How do I verify the settings in Windows Mail for Vista?

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This page is obsolete.

It contains instructions for a discontinued program called “Windows Mail for Vista” that has not been updated in many years. If you’re looking for a free mail program to use instead, Mozilla Thunderbird is a good choice.

If you’ve already set up an email account in the Windows Mail program for Windows Vista and you want to make sure the settings are correct, this page explains how to do so.

To avoid confusion, we should mention that “Windows Mail” is the actual name of the mail program that comes with Windows Vista, not a generic phrase meaning “any email program on Windows Vista”. If you're setting up another mail program on Vista, see the instructions for that program instead of continuing on this page.

These instructions are based on Windows Mail version 6.0, which is the version that comes with Windows Vista.

Before you continue, you should enter your email address (the address you want to set up in Windows Mail) in the box above. Entering your email address makes sure that the instructions below are correct.

1. Start Windows Mail

Start the Windows Mail program from your Start menu.

2. Open the “Internet Accounts” and “Properties” windows.

Open the Tools menu and choose Accounts.

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The “Internet Accounts” window opens. Select your address@example.com account in the list of mail accounts, then click Properties.

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3. Verify the “Servers” settings.

Click the Servers tab and review the settings in this window, and make changes where necessary:

  • My incoming mail server is a POP3 server
  • Incoming mail (POP3): mail.tigertech.net
  • Outgoing mail (SMTP): mail.tigertech.net
  • E-mail username: address@example.com (must be all lowercase)
  • Password: (your password)
  • Remember password should be checked
  • My server requires authentication should be checked
  • “Log on using Secure Password Authentication” should not be checked

The window should look like this:

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Click on the Settings button to make sure that the the Use same settings as my incoming mail server option is selected.

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Click on OK to return to “Properties” windows.

4. Verify the port numbers.

Click the Advanced tab, then review the settings in this window, and make changes where necessary.

  • Outgoing mail (SMTP): 587 (465 if SSL is enabled).
  • Incoming mail (POP3): 110 (995 if SSL is enabled).
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If you use more than one method to read your email (for example, if you read mail on more than one computer, or if you sometimes read email using our Webmail pages as well), make sure that the Leave a copy of messages on server checkbox is checked. This makes sure that mail you read in Windows Mail will be seen by the other computer or Webmail.

5. Close the settings windows.

When all the settings are correct, click OK to close the “Properties” window, then click Close to close the “Internet Accounts” window.