You receive an "Unable to find the e-mail server" error message when you use an ICS connection in Outlook 2002 or Outlook 2003 (291643)

SYMPTOMS

When you send or receive messages on an Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) client, the following error message may occur:

Task '<Account Name> - Sending' reported error (0x800CCC0D): 'Unable to find the e-mail server. Please verify the server information in your account properties.

Microsoft Outlook can send and receive messages without any problems on the ICS host computer.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur because Outlook cannot resolve the Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) and Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) names of "mail" from the ICS client if you use a Microsoft Windows-based computer that is configured as an ICS client in a small network and if the ICS host computer is connected to an Internet service provider (ISP) through a cable modem.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this behavior, change the POP3 and SMTP server names. To do this:

On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts.
Click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
Click your Internet e-mail account, and then click Change.
Type the fully-qualified domain names of the POP3 and SMTP servers under Server Information of the Internet e-mail service of each ICS client. For example, type lh1.rdc2.on.wave.home.com instead of mail for the POP3 entry on the Servers tab of the Internet e-mail service.

NOTE: If you do not know your POP3 and SMTP's fully-qualified domain names, contact your ISP to obtain this information.
Click Next, and then click Finish.

To determine the correct name of the e-mail server, have an e-mail sent from the host and verify the header information for the server name in the Received or Message-ID sections.

MORE INFORMATION

Some cable modem services do not accept the simple name of "mail" for POP3 and SMTP with an ICS client. The ICS host computer can use "mail," but not the ICS client.