OL98: (IMO) Troubleshooting Outlook Configuration Problems (185389)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook 98
This article was previously published under Q185389
NOTE: If you install and run MSN Explorer version 6, your MSN POP3 e-mail account will be migrated to an MSN Hotmail account. If you have Outlook and Outlook Express configured for POP3, you will no longer receive your new MSN e-mail messages.

For additional information about what to do when Outlook does not receive MSN e-mail messages, click the following article number to see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

268732 OLEXP: Outlook Does Not Receive MSN E-mail Messages

To view a Microsoft Support WebCast about what to do if you cannot receive your MSN e-mail messages in Outlook or Outlook Express, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=325232

NOTE: These procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook with the Internet Mail Only option. To determine your installation type, click About Microsoft Outlook on the Help menu. If you have the Internet Mail Only option installed, you see "Internet Mail Only".

For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express

SUMMARY

This article describes how to troubleshoot common Microsoft Outlook 98 configuration problems for Internet services. You should begin your troubleshooting with the section titled, "General Configuration Troubleshooting," and then proceed to the section for your particular service type.

MORE INFORMATION

This article discusses the following topics:

  • General Configuration Troubleshooting

  • Internet Configurations


    • Checking Your Internet Connection

    • Setting TCP/IP as Default Protocol

    • Other Internet Connection Issues

General Configuration Troubleshooting

When Outlook is first installed a default set of Personal Folders is created. Most users will then add accounts. The first troubleshooting step for configuration issues is to create a new set of personal folders and the account with which you are having problems. When this is working, you can add additional accounts, checking each one.

For more detailed information on creating a new set of Personal Folders, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179743 (IMO) Creating a New Personal Folder For an IMO Account

179504 (IMO) Creating a New Account with Internet Only Support

Internet Configurations

To troubleshoot Internet configurations, you must first establish that the Internet connection is working properly by checking your Internet connection.

Checking Your Internet Connection

To make sure your Internet connection is working properly, log on to your Internet connection and ping a known Internet Protocol (IP) address by typing the following command at an MS-DOS prompt: 
   ping <IP address>
where <IP address> is the IP address of an Internet server.

If you can ping a known IP address successfully, basic TCP/IP connectivity is functioning properly. Next, try to ping the Internet server using "servername.com" instead of the IP address. At an MS-DOS prompt type the following command: 
   ping servername.com
If this works, your Domain Name Server (DNS) settings are functioning properly.

A DNS server maintains a database for resolving host names and IP addresses, allowing users of computers configured to query the DNS to specify remote computers by friendly host names rather than IP addresses. DNS domains are not the same as Windows NT networking domains.

For example, issuing the "ping ftp.microsoft.com" command goes to the DNS server you specified for your Internet connection, looks up the IP address for the site, and then pings that IP address.

For more detailed information on connecting to the Internet see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

138789 How to Connect to the Internet in Windows 95

Setting TCP/IP as Default Protocol

Once you know that your Internet connection is valid, check that TCP/IP is set as the default protocol. To make sure that TCP/IP is your default protocol, follow these steps:

  1. On the Windows Desktop, use your right mouse button to click Network Neighborhood and click Properties.

    For Windows 95: On the Configuration tab, click TCP/IP and click Properties to On the Advanced tab, verify that the "Set this protocol to be the default protocol" check box is selected, and then click OK.

    For Windows NT: Click the Bindings tab and in the Show Binding For list, click All Services. Expand the list for all services and use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to position the TCP/IP protocol at the top of each list.

    NOTE: While you are in the TCP/IP Properties, you should verify that all Internet configuration information is correct. If you are in doubt about any setting, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
  2. Click OK.

Other Internet Connection Issues

  • Most Internet addresses and connection settings are case sensitive. Check for correct capitalization.
  • Establish your Internet connection, and then start Outlook. If you receive an error trying to send or receive mail, confirm all of your Internet Mail settings with your ISP. You may have entered a domain name server or news server address instead of the mail server.
For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

180982 OL98: Undeliverable Mail Message When Sending Internet Mail

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/6/2006
Keywords:kbhowto KB185389
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