How to Configure Outlook Express for Multiple E-mail Accounts

Check several e-mail boxes at once, including free e-mail accounts, using Microsoft's Outlook Express.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computers
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Outlook Express

1. For each of your e-mail accounts, find the type of e-mail account (POP3, IMAP or HTTP), the name of the incoming mail server (example: mail.isp.com) and the name of the outgoing, or SMTP, mail server (example: smtp.isp.com). This information can usually be found in the provider's FAQ (frequently asked questions) file or by e-mailing the provider.
2. Start Outlook Express.
3. Select Accounts from the Tools menu. Click on the Mail tab.
4. Click Add on the right side of the box and choose Mail. The Internet Connection Wizard will appear.
5. Type the display name for the account (the name that appears in the From line of e-mail sent from that account). Click Next.
6. If you already have the new account, click the top radio button. Enter the name of the account and click Next.
7. Type the mail server information you collected in the first step. Be sure to type the information as it appears in your notes. Click Next.
8. Type the user name as it appears on the account. The name is usually what precedes the address; for example, the account name of [e-mail] is "feedback."
9. Type the password to access the account. If the password is incorrect or you can't remember it, contact the e-mail provider.
10. Check the Remember Password box if you don't want Outlook to prompt you for the password each time it checks the mail.
11. Click Finish. Repeat as needed for all e-mail accounts.
12. Edit account properties by clicking on the name and choosing Properties from the list on the right.

Tips & Warnings

• When you select Receive All mail, you should also get mail from the account you added. If it doesn't work, you probably don't have the appropriate incoming and outgoing mail server names. If you don't have the right names, contact the e-mail provider to find them.
• You can add up to 10 separate e-mail addresses.
• Remove an address by selecting it and clicking Remove.
• If you use an HTTP (Web-based) e-mail service, contact your e-mail provider about integrating your HTTP e-mail service into Outlook. Hotmail, for example, allows you to integrate Hotmail into Outlook by synchronizing your Hotmail folders and address book into Outlook and creating a new account with the Hotmail Signup Wizard. Alternatively, try configuring your HTTP e-mail to be automatically forwarded to an existing Outlook account.