sending mail from OE when connected to another ISP

[krysia]

I should have made a note of who mentioned this, but in all the discussion during the e-mail outage, someone said they'd always appreciated the way they could send e-mail via IDNet's smtp server when they were connected to another ISP while travelling, without having to find out what ISP they were connected to.  How do you do this?   

[madasahatter]

Must admit I'm surprised that IDNet do that. Surely it's an open invitation to spammers? 

Anyway, what e-mail client would you be using?

[krysia]

OE.  I'm able to use it at the moment by going into my college VPN and then changing the smtp to that of the college server, but that's a slightly strange and slow process.

[Simon]

Are you talking about SMTP authentication, Krysia?  I think you just set it up in 'server settings' by ticking a box (?), and putting in your IDNet mail account username and password.  Sorry if that's not quite accurate, as I haven't got OE set up at the moment, but that's the general gist. 

[Rik]

That's correct, Simon it's just a case of setting the client up to use authenticated SMTP, Port 587, not SSL, username and password as normal.

[krysia]

Thanks! - that must be what the person was talking about.  I've just tried it and it works fine - wish I'd asked the question ages ago.  Is there any (dis)advantage to setting up the outgoing mail server to require authentication?

By the way, this facility was supposedly available with F2S, but mail still refused to go with the authentication box ticked when I had an account there - that's why I always thought it was a more complicated process.

[Rik]

There are no disadvantages, Krysia, and it makes you 'fully portable' without having to change settings according to location. You can even do it with Google, iirc.

[JB]

That's correct, Simon it's just a case of setting the client up to use authenticated SMTP, Port 587, not SSL, username and password as normal.

Sorry to appear dim Rik, but does this mean I can still send my outgoing email via IDNet using this method when I am in my place in Spain?

JB.

[Rik]

Indeed you can.

[krysia]

Thanks again - that's great!  But what do you mean by using it with Google?

OE gives you two options when you tick the authentication box:  you can use the same settings as your incoming mail server or log on using account name, password, and if desired, Secure Password Authentication.  Does it matter in any way which one you opt for?

[Inactive]

Sorry to appear dim Rik, but does this mean I can still send my outgoing email via IDNet using this method when I am in my place in Spain?

JB.

Bloody rich people on here... 8)

[JB]

Indeed you can.

Brilliant, thanks.

JB.

[Rik]

Thanks again - that's great!  But what do you mean by using it with Google?

If you have a Google mail account, it also supports authenticated SMTP.

[Rik]

Bloody rich people on here... 8)

You should form an ex-pats club, In.

[JB]

Bloody rich people on here... 8)

Back to Spain a week on Tuesday for six weeks. Taking a new car, so using the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

No money left now.

JB.

[krysia]

I was a bit slow editing my last post, so the extra question may go unnoticed:  OE gives you two options when you tick the authentication box:  you can use the same settings as your incoming mail server or log on using account name, password, and if desired, Secure Password Authentication.  Does it matter in any way which one you opt for?

[Rik]

You want the second box on the first dialogue checked, Krysia, 'My server requires authentication', then, in Settings, use same as incoming mail. Finally, go to the advanced tab and enter the port number there.

[Inactive]

Back to Spain a week on Tuesday for six weeks. Taking a new car, so using the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

No money left now.

JB.

Safe journey, it was too bloody hot for me on my last trip, so here til September..  

" New car " .. I knew there were some rich people on here..  

Enjoy.

[krysia]

Thanks again, Rik.  I didn't change my port number when testing this out, and it still works with what it was set with (port 25).  At the moment I'm connected to my VPN, which used to block my sending messages via IDNet, but they're all going through fine now.

[Rik]

If it stops working, Krysia, change the port, otherwise don't worry. ISTR SimonD telling me that it would work on 25 most of the time, but the alternative port was there in case. 

[JB]

Not getting any joy here Rik using Thunderbird. Have set port to 587 and server to smtp.idnet.com

Using my adsl username. It asks for a password but doesn't like my normal adsl one.

Guess I am doing something wrong.

JB.

[krysia]

Great - many thanks with all your help on this!  I'm glad other people are happy to discover it too.

[Rik]

Using my adsl username. It asks for a password but doesn't like my normal adsl one.

Guess I am doing something wrong.

It's looking for the mailbox and password, JB, nothing to do with your main ADSL username/password. IOW, it takes the form of user@idnet.com/password. Sorry I didn't make that clearer.

[Rik]

Great - many thanks with all your help on this!  I'm glad other people are happy to discover it too.

NP.

[krysia]

JB, can you use the same settings as incoming mail?  That's the OE option I'm using, rather than the one that asks for username, etc.  Not sure if Thunderbird has that first option.