Resolved Multiple ISPs for email

For years I used Outlook Express ( "OE ") using dial-up (I am not a heavy emailer) with Freeserve as my sole ISP. No problem. About 9 months ago, I signed up to get BT's broadband service which includes email. Since then I've had nothing but trouble which frequent calls to the BT and Freeserve helplines have not resolved. At present, if someone sends me a message to my BT email address it goes in to the BT inbox and my OE inbox too (which is what I want) - BUT not the reverse. There is a bigger problem in that I cannot send messages from OE, only from BT. For certain reasons I would like to use both systems completely freely and interchangeably as though it did not matter which one I was using for both receiving and sending - messages would be mirrored in both. I think I need a router with special settings but has anyone got a simpler solution

 

Ron, a common practice for ISP's (and I can confirm this is the case in your situation) is to only allow outgoing mail if you are connected to their service (this is a spam prevention method). Your best bet is to totally ditch (email, account settings the whole lot) freeserve and stick with BT.

 

Thanks Wildfire. Your response was the conclusion I came to some while back. The reason I didn't want to follow this obvious logic is that my freeserve email address is scattered over hundreds if not thousands of sites (both friends and contacts but also loads of shopping, uni, info and other sites). I don't fancy informing them all of the change though didn't I once read about some software that could do this automatically - otherwise it would be a nightmare for me Ronjoe

 

Steve, freeserve will kill the account in a matter of months if their is no connection to their service (Note: not email servers). I stand by my initial post.

 

Thanks Steve R Jones for your speedy reply. Most appreciated. I originally mentioned help from freeserve and BT which was along the lines you suggest and which I implemented. At first all went well but then the whole thing seemed to get corrupted and I am back to where I am!! Perhaps you should know that at 80 I don't need the hassle of changing addresses (see my reply to Wildfire) or messing around with settings - I want to minimise all this and lead a quiet life!!! Ronjoe

 

Ronjoe,

Been there, done that...

The only advice I can offer is to sign up for an ISP independent email service, hotmail/gmail (or even windowsbbs for lifetime subscribers), there's plenty out there and most are free.

 

Many thanks Wildfire

Of the many options I considered why didn't I think of the one you mention - it's obvious - especially as I think my two daughters both have ISP independent email and I should have caught on from them

I'll look in to what you suggest

 

No problem,

Personally I'd look at low traffic servers though, I use windowsbbs and lavabit other heavy traffic may cause a slight increase in spam.

 

Steve R Jones and Wildfire - once again thanks for your comments. You may be interested to know that a few days ago I was messing around with settings and found that I can now send as well as just receive email messages on Outlook Express (as well as, of course, on BT Yahoo). Problem - try as I might I cannot recall or retrace what I did!! This is a satisfactory outcome from a user's point of view but not very good as someone who likes to know why things are/aren't happening. For the time being, at least, I'm considering this issue closed so thank you both once again

 

No problem Ronjoe, if you're happy all is well.