Comcast Doesn't like Outlook; likes Outlook Express

B

Britt Dickson

About once a month, I can't get mail through Outlook XP, even though the
pop3 and smtp servers are up. I call support, they tell me they don't
support Outlook, just Outlook Express. Sure enough, I set it up, and OE
works fine when O won't. What is the internal difference that makes this so?
I'm having to use OE as I can't afford to lose email.

Thanks,

Britt Dickson
 
M

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

My Outlook (versions from 2000 through 2007) work fine with Comcast. Tell us what is different between account settings in OE and Outlook - we can't look over your shoulder.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:

| About once a month, I can't get mail through Outlook XP, even though
| the pop3 and smtp servers are up. I call support, they tell me they
| don't support Outlook, just Outlook Express. Sure enough, I set it
| up, and OE works fine when O won't. What is the internal difference
| that makes this so? I'm having to use OE as I can't afford to lose
| email.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Britt Dickson
 
B

Britt Dickson

OK, sorry about that. There are no differences. Outlook XP has the test
connection feature, and OE doesn't, but all server settings are identical.

When I was advised for the 5th time that Outlook wasn't supported, I started
OE, added an account, and duplicated my Outlook settings. I had mail
that wouldn't send in Outlook. OE could send fine. I could ping the servers,
but couldn't send mail with Outlook. So I finally imported everything and
switched, but I thought I'd check here and see if I could ever use Outlook
again. I should add that Comcast is no help at all. Everything worked fine
for the first year I was on their service, then these problems started.
Their 2nd -line Support thinks Comcast has one huge server, and it's always
up. For both:

POP=mail.comcast.net - I had been using POP3.comcast.net: they told me to
change it. Both worked.
SMTP=smtp.comcast.net
password authentication

Britt Dickson


"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
My Outlook (versions from 2000 through 2007) work fine with Comcast. Tell
us what is different between account settings in OE and Outlook - we can't
look over your shoulder.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:

| About once a month, I can't get mail through Outlook XP, even though
| the pop3 and smtp servers are up. I call support, they tell me they
| don't support Outlook, just Outlook Express. Sure enough, I set it
| up, and OE works fine when O won't. What is the internal difference
| that makes this so? I'm having to use OE as I can't afford to lose
| email.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Britt Dickson
 
M

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Password authentication is not required for Comcast. Authenticating to their servers is required however. I suspect this is where the bottleneck resides.

Try setting Comcast mail servers to authenticate - under the server tab of your Comcast Account - check the box for My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication - this will activate the radio buttons. Check the top one for Use same settings... then go back and uncheck the box.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:

| OK, sorry about that. There are no differences. Outlook XP has the
| test connection feature, and OE doesn't, but all server settings are
| identical.
|
| When I was advised for the 5th time that Outlook wasn't supported, I
| started OE, added an account, and duplicated my Outlook settings. I
| had mail
| that wouldn't send in Outlook. OE could send fine. I could ping the
| servers, but couldn't send mail with Outlook. So I finally imported
| everything and switched, but I thought I'd check here and see if I
| could ever use Outlook again. I should add that Comcast is no help at
| all. Everything worked fine for the first year I was on their
| service, then these problems started. Their 2nd -line Support thinks
| Comcast has one huge server, and it's always up. For both:
|
| POP=mail.comcast.net - I had been using POP3.comcast.net: they told
| me to change it. Both worked.
| SMTP=smtp.comcast.net
| password authentication
|
| Britt Dickson
|
|
| "Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
| | My Outlook (versions from 2000 through 2007) work fine with Comcast.
| Tell us what is different between account settings in OE and Outlook
| - we can't look over your shoulder.
|
| --
| Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]
|
| Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
| unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
| reading.
|
| After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:
|
|| About once a month, I can't get mail through Outlook XP, even though
|| the pop3 and smtp servers are up. I call support, they tell me they
|| don't support Outlook, just Outlook Express. Sure enough, I set it
|| up, and OE works fine when O won't. What is the internal difference
|| that makes this so? I'm having to use OE as I can't afford to lose
|| email.
||
|| Thanks,
||
|| Britt Dickson
 
B

Britt Dickson

I just added these settings (was confused on 'then go back and uncheck the
box') to Outlook, created a test message, and it just sits there in my out
box. Remove the setting and it's exactly the same as before. Won't send.

Britt Dickson

"Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
Password authentication is not required for Comcast. Authenticating to
their servers is required however. I suspect this is where the bottleneck
resides.

Try setting Comcast mail servers to authenticate - under the server tab of
your Comcast Account - check the box for My outgoing server (SMTP) requires
authentication - this will activate the radio buttons. Check the top one
for Use same settings... then go back and uncheck the box.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:

| OK, sorry about that. There are no differences. Outlook XP has the
| test connection feature, and OE doesn't, but all server settings are
| identical.
|
| When I was advised for the 5th time that Outlook wasn't supported, I
| started OE, added an account, and duplicated my Outlook settings. I
| had mail
| that wouldn't send in Outlook. OE could send fine. I could ping the
| servers, but couldn't send mail with Outlook. So I finally imported
| everything and switched, but I thought I'd check here and see if I
| could ever use Outlook again. I should add that Comcast is no help at
| all. Everything worked fine for the first year I was on their
| service, then these problems started. Their 2nd -line Support thinks
| Comcast has one huge server, and it's always up. For both:
|
| POP=mail.comcast.net - I had been using POP3.comcast.net: they told
| me to change it. Both worked.
| SMTP=smtp.comcast.net
| password authentication
|
| Britt Dickson
|
|
| "Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]"
| | My Outlook (versions from 2000 through 2007) work fine with Comcast.
| Tell us what is different between account settings in OE and Outlook
| - we can't look over your shoulder.
|
| --
| Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]
|
| Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
| unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
| reading.
|
| After furious head scratching, Britt Dickson asked:
|
|| About once a month, I can't get mail through Outlook XP, even though
|| the pop3 and smtp servers are up. I call support, they tell me they
|| don't support Outlook, just Outlook Express. Sure enough, I set it
|| up, and OE works fine when O won't. What is the internal difference
|| that makes this so? I'm having to use OE as I can't afford to lose
|| email.
||
|| Thanks,
||
|| Britt Dickson
 
B

Brian Tillman

Britt Dickson said:
I just added these settings (was confused on 'then go back and
uncheck the box') to Outlook, created a test message, and it just
sits there in my out box. Remove the setting and it's exactly the
same as before. Won't send.

Enable diagnostic logging to see whan may be transpiring between Outlook and
the server.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300479/en-us
 

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