Hotmail sign-in woes
 

A quick question to the panel. A hotmail account that I use is unusual in that if I sign in from a different IP when travelling it spits it's dummy and out announces "that it has detected an abnormal attempt to sign-in etc etc " and the only way in is to give them various bits of information which I would prefer not to thank you very much. An attempt a few moments later on a different IP and it's as normal. I'm travelling at the moment and have had this several times in the last few weeks. Another email server that I use has no problems whatever from wherever as long as the address and password are ok. Any ideas chaps ?



SHJ

I have a Hotmail account and find the same problem when travelling.I don't think there's much you can do,apart from trying a VPN.It is annoying.

It may be a problem with the IP address itself. The Host may be know to be a source of problems.

I get the same thing whenever I travel to a new location.

I've set my Office 2007 version of Outlook (that's 'real' Outlook, not the 'Outlook' to which M$ has changed Hotmail's name :rolleyes: ) with my Hotmail address as one of my e-mail accounts and Outlook checks e-mails every 5 minutes.... Pop-ups start appearing next, indicating send/receive problems.

Hotmail flags these up as 'log in attempts' but sends a message to the other e-mail address I've given them. The message contains a link - when I follow the link it takes me to a site which has recorded my log-in attempts. If any are suspicious, I'm asked to click the relevant tab, otherwise when I leave the site it allows me to use Hotmail as normal.

Rather a clumsy 'security' technique which defeats the whole idea of web-based e-mail such as Hotmail.

Incidentally, do NOT leave any e-mail addresses in any contact list offered by Hotmail as these are often hacked and spammed - and M$ subsequently locks your account. You then have to go through the pain of trying to change your password, which is very far from simple.

Or find another mail provider. Bad service shouldn't be rewarded. Leave and tell them why your leaving.

Yes, it's a pain to change e-mail addresses, but isn't it a bigger pain to have to deal with companies that do not have your interests at heart.

Thanks for the input chaps!

Indeed, it is for free :hmm: and it is a pain to start using another service, but at the moment it's about as useful as a chocolate teapot….A week ago a home where I was staying gave me this problem, using the kind neighbours wifi all was normal. Also different cafes gave different results. Most frustrating.

The amount of info that M$ want to reset the account is, for me, too intrusive and so it would seem that, like others, I either put up or move on.



SHJ