Lesson 8: Adding An Email Account To Outlook Express

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Outlook Express is the mail client supplied free with Windows XP. The procedure for creating an email account in Outlook Express is very similar to what you read in Lesson 7; however, there are slight differences in the actual procedure between Windows Mail and Outlook Express, hence the need for a separate lesson. To start creating an email account proceed as follows: First Open Outlook Express by clicking on the Outlook Express option on the Start menu. Once the Outlook Express window appears look along the top toolbar and click on the Tools option. A drop down menu will now appear. From this click on the Accounts option. The Internet Accounts window will now appear (see screenshot 1 below). Click on the Add button. Another menu will appear giving you three options: Mail, News and Directory Service.

fig 1

Fig: 1 Accounts Window

Click on the Mail option to open the Your Name Window (Fig 2)

fig 2

Fig: 2 Your Name Window

In the Display Name dialogue box type the name you want to use, for example Joe Bloggs. Once you have done that click the Next button. The Internet E-mail Address Window now opens (Fig 3)

fig 3

Fig: 3 Internet E-mail Window

Type your e-mail address details into the E-mail Address dialogue box and then click Next. The next window to appear is the E-mail Server names Window (Fig 4)

fig 4

Fig: 4 E-mail Server Name Window

This option window is not as easy as the previous ones, simply because you need to fill in the Incoming mail POP (Point Of Presence) and the SMTP (Simple mail Transfer Protocol). Normally when you sign up for your Internet Access your ISP (Internet Service Provider) either sends you details of the server names or makes them available on the help pages of the ISP’s website. Either way they usually take two forms as follows:

Incoming mail server: Pop3.vrigin.net (replace virgin.net with your own ISP details (unless you are using Virgin)
Outgoing mail server: Smtp.virgin.net (again substitute virgin.net with your own ISP

Alternatively

Incoming mail server: Mail.virgin.net (substitute your ISP name for that of virgin)
Outgoing mail Server: Mail.virgin.net (substitute your ISP for that of virgin)

Once you have filled in these details then click Next.

The next window to appear is the Internet mail Logon window (fig 5)

Fig: 5 Internet Mail Logon

Here you need to fill in the User Name you use to log on to your ISP. This can be either a name, i.e., joebloggs, or your e-mail address, i.e. joebloggs@virgin.net. The remember password option is ticked by default. This is best left alone. If you uncheck the remember password option you will be prompted to fill in the password every time you try to access your email account.

After completing this section click the Next button.

The final window to appear congratulates you on completing the details requested. All you need do now is click the Finish button and your email account is ready to use.