Email programs and AOL

[BigFred]

I currently use AOL for my internet access and am less than thrilled with the utility of its email setup. I keep the account because I'm active duty military and have had the same screen name for years and many former shipmates have it and contact me routinely so I don't want to give it up. Is it possible to setup MS Outlook as my email "server" while using AOL as my ISP? I use Outlook at work and like it's utility for organizing. My primary use of the internet is email/web surfing and have little use for all the additional bells/whistles/chatroom crap, so I would shift to a cheaper ISP in a heart beat if I could keep my AOL address, but I don't think that's possible. Any ideas???

[kayofcircles]

Nothing helpful from me, I am afraid, but wanted to post to keep this "fresh."

I have read in some places that one can configure DialUp settings with the AOL access number only, and thereby not use their browser (so you could use any email/browser program you wanted)..but have seen that refuted in other places.

And the only other thing that I can think of is..is it possible to get the same user name with some web based email, like Eudora or Hotmail, and give it out to all your correspondents? That way, only the end of the addy would have changed..and maybe everyone could follow easily enough, and you could keep the addy for a long time. I've had my Hotmail account for over three years..and like it for that reason..and for the reasons of security, and access from anywhere. Months ago, I looked and there are places online that will "forward" email..like the change of address forms at the post office..for a fee.

[Budfred]

See:

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20614

[Hermione]

I use AOL and Outlook and I find that I can't send or receive email over pop3 servers. I don't know why, sorry.

You can send and receive your AOL email while connected via a different ISP: http://www.aol.com/aolmail/home.html - this is the web-based service.

You can also use AOL's Instant Messenger service while connected via a different ISP: http://www.aol.co.uk/aim/ (if the UK link is not appropriate for you, do a Google search on AOL instant messenger).

so hopefully, you can still be "there" in the Buddy List sense without actually being connected via AOL. I think the AIM service is free, but you will need to maintain your account to use the web-based email.

[Paul Komski]

To recap:

If you sign-up to AOL you can use them as an ISP or you can "piggy-back" your AOL account via another ISP and still use their browser.

You have to be signed-up to use their eMail and have a yourmail@aol.com eMail address, which you can access from their browser, from their webmail site and with Netscape; members can get a special version of Netscape for this purpose if I remember correctly or else it is just a matter of using a netscape screenname, which is the same as the aol screenname.

Members automatically have a screen name but anyone can get one for free and use AIM for messaging.

If you are connecting to the web with AOL as the ISP, you can use AOL like any other ISP for other eMail accounts, browsing, ftp, etc - except that you will need to minimise their browser and risk being cut-off after a period of time if the browser is not used. Some have said that by keeping a chatroom open in the minimised aol browser will prevent these disconnects because the connection is kept "active".

There are some services see here (http://www.slipstick.com/addins/services/online.htm) which can allow other mail clients to get AOL mails.

Hermione You should at least be able to receive eMails from POP accounts using Outlook or OE or Eudora and I'm pretty sure you should be able to send them as well, (while connecting through AOL), as long as you have installed at least AOL6. See:- http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/ecomm/smtpmove/isps.html If not I would contact AOL support to find out how to configure the non-AOL mail settings.

http://www.satexas.com/support/emailhelp/faqmain_sending_mail.phtml is another link explaining how AOL, since 2002, deals with the sending of eMails through smtp servers.

[Hermione]

Thanks Paul! I'm using AOL 7, which is the latest production release available in the UK>

That explains why I can send and receive email over a .com server through Outlook while dialled into AOL, but not over the Pop3 server.

I suspect that the "changes" AOL has made are either not really effective or the path to enlightenment is ingeniously hidden behind half a dozen layers of disinterested handling-time-oriented call centre personnel.

I CAN receive email over the Pop3 server while connected via AOL - I'm not sure what planet I was on when I said I couldn't, but I cannot send (without seeking said enlightenment). Interestingly though, I can sometimes reply (not send new) to one address (my parents, about 8 miles away) over the Pop3 server - I'd assumed that it "sneaked" through somehow, but a better guess now is that this is the result of the "changes".

[Paul Komski]

It's said that AOL9 will directly support Outlook. We'll have to wait and see.