Windows Live Mail, Windows Mail, Outlook,

Outlook Express, or Thunderbird

Windows Live Mail is the latest mail client (program).  It was created for Windows ”7” but runs on Vista or XP as well and is only available as a FREE download from Microsoft   http://download.live.com/WLMAIL  Outlook,  an extra in Microsoft Office, is a complete e-mail and contact program and runs on most Microsoft systems. Outlook Express comes with Windows XP, while Windows Mail (revised Express) is part of Windows Vista.  Another program is Mozilla’s Thunderbird which is a FREE program and functions similarly.

These mail clients are more convenient to use than web-based mail programs, because they can be accessed with a single keystroke, making your mail available without first logging onto the Internet.  They do it automatically for you when you turn on your system and are identified as “POP3”.  They also will secure your mail from multiple POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) or IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) type accounts and will download to your computer all at once.

All the E-mail programs above allow the organization of your messages to be retained in folders.   Most will have a set list such as INBOX, SENT, DELETED (Trash) when installed. Additional folders can be added for further sorting of E-mails.  The simplest way to use these folders to retain your messages is to drag individual messages and drop into the appropriate folder. 

An easier way to sort messages is to take advantage of Message Rules, or Filter.  Open Tools then Message Rules and Mail. Here you have choices. One group of choices is categorizing messages based on where they come from or how they are addressed.  The other choices are of what the disposition of the messages should be such as save in a specific folder or delete it.  Many message rules can be set up and named as you wish. 

A good use of a Message Rules is for deleting pestering, repetitive unwanted messages.  You can also sort the incoming mail based on the ISP (mail service) it comes from to see if anybody is using an E-mail address you want to discontinue.

The programs listed here are also free of advertisements. Windows Live Mail is the easiest to set up because it installs the appropriate settings automatically for most E-mail services.  To setup the other programs click Tools.  Choose Accounts and follow the prompts.  The Incoming mail server type should be POP3 or IMAP and the Servers and the Ports should be set according to the table below:

 

Service

Name

Cost

$

Incoming Server

Outgoing Server

(note 5)

Incoming Mail Port

Outgoing Mail Port

AOL

Free

pop.aol.com

Smtp.aol.com

143

587

Att/Bellsouth

Note 1

pop.att.yahoo.com (note 3)

smtp.att.yahoo.com

995

465

Comcast

Note 1

mail.comcast.net  (note2)

Smtp.comcast.net

110

587

Gmail

Free

Pop.gmail.com      (note3)

Smtp.gmail.com

995

465

Gleneaglesmail

Free

mail.gleneaglesmail.com (note2)

mail.gleneaglesmail.com

110

465

Hotmail

Free

Note 4

 

 

 

Hotmail Plus

19.95/yr

Pop3.live.com

Smtp.live.com

995

25

Juno

Free

pop.juno.com

authsmtp.com

110

587

Sympatico (CA)

Note 1

pophm.sympatico.ca (note 3)

smtphm.sympatico.ca

995

25

Yahoo

Free

Note4

 

 

 

Yahoo Mail Plus

19.99/yr

Plus.pop.mail.yahoo.com Note4

Plus.smtp.mail.yahoo.com

995

465

 

·         Note1:  Internet Service (monthly fee) subscription is required

·         Note 2: Check ‘My server needs authentication’ box in the Servers tab,

·         Note 3:  Check the ‘My server needs authentication’ box in the Servers tab and the ‘This server requires a secure connection (SSL)’ in the Advanced tab.

·         Note4:  This is a web based service, not accept POP3, therefore it can be accessed only on the web.  Subscribe to Yahoo Mail PLUS or Hotmail Plus for POP3 for $19.99 per year.

·         Note5:  Only one outgoing server can be used.  Whichever account is set to be the “outgoing default”, is used by all the accounts for sending mail.  That is the “sender address” that will appear on the message.

HAPPY E-MAILING