Setting up an Account in Outlook Express
Some accounts require a log on using Secure Password Authentication (SPA). If your E-mail provider requires this, select the check box and follow the Wizard's instructions. If not, click the Next button and you will get the Congratulations screen telling you that you have successfully created an account. Click the Finish button. Note if you have made a mistake, the account will not work and you will need to edit it to fix the error. |
Outlook Express is the E-mail and address tool used by most non-corporate users (who are not customers of AOL, JUNO or other providers that require proprietary E-mail tools). It is included in Windows and the latest versions can be downloaded for free from Microsoft (see Keeping Windows Up to Date for more information). To set up an account for Outlook Express, start Outlook Express. You will get a screen similar to Figure 2.0.
By selecting the Tools > Accounts button you will open a screen that will display all accounts. At the top of the screen are tabs. Select the one-labeled Mail. See Figure 2-2. (There is no Figure 2.1.) On the Mail tab you will see an Add button. Click on this button and click on the Mail option. Now you will enter the data as prompted by the Internet Connection Wizard.
On the first screen (Figure 2-3) you can enter your screen name. This will be the name displayed on your E-mail that the receiving person will see. If they don't recognize your name, they may decide to delete you E-main instead of reading it. After entering you name, click on the Next button.
On the next screen (Figure 2-4) you must enter your E-mail address exactly as you have set it up with your E-mail provider. Then click the Next button.
Now you need to know if you are using POP3 or Web (HTTP) mail.
For POP3 mail see Figure 2-5. Your E-mail provider will have given you the name of your incoming mail (POP3) server that you will enter in the Incoming Mail box. Then you need to enter your outgoing mail server name in the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) box. (SMTP stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.) You would now click the Next Button.
If you are using Web (HTTP) mail you will need to select this in the "My incoming mail server is a" drop down box (See Figure 2-6). Then, unless you are using Hotmail, select the Other in the My HTTP mail service provider's drop down box. Normally you will only need to enter data in the Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server. For example for MSN mail the entry is
http://oe.msn.msnmail.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/hmdata. Note this is a very long address. It must be entered correctly or you will not be able to send and receive mail. Often you can find it on your E-mail provider's web site. Then you can copy and paste it in the box.
Now click on Next and the Internet Mail Logon screen will appear (See Figure 2-7). Here you will enter your account name and password. Note that when you enter your password, the characters will not be displayed - they are replaced with an asterisk (*). This is normal for all fields where you enter passwords and is used to help protect your password from being observed when you enter it. If you do not want to have to enter your password every time you try to access you E-mail, check the "Remember Password" box. However, you should know that if others use your computer, they will be able to download your E-mail since the Password will automatically be provided.