Outlook won't dial in if I am off-line

[Walter Kramer]

Hello,

I have an ADSL internet connection and pop3 email account.
When I am off-line and start up outlook 2003, Outlook start sending
and retrieving email (which I intentionally switched on in the options
dialog).
The problem is that Outlook should first try to create a connection to
the internet if I am off-line. However this does not happen.
I do get error messages suggesting that I am not on-line (which is th
case).

I did switch on the option for the email account to let Outlook use
the modem belonging to ADSL to connect to the internet before trying
to send or receive email.
This doesn't function.

If I am on-line (because I manually logged on to the internet, or
implicitly through starting up Internet Explorer) the mail system
functions correctly.

Before I installed Outlook, I used Outlook Express. This program
doesn't have the aforementioned problem.

My operating system is Windows XP home edition.
I use Norton virusscanner and ZoneAlarm Firewall.

Any suggestions about the cause of this problem?

Thanks,

Walter

 

[Don W.]

In a nutshell if you have ADSL you're connected (on-line) all the time. Go
to ContolPanel/Internet Options Connections tab. Click the setup button and
follow the wizard. As far as the wizard is concerned you have a LAN
connection. When you get to the Internet Mail question click no (presumably
you already have mail setup)

In Outlook click on Tools/Accounts Mail tab. Highlight your account click
Properties Connection tab, click Connect using LAN

Don

 

[Walter Kramer]

If I start up my computer, I am normally off-line. The connection to
the internet is made if I start up my e-mail program or internet
explorer.
At least this used to be the situation with earlier version of outlook
and with outlook express.
I know I can make sure I am connected to the internet before starting
up Outlook, but I wander why I cannot get it to function as it did
before.

The Problem is that I already have all the settings as you suggested.

In outlook 2003 you have to navigate using a rather difficult
procedure:

Options | tab E-mailsettings | E-mailaccounts

Then you get to an E-mailaccounts wizard.
Select "modify existing account"
Select "next"

Highlight the account, click modify, select "more settings" and then
select the "connection" tab.

Here you can click "Connect using LAN"

If you do this the selection "Connect using modem if Outlook off-line"
becomes available, as well as the possibility of selecting the modem
you want to use.

I did all this, but outlook refuses to make a connection if I am
off-line.

(Note that I have a dutch language version of Windows XP and Office,
so the actual wording on tabs, buttons and selection boxes may be
different)

Thanks,

Walter