I am using Outlook 2003 as a POP/SMTP client on my work laptop. Normally I use it at home on my wireless network here. My ISP is Cox (cable). My company provides an SMTP server, but Cox’s policy will not allow a user to access any SMTP server except its own. This is to prevent Cox customers from using other SMTP servers for illicit or spam purposes (I think).
However.
When I am at my office, I need to use a different SMTP server, and cannot use Cox’s since I am not on their network.
I could set up two different email accounts, although I would have to remember which one to use depending on where I am.
Ask your network admin if the company’s mail server supports any ports other than 25, the default port for SMTP. Many mail servers support additional ports. This may allow you to bypass the block imposed by your cable company.
Depending on how your work set-up is, you could also:
1.) VPN in to work to send mail. This gets you on to your work’s network and will allow you to use port 25 by bypassing Cox. You’ll have to talk with your IT admins to find out the proper VPN client and address.
2.) If your company uses Exchange and has a web front-end (i.e., Outlook Web Access - Exchange webmail), you might be able to configure your Outlook to connect over HTTP. (This site gives you one way of doing it.) Talk to your IT admins to see if they allow it, and what the settings would have to be.
You can also talk to Cox to see if they will lift the port 25 restriction from your connection. A lot of other ISPs will do so at the request of the customer, so Cox might do the same.
Yeah, good chance it’s a port issue. Last year sometime, i found that i suddenly couldn’t send any mail via SMTP, and it turned out that i was blocked on Port 25. I was able, however, to switch to a different port and everything works fine now.
This might be your best bet. If they do use Exchange then use Outlook as an IMAP client. Then when you log into the web front-end all the email and folders will be there.
Thanks for the suggestions. My company is very small and we don’t run our own mail servers, we use XO to host our web site and email. I will see if they can set me up on a different port. I haven’t contacted Cox yet but they might be able to help. However, I am doubtful that either company would be willing to change any part of their configuration for a small business or consumer account.