Outlook can't access SMTP outgoing server

I have a duplicate setup at home and at work for my email in Outlook. Recently, I cannot send emails out using Outlook from home. It gives me a message saying that it can't access the SMTP server. This didn't happen before. Recently, I installed Windows XP SP2, but I also installed that at work. I run a wireless network at home and a hardwired network in the office.

I have double checked all the settings and I can't figure it out.

 

Can you ping the SMTP server from your home computer.

As a test, have you tried this with both Outlook and Outlook Express.

 

I just tried to re-enter the settings again as a new email in Outlook and when I hit the 'test email', I got that message. When the test runs, it shows what it does and it is able to connect to the incoming servers, but when it tried any outgoing stuff, it fails to connect to the outgoing server. I don't know how to ping the SMTP any other way. This was working before I installed SP2 in this laptop. That is the only thing that I can think of that I changed before it stopped working.

 

Have about 30 customers all upgrade to SP2 and no problems with e-mail, networking, Internet access or anything else.

To ping your smtp server:

Open a cmd prompt ( start / run / cmd )
Then "ping server_name" or "ping server_ip" - no quotes

E.g. ping mail.server.com

 

Bob, THanks for your replies. I was able to ping them. I am using Covad.net and it all replied. I've tried to figure out if there is anything in my network, security or email setup that could be the cause of this glitch and I can't. The only thing that I would normally try to do would be to reinstall Office thinking that it is a prob;em with the Office software, but since the incoming is ok...I am befuddled.

 

To make sure it isn't just Outlook, you might try as I previously suggested and configure Outlook Express for your e-mail.

If that works, then it is a problem with Outlook ( I have seen where you need to uninstall, reboot, and reinstall ). You also won't lose your e-mail settings doing this if you have Outlook2000 or later.

If that doesn't work, they try temporarily removing or disabling any security software you may have installed.

 

OK, I'll try that.
BTW, since I updated to SP2 whenever I click on an email in my inbox and hit reply, a box comes up saying, "a program is trying to accerss email addresses you have stored in Outlook. Do you wnat to allow this?" then there is a check box that says, "allow access for...1-10min". Any idea what this is about? Extra security in Outlook? Is there any way to stop this from happening and just setting the default to always allow access the reply?

THanks.

 

What version of Outlook do you have?

I have SP2 on quite a few with a mix of Outlook2000, OutlookXP and Outlook2003 with no e-mail issues.

 

Outlook 2002 SP3

I think that I also uninstalled Outlook Express on this machine via add/remove windows components. I never liked Express since I didn't like not having a record of incoming and outgoing emails in outlook (or I just couldn't figure it out).

I think that the security thing is normal with outlook, I just hate the hassle of having to manually allow the access every time. I'll stop my Norton antivirus to see if it is causing that.

I am gonna try repairing office tomorrow.