How to get SMTP for outgoing mail?

[Madot]

I live in the Dong Wang Zhuang apartment complex and there is a server for the 10 000 odd residents. I have braodband internet access using a cable with my laptop, so getting on the net is not a problem BUT, I'd like to access my email using Outlook Express and since my own home service provider (in Australia) refuses OUTgoing mail from other servers, I need the SMTP adfdress for the Dong Wang Zhuang server. My flat mate tells me there is no such thing, but I suspect that this is one of those Chinese "I don't want to lose face so I'll tell you it doesn't exist so as not to have to admit that I don't know what it is." issues. Can anyone tell me what (in PINYIN, please) I need to ask in order to get the SMTP outgoing mail address from the Administration? Thanks heaps!

Mado

[adrianlondon]

They may well not have one, and expect you to use hotmail or yahoo like everyone else seems to

Or 163.com if you're Chinese (or a spammer).

Sometimes you can connect to your provider's SMTP server by connecting via port 2525 instead of 25 (and providing log in info) but that too is usually blocked.

I bought a domain and host it with a company who has its own SMTP service to get around that problem. I also need SSL, as I've noticed that some emails here get blocked at the firewall for no apparent reason (that I can see), but they can't decrypt them

[Madot]

Thanks for that Adrian. I tried the 163.com but that didn't work. Is there more to it? Something like mail.163.com or something? It's probably the touch pad on this laptop, but using webmail instead of Outlook or Outlook Express, things seem to suddenly disappear and I have to start over again. It drives one mad! Apart from which, I have about 42 000 addresses in Outlook but not on my webmail so I'd REALLY like to find a way to use the program. Any suggestions?

Mado

[adrianlondon]

Outlook can handle hotmail can't it? Outlook express certainly can.

[skylee]

I am very ignorant about this, but I wonder if using gmail would help. I use Outlook Express to send and receive all my email via my gmail accounts and all I did was follow the settings (including smtp and pop) provided by gmail.

Sorry if this does not help or sounds very foolish.

[Madot]

Skylee, It soulds as if you're onto something. Can you set the gmail to access other POP accounts? If so, that will solve my problem. I haven't got gmail but I DO have an invitation to get an account. Thanks.

Adrian, I don't understand the question about hotmail. Hotmail doesn't give you an SMTP address because you access it directly on the web. Have i missed something?

Mado

[skylee]

What I do is -

1) auto-forward all my email from various accounts to my gmail account;

2) download them from gmail to my PC using Outlook Express; and

3) send email using Outlook Express via my gmail or other accounts.

I don't think you can set gmail to access other POP accounts.

[adrianlondon]

My point is ....

1. You said you want to use outlook because your mail history and contact info is in there

2. You can't access your usual ISP's SMTP server.

My solution is to use hotmail. You don't need to use the web-based intreface for hotmail. Outlook can interface with it. Therefore you can use Outlook (which is what you want) to send emails (which is what you want) via hotmail.

I think I've got that right

[banjo67xxx]

Hi,

I found that very same problem because I host my own POP3/IMAP service in the UK, but don't want to allow spammers to use my system for SMTP.

My solution was to setup a gmail account, and then get it to forward all mail to my host in the UK. Then in my Outlook setting I just tell it to use my own host for IMAP, and gmail for SMTP (you have to go back in to advanced settings to switch on SSL and setup a different username/password for your gmail account).

I've had too many problems with Outlook, so use use Mozilla Thunderbird now with exactly the same config.

PS: The Chinese government has never censored smtp.gmail.com so it always worked fine for me.

Ken.

[badr]

If you're using mail.app (on a mac) of thunderbird ( pc or mac) you can specify your smtp server independently of your email account. I'm sure outlook and other PC clients offer the same feature but you'd have to check out your settings. here is how to do it:

1- Open a gmail account and set it up for pop3 access.

2- In your mail client, enter your normal information such as:

email account: myaddy@myserver.com

pass: -----

mail server: mail.myserver.com

smtp:

smtp user: gmail account

password: gmail password.

3- enjoy your email

PM or ask if you have any more questions.

[ocpaul20]

If you want to use an SMTP server on your PC (as opposed to a web based one) there are a number of free ones available. Currently, I have paid for PostCast Server Professional (about 49 US dollars) but it gives me the control I need and it also provides logs too. This is useful if your mail is not being delivered because for example, the IP address you are using (allocated when you log in to your Chinese ISP) is blacklisted ! Other free SMTP servers do not tell you the problem, they just tell you they cannot deliver.

An SMTP server running on your PC is useful because you can continue to use Outlook or OE and keep your mail on your computer, write it off line and the SMTP server connects directly with the mail server of the other party without going through gmail or your ISP etc.

If you use Google as your outgoing SMTP mail server from your PC (not logging in to the gmail web account) it says 'From: Bert [mailto:bertiebert@gmail.com]On Behalf Of FamilyBert' on your mail which might not be what you want.

However, I suppose if it does what you want, then gmail is a better and less comlicated solution.