teams to external Teams chat

Brass Contributor

I want to just chat with another Teams user, in another tenant. How hard can it be? Followed this page:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/manage-external-access

Allowed external access, both users have SIP addresses configured, correct licenses assigned, Island mode configured for Teams mode, no blocked domains, user can be found in the old S4B portal (on both sides), all other quest access settings etc. etc. checked. 

I checked every blog and website and whatever to get this working. There is no logging somewhere either to find the actual problem.

 

Strange enough, it works for one user. If we send a chat from domain B to a person in domain A, they can chat both sides. But if domain A initiates a chat to any person in domain B, it's not working. From domain B to other persons in Domain A is not working either.

The working account is not a guest account.

 

I am out of options. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

 

8 Replies
best response confirmed by Erjen Rijnders (Brass Contributor)
Solution

Hi,

 

That Island mode makes it messy, you should only use that for a short period for some test users, don't use it in production. Is both domain A and domain B users in Islands mode?

 

Since the current version of federation is using Skype for Business Online be messy. When a user in domain A initiates a chat to any person in domain B do they get the message in Skype or does it only disappear?

 

The solution would be to use Teams mode, or maybe some of the Skype Only mode but that can cause other problems when moving from Islands to SfBOnly.

Islands does not allow external chat (federation) into the recipients endpoint setting, it always routes to Skype for Business client unless you are on Teams Only. Please see this video for a good explanation of such. https://youtu.be/wEc9u4S3GIA?t=3049 

 

Also note, if they have Skype for Business on-prem, not setup hybrid, then you cannot federate/chat to them via Teams. 

@Chris Webb, that video helps a lot and gives a great overview, but I have users in domain A (Teams only mode whole organization), sending chats to Domain B (Island mode) and they receive the message in Teams. I am very sure, I checked that with multiple users.

 

So I think it makes it messy, like @Linus Cansby says. It's not 100% reproducible so messy is the right word.

But the good news is, I got it all working. Only with the help of you guys. Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.

@Chris Webb, I think you are right after all. The reason that people in Domain B can chat in island mode, is because they initiate the chat to someone with Teams Only mode. Then it works. 

 

If the team only mode person initiates a chat to the island mode person, it's failing all the time. Changing it to Teams Only mode (and waiting for some time), it starts working.

 

I am happy it starts working normally, but it's pretty complex and illogical. Thanks again.

If a person in Domain A (teams only) sends a message to a person in Domain B (islands) they should receive the message in their Skype client at least.

 

Yes indeed, except when the person in Domain B initiates the chat with Teams. That works fine.
Yeah just woke up to these replies. Was gonna say if island user initiated it Probabaly comes back to that chat :).

Another wrench is about to be thrown into the mix when native teams federation goes live soon. All teams to teams will be native. Not sure what modes will effect that if any thou just yet.
Good point, thanks for the heads up.
1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by Erjen Rijnders (Brass Contributor)
Solution

Hi,

 

That Island mode makes it messy, you should only use that for a short period for some test users, don't use it in production. Is both domain A and domain B users in Islands mode?

 

Since the current version of federation is using Skype for Business Online be messy. When a user in domain A initiates a chat to any person in domain B do they get the message in Skype or does it only disappear?

 

The solution would be to use Teams mode, or maybe some of the Skype Only mode but that can cause other problems when moving from Islands to SfBOnly.

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