Computer incompetence

[katrionans]

Can anyone explain why, at a hotel, I can read email, read LJ and post to LJ, and not be able to send mail? And explain it so that I can understand it, realizing that I have no computer intuition? And, even better, explain how to send?

Thanks, guys!

Comments

[belmikey]

The hotel is blocking the channel (called a 'port', but it doesn't mean a physical port) used for sending mail. Every service has its own 'port'. Ordinarily, sending mail uses port 25.

All my systems listen at a second port to evade exactly such stupidity: 2225. Depending on what you're using to read mail, it may be fairly straightforward to set it up to use this.

[katrionans]

I am using Outlook Express, because I know how. It's that no intuition thing. I have to have things explained in very small words to understand about computers. I am competent once explained, though, so, please explain! I have a couple of things I would really like to go out! I will be back online later today.

Thanks.

[belmikey]

Unfortunately, I am unable to walk you through how to make the necessary change to Outlook Express.

Google is your friend... ;-)

[pixel39]

Microsoft Outlook Express ®

Although they are different programs, Outlook Express (part of Microsoft Windows) and Outlook (part of Microsoft Office) now have similar settings interfaces. We've kept the instructions for each on this page separate, in case future versions differ again. This section is for Outlook Express 6.x, currently bundled with Windows XP, and available by download to users of older versions of Windows.

Go to:
Tools » Accounts

Select (highlight) the account you want to change, then click the "Properties" button on the side.

Go to the "Advanced" tab at the top of the Properties box.

Change the port number in your outgoing (SMTP) connection settings to 2225.

Re: Google is your friend... ;-)

[katrionans]

Thank you. I will try it, and if it doesn't work, my uncle has agreed to walk me through it.

[andronikos]

My other thought was is she using an SMTP server that does not allow access from the IP address she is connecting from. But given that I think she might have email service from you, and you did not mention it, that is probably not the problem.

[belmikey]

:-) She does, in fact, get service from me, and we don't really block much in that regard. But a lot of cable and DSL providers block port 25, including my own at home, so I'm used to this.

But I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express, so I can't talk her through a fix.