Not sure if this should be in "Internet" or "PC Software" (if a Mod wants to move it, that's fine)...

OK, so my sister got a new laptop a couple of months ago, running Vista Home Premium.

Now, she already has her broadband paid for through her work, so she doesn't have access to an email address with her ISP - only her work email address which she can't use for ebay, Amazon, Facebook etc. So, I set up two Microsoft Live emails addresses for her and her boyfriend last time I was back there. At the moment they access these via webmail by logging in to the MSN website (what was Hotmail). But this isn't exactly ideal for them to have to remember two sets of login details and passwords.

I've tried a couple of times to set up the Live Mail application that's built-in to Vista Home Premium, but without success. I know it must be possible, but it just keeps timing out when it checks the details in the setup wizard. Here are the server details I was using, based on a Google search...

Incoming server: pop3.live.com
Outgoing server: smtp.live.com
Username: (the email address)
Password: (the password used to log-in to webmail)

No idea if these server details are correct - well, they obviously can't be as it doesn't work!

One added complication is that one of the email addresses is @live.co.uk and the other is @live.com - would that affect the details I need to enter into Windows Live Mail?

Anyway, I'm going to have another go at this over Christmas when I'm back there - I live over 100 miles away so only get a chance to set these things up for her once a month or so.

Any advice, gratefully received! Cheers.

Microsoft did put in a cut-off date, email addresses added to Hotmail or Live after 2006 or so were blocked from using mail clients. Not sure if that is still in place (my account is from the pre-Microsoft days, I've been using it since 1994).

I've also not used Vista Mail, only Outlook, and there you just select the account type of Webmail/Hotmail and it automatically fills in all the blanks for you.

Thanks, Dave. Outlook's an option, I never really considered it because it's probably more complicated for her to use - they're both absolute beginners with PCs so I thought the Live Mail might be easier for them to get their head around. However, she does have the full Office 2007 so Outlook should be there.

I asssumed Hotmail (now called Live Mail) is accessible from email software, based on this page...


One other thing that could, potentially, be stopping it working... she has Norton 360 installed, which presumably has its own firewall - does Windows Vista also have a built-in Firewall too? Anyway, I wondered if this could be blocking it? Just guessing really.

Download the Mail application from Windows Live Essentials and use that instead, you stick in your e-mail address and it pre-configures the server settings for you.

I think that's what I was using - it was called Windows Live Mail and was part of the default apps on the new laptop - I assumed it was the replacement for Outlook Express, which is now defunct I believe. Is the version of Windows Live Mail you download different to the one pre-installed in Vista? If so, I'll try and download that at Christmas.

I guess what I'm looking for is other people who have a @live.com or @live.co.uk address set up with any email software - if anyone has that, could you please post the relevant incoming/outgoing servers, together with any secure authentication settings (is it on or off?) or port settings (not that I know what to do with them!). Just after some settings to try over Christmas.

Thanks again for the pointers so far.

I use my Hotmail account at work with Outlook and at home with Mail. The Outlook connector is part of the Live download package. You should definitely download the latest version for ensured comparability, but here are my settings for Mail:

Server URL: http://mail.services.live.com/DeltaSync ... /sync.aspx

Note that it's HTTP mail, not IMAP or POP.

Everything else is default or blank, except your username and password.

Thanks for that, will try downloading the latest Windows Live Mail when I'm back at Christmas.

Can you please clarify - when you set it up, is there an option for HTTP mail as well as the usual POP3 and IMAP - I can't recall seeing it in the setup wizard, but my memory's not what it was, so perhaps I just clicked on POP3 without looking properly!

It's pretty much the first question it asks. In Outlook 2003 (which is what I've got in front of me now), the options are Exchange, POP, IMAP, HTTP and Additional.

Ah right, I must have just clicked POP3 then, and not seen the other options. So, I'd click on "HTTP" then copy and paste this URL in:
http://mail.services.live.com/DeltaSync ... /sync.aspx

Then, when asked, insert the appropriate username (email address) and password, yes?
Is there anything else I need to enable, such as Secure Authentication, ports etc?
And, I'm assuming it doesn't matter that one address is a .com and the other a .co.uk one?

Thanks for the tips, most useful (hopefully!)

I've never really had to type anything in; I just follow the wizard. It's Microsoft software so it knows all the settings except your user name and password.

OK thanks, will have another crack at it over Christmas. Cheers!

Find below the Hotmail POP3 and SMTP Settings information, to configure your preferred e-mail client:

* POP server: pop3.live.com (Port 995)
* POP SSL required? Yes
* User name: Your Windows Live ID, for example yourname@hotmail.com (yourname@hotmail.co.uk)
* Password: The password you usually use to sign in to Hotmail or Windows Live
* SMTP server: smtp.live.com (Port 25)
{Note: If port 25 has been blocked in your network or by your ISP, you can set SMTP port to 587 with TLS or SSL Encryption depending on the client in use}
* Authentication required? Yes (this matches your POP username and password)
* TLS/SSL required? Yes

As mentioned above, make sure to check the box that indicates that your outgoing server requires authentication as in most e-mail clients, this is not checked by default. Also, Hotmail POP3 service requires that you use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) with the POP and SMTP connection and use SMTP authentication. This is to ensure that your e-mail address and password are not subject to tampering.

i use the above in entourage on OS X
thunderbird in XP SP3
evolution in Ubuntu

all can connect to my hotmail account …