Can't send email from Outlook 2003

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jonis
  • Start date Start date
J

Jonis

I have a Dell Inspiron running Windows XP. I access
the internet and email via a VPN connecting to a DSL
line. The internet and email work fine at this location.
However, when I connect my laptop at my other office I am
not able to send email via Outlook. They have DSL
connection with all the same software. I can access the
internet and receive email there but can't send it. Any
ideas what my problem could be?
 
I am using Outlook 2002 and I have verified my POP3
settings in Outlook and they are correct.
 
Some ISPs force you to use their SMTP servers to send mail and will block
any attempt to send mail to your own SMTP server. This sounds draconian,
but is a policy intended to make it harder for spammers to send so much
mail. Since you can receive mail, that means you can reach your mail
server. Most likely the SMTP server is the same server as your POP3 server,
so if you can reach one you can get to the other one as well, unless the
SMTP server is being blocked. I'm guessing that the error message you get
when you try to send mail is something along the lines of "Could not
connect to server". You can verify the problem is their ISP blocking the
traffic by calling the ISP and asking them (ask if they block outgoing smtp
or if they block port 25 at their edge routers).

If it is the ISP blocking the connection, the only way you will be able to
send mail when you are at the other office is to find out what SMTP server
someone else at that office is using in their settings, and changing the
SMTP server in your configuration when you are there. The other option you
have would be to use a web mail interface of some kind to send mail when you
were at that location and BCC yourself a copy of the sent mail for your
records. There would probably be no harm in talking to the ISP, telling
them what you are doing (i.e. NOT spamming :) ), and seeing if they will
work with you. . .but I wouldn't hold out too much hope for that route.
 
Are they using the same ISP?

Remember, when you send mail you send it through your ISP's SMTP server
which is different for every ISP. BT Will not use the same SMTP server as
AOL for example.

Sorry if this is an obvious answer you've already explored...
 
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