POP3 Via AOL

[Maxflyer]

I used to use a BT Voyager USB broadband modem for my AOL connection, but now have a Netgear DG834 Router that I use on a small home network. When using the old modem I could send and receive Outlook Express (POP3) emails whilst logged onto AOL. This was great as I have a lot of work emails that I send with large attachments. However, with the new modem I can only receive emails into Outlook Express, not send. When I try to send I get the following:

The message could not be sent because one of the recipients was rejected by the server. The rejected e-mail address was '*****@aol.com'. Subject 'Test', Account: 'mail.**********.co.uk', Server: 'smtp.virgin.net', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '550 RCPT TO:<*****@aol.com> Relaying not allowed - please use SMTP AUTH', Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC79

Does anyone know if I resolve this without having to revert back to the old modem?

email addresses edited to protect the weak and innocent!

[Maxflyer]

AOL don't want to know. It's not there mail client. They told me it couldn't be done befor, yet I managed it with the old modem.

[Keef]

I avoid AOL like the plague, but if they are like other ISPs, they will only accept outgoing mail that says it's from an AOL account. Need to configure your mailer programme accordingly.

You can't send via another SMTP server while connected to AOL, either.

[Engineer]

From the AOL help section

You can now read your AOL email through your favourite email application. As long as your email application supports IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) you should be able to read and send email from software such as Microsoft Outlook or Netscape.

Setup instructions are included here for the most common email applications. If you use an email application not listed here and you are reasonably technically confident, you should be able to configure your email application yourself in a few minutes - just read the information for Other Email Applications.

Please note that AOL Member Services is unable to provide detailed support for these applications as they were developed by third parties. Though of course AOL provides full support for AOL Communicator, AOL's powerful email application

For outlook xpress look here here (http://www.aolsvc.co.uk/help/OutlookExpressSteps.htm)

[BOAC]

You can't send via another SMTP server while connected to AOL, either - well, Keef, you CAN but it does require a bit of lateral thinking occasionally. I have a few pop3 accounts and send them via a particular SMTP address which AOL only occasionally rejects, and then a restart of OE, a reconnect to AOL or at worst a reboot sorts it out. That is just ONE of the reasons I leave AOL this month.

[swh]

Maxflyer,

To get around this, install a free SMTP server on your machine, that way your machine will act as the SMTP server and you will only be using AOL for bandwidth.

Your mail program will connect to your machine as the SMTP server, which will queue it, resolve the email address, and connect to the mail server as specified by the MX records assocated with the email server your trying to connect to. You wont see any performace issues doing this.

Works also with free WiFi connections.

Cheers

:ok:

[drauk]

swh, it's a good plan, but alas, it won't work. AOL captures all traffic to port 25 (which is what your locally setup mail server will use to try to connect to the recipient's mail server as listed by its MX records) and re-route it all to its own servers.

The way around it is to use a provider that can supply SMTP services on a different port.

[Jhieminga]

Maxflyer, from your initial post it seems that you've got smtp.virgin.net set as your outgoing mail server. AOL might be rejecting because you are trying to use this instead of AOL's own server. Try changing the outgoing server to AOL's SMTP server, perhaps that will work. Generally, for outgoing mail you should use your ISP's mailserver, it should not matter that you've got a different mailadress set as the 'reply-to' adress. Whether AOL will allow the mail to go through is the question.....

[willby]

Hi,
I use a Linksys router with my broadband and likewise use OE for emails. Sometimes when I email an AOL address I get a similar error message to the one you outlined and the messageI am trying to send ends up in the OE Outbox. If I then click the Send?Receive icon the message will usually send ok. I may have to do this a couple of times.
Regards
Willby

[stickyb]

Jhieminga's answer should be spot on. The error message you are getting is because most ISPs only allow you to send POP3 mail through "their" server. So you cannot send through the virgin smtp server whilst connected to aol, or vice versa.
Stops spam.
What you may have to do is have a number of settings, depending on which isp you are connected to at the time.

[Jhieminga]

I had a quick look at my OE settings at home:
Go to the 'Accounts' options, select the account and press the 'properties' button. Now in the dialog go to the 'servers' tab.

Under 'incoming mail' you should have the pop server where your mail account is registered (e.g. pop3.virgin.net). The next box should have the outgoing mail server, select AOL's mailserver (something like smtp.aol.com). Make sure the login details for your mailaccount (virgin.net in this example) are correct. If necessary tick the bottommost box and click on settings to the right to add the login details for your AOL account.

Good luck, hope you get it working!