Can't connect to smtp server, Outlook & Express

[TV]

Please help me save my hair. This is a new install of Office XP (no updates
to Office done yet) on XP sp2. I first tried setting up an account in
Outlook. I have the same setup on my laptop so I copied all the account info
from it. When I test the account settings, after several minutes I get the
error message: 'Unable to log on to the outgoing mail server (SMTP). If
authentication is required, go to "More Settings..."' (I'm paraphrasing the
message because you cannot put it on the clipboard to be able to paste it
somewhere else.) I have searched the Knowledge Base and this Forum. I was
reminded that Outlook Express must be working, so I set up an account in it.
It also cannot connect to the SMTP server and returns this error: "A timeout
occured while communicating with the server, protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure
(SSL): No, Error number: 0x800CCC19" When I test the account settings on the
laptop in Outlook, all 5 steps are completed in a few seconds. To eliminate a
bad port on the router or bad wiring in between, I tried plugging my laptop
into the LAN cable that normally goes to the desktop and it works fine. Other
things I have tried: reinstalling XP SP2; Detect and Repair of Office; Repair
Installation from the Office CD; pasting in the settings from the instruction
page at my ISP on setting up Outlook 2002; pinging the server to determine
the MTU setting in my router (1500); and every concievable setting in the
More Settings... boxes. My ISP does not require authentication. If you are
still reading this, thank you. Has anyone run into this before? Where do I go
from here? Format and try again? Thanks, Tim

 

[Brian Tillman]

Please help me save my hair. This is a new install of Office XP (no
updates to Office done yet) on XP sp2. I first tried setting up an
account in Outlook. I have the same setup on my laptop so I copied
all the account info from it. When I test the account settings, after
several minutes I get the error message: 'Unable to log on to the
outgoing mail server (SMTP). If authentication is required, go to
"More Settings..."'

So, did you do what the error tells yo to do? Have you tried authenticating
to the outgoing server anyway? You say your ISP doesn't require
authentication, but that's getting very rare. Many ISPs also use a port
other than 25 for SMTP connections (usually port 587). Have you spoken to
your ISP or viewed their Help pages for how to configure mail? Have you
disabled any antivirus or -spam add-ins you may have while you're
troubleshooting? Have you tried disabling the firewall or adding Outlook to
the firewall exception list? Perhaps your router has a built-in firewall
that is blocking Outlook, since you say you tried bypassing the router and
the test button worked. Have you exported the Outlook Express account (if
you have one) on the laptop and imported it into OE on the desktop?

 

[TV]

Yes I tried turning authentication on. When I do i get a different error
message telling me to turn it off. As I mentioned, I set everything up
according to my ISPs web page on setting up Outlook 2002 (Road Runner for
Raleigh, NC). I copied ALL of the settings from my laptop, which works going
through the same router, and checked port settings, authentication, etc. My
laptop normally connects through the same router wirelessly, but to test the
router, I unplugged the LAN cable from my desktop, plugged it into the laptop
and tested the laptop e-mail. All five steps in the "Test Account Settings"
completed withing a few seconds. I should have mentioned in my first postthat
I have no anti-virus software installed yet and the firewall is disabled. I
have two accounts on the desktop computer and one profile on each account
(one for me and one for my wife with different e-mail addresses) and both
have the same problems. I also should have daid that I can always recieve,
but usually cannot send. Two times, one on each account, on a Send and
Recieve operation, a small test e-mail that I had created made it out.
Thanks, Tim

 

[Brian Tillman]

I also
should have daid that I can always recieve, but usually cannot send.
Two times, one on each account, on a Send and Recieve operation, a
small test e-mail that I had created made it out.

Try enabling diagnostic logging and seeing if anything pops out at you.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300479/en-us