E-mail problems

My dial-up connection is reliable for internet use, fairly reliable for receiving e-mail. but will stay connected for only about 3 minutes when sending e-mail. If I scan a page. it is almost impossible to transmit it to completion. Dialup connection fails. Tech support has long hold before getting to talk to a person. Have twice changed the e-mail software as directed by them, the second change essentially brought me back to the settings before the first change. My paranoid self tells me that they just don't have capacity to handle outgoing mail and thus just disconnect so that they do not have to handle it. Can someone put me in touch with reality about this problem? Using Windows 98, Outlook Express for the mail. Thanks.

 

you're not paranoid - someone REALLY is out to get you

open OE
from main menu bar:

tools
accounts
select the dial up account name you're using
properties
advanced
server timeouts (a Slide bar)
- increase the time before the server times out

how big are the files yoe're sending ?
you may also need to adjust the file size before breaking up option
- in the same place

 

Sometimes I cannot get the SMTP server to even connect for the smallest of messages. Message tonight is 1.66MB, admittedly large. Largest that I ever attempted. Transmitted about 1/4 of it in 30 minutes, never sent it complete. One box on my screen "Your SMTP server has not responded in 300 seconds. Would you like to wait another 300 seconds for the server to respond?" Possible responses, WAIT, STOP. But most often the message is "Your server has unexpectedly terminated the connection. Possible causes for this include server problems, network problems, or a long period of inactivity. etc." Should I start shopping for another ISP or just use the USPS?

 

How are you connecting? Some ISPs do not allow DUN connections and force their software. They may be killing the DUN connection if no SW is detected? Could this be the case?

 

Look at the OE, Tools, Accounts, -doubleclick each account- Connection Tab. Do you see conflicts between accounts? You want to use the same connection for all sent at one time. (and be sure that it IS your current connection) (unchecking the box works for most setups).

 

phrozenmayhem used a term "DUN connection" with which I am unfamiliar. Someone please explain. I suppose SW means software. My dialup connection for e-mail transmission is much better at 6 AM than at 10 PM and the outgoing transmits faster. That is one of the reasons that I believe that the ISP (ZCorum) is the basic problem. Am I still in need of psychological help or are they the problem? Paranoids do have enemies, you know.

 

DUN = dial up network

click on 'my computer'
you'll see a link to the dial up networking area

click on that and you'll see 'make a new connection'
and 'whatever you call your dial up' (default is 'my connection')

there may be some settings in there that need fixin'

do you recall any specific set up instructions from your ISP, or do they have a webpage where you can check:

dial up server type (ie PPP)
network protocols
tcp/ip settings?

and yes SW is likely software

 

Sorry, should have been more detailed... SW is Software. DUN is Dial Up Networking.

If it's ALWAYS exactly at 3 mins, then it may be a setting from the ISP's side. Or you may not have configured everything properly like jbcalg was saying.

 

Also go to outlook express and look under tools>options>connection tab>see if the box for "hang up after sending and recieving" is checked. If so, uncheck it.