Travel Technology - Outlook 2003 and Multiple accounts

I am using Outlook 2003 and have multiple email accounts. Most accounts are at the same hosting company but are on different servers.

It appears that Outlook chooses a random account/smtp server to send all outgoing email. This is wreaking havoc with my SPF setup.

Example:

A - smtp server=smtp1.yyy.com
B - smtp server=smtp1.zzz.com

A is the default email account in outlook. When I send an email from A it often gets sent through B's smtp server. Thus showing up as "Not Verified" based on the SPF record.

What I want to do is to make email from A go through A's smtp server and B's email to go through its smtp server. Outlook doesn't seem to let this happen. Is there anyway to force email to be sent through the same smtp server every time?

You should be able to just assign the same SMTP server to all of your accounts, so all mail, regardless of account, goes out from that server.

If the smtp server requires authentication/authorization, you can enter your username and password so that you can send e-mail from other accounts, but authenticate against the SMTP server with the credentials it is expecting.

The one yo set as default should be the one it uses to send mail, double check one is set as default.

cordelli I do have a default email server setup, but it is not always the one that emails are sent through. It appears to be random which one sends the outgoing email.

SEA_Tigger I could do what you suggest, but other servers that check the SPF info would tag the email as not being verified and potentially be rejected. I could include all servers/domains in the SPF info but even then some servers are very strict with SPF and reject the message.

BTW, we are talking 6 seperate email accounts/servers.

I wish Evolution ran under Win XP. :(

Would it be rude to advise you switch to Mozilla Thunderbird? It can do multiple accounts with their own SMTP server just fine.

I've never gone back to Outlook.

Would it be rude to advise you switch to Mozilla Thunderbird? It can do multiple accounts with their own SMTP server just fine.

I've never gone back to Outlook.
No, that isn't rude. It is probably the 'right' answer. :eek:

I have gigbytes of Outlook PST files, use the calendar capability with clients, sync with my Nokia, and have $ invested in Qurb and some other tools.

I was hoping I'm just doing something wrong, but maybe this is just a quirk with Outlook.

No, that isn't rude. It is probably the 'right' answer. :eek:

I have gigbytes of Outlook PST files, use the calendar capability with clients, sync with my Nokia, and have $ invested in Qurb and some other tools.

I was hoping I'm just doing something wrong, but maybe this is just a quirk with Outlook.

Well, when I said I never went back, I wasn't totally honest, I use Outlook to sync my phone and PDA(s).

I imported 7Gb of PST's into Mozilla and ended up with a Mozilla mailstore of just 2Gb (shows how inefficient Microsoft is).

As for Qurb; the spam filter in Thunderbird is awesome, I have not seen a single piece of spam for 4 months now.

Well, when I said I never went back, I wasn't totally honest, I use Outlook to sync my phone and PDA(s).

I imported 7Gb of PST's into Mozilla and ended up with a Mozilla mailstore of just 2Gb (shows how inefficient Microsoft is).

As for Qurb; the spam filter in Thunderbird is awesome, I have not seen a single piece of spam for 4 months now.
I wasn't totally honest either. I also must use PGP with one of my clients and I don't think Thunderbird support it yet.

I wasn't totally honest either. I also must use PGP with one of my clients and I don't think Thunderbird support it yet.

http://enigmail.mozdev.org/

:)

UAVirgin - That is very strange behavior - I use Outlook 2003 myself and have around 14 accounts setup - as long as I pick the right account when I am sending email from it does end up using the correct SMTP server - of course its different issue that my SMTP authentication is different for the different accounts.

I am sure you have already done so - but I would advise you double check the settings - hopefully it doesnt need a re-install though.

When choosing which account to use to send the outgoing email, instead of being "random", I wonder if Outlook selects the account that received the email originally?

When choosing which account to use to send the outgoing email, instead of being "random", I wonder if Outlook selects the account that received the email originally?

That is the way Outlook works for me. You can change it by clicking on the "Accounts" button on the menu of your current email you are writing.

When choosing which account to use to send the outgoing email, instead of being "random", I wonder if Outlook selects the account that received the email originally?
That is true for "reply" and "forward"

But for "New" emails it should use the default account.

That is true for "reply" and "forward"

But for "New" emails it should use the default account.

It does, but you can always override it using the Accounts drop-down.

I imported 7Gb of PST's into Mozilla and ended up with a Mozilla mailstore of just 2Gb (shows how inefficient Microsoft is).


Hmmm. When I imported abou 10 gig of pst files, they took up more space with Thunderbird. I wonder why its so efficient for you, and inefficient for me. I do have lots of enclosures (word, ppt., pdf., excel, etc.) that make the email archives so large.

That is true for "reply" and "forward"

But for "New" emails it should use the default account.
Outlook does work this way for me on new emails, but on reply's it sometimes doesn't pick up the correct account.

Let me clarify the problem...the problem is which SMTP server outlook uses to send out the email, not which account it uses. It should use the SMTP server associated with the account sending the email but this no longer happens.

It appears that my only way around this problem is to use Send/Receive Groups and manually send my email from accounts other than the default. It is hard to tell what caused this all of the sudden, but I don't have the time to dig into it or rebuild my Outlook setup.

ScottC, thanks for the pointers on Thunderbird. If I could sync my calendar to phone Nokia I'd jump today. I live by my calendar and need to have my phone sync with my computer.

Let me clarify the problem...the problem is which SMTP server outlook uses to send out the email, not which account it uses. It should use the SMTP server associated with the account sending the email but this no longer happens.

It appears that my only way around this problem is to use Send/Receive Groups and manually send my email from accounts other than the default. It is hard to tell what caused this all of the sudden, but I don't have the time to dig into it or rebuild my Outlook setup.

Why not use an smtp like no ip for all of the accounts? You continue to use the multiple POP3 servers and addresses, but you use just 1 smtp for all.

While we are on the Outlook topic, one thing that has been bugging me is the Calendar View. Is there anyway to have a 2 or 3 month view and not just a 1 month view. Or is there another software that is easier to use? I do need to sync it to my Treo though.

Why not use an smtp like no ip for all of the accounts? You continue to use the multiple POP3 servers and addresses, but you use just 1 smtp for all.
I need the SPF validation so I can not easily use one SMTP server for all accounts. Plus in many cases I will encounter the "relaying not allowed" error message if I tried to do that.

Outlook does work this way for me on new emails, but on reply's it sometimes doesn't pick up the correct account.

Let me clarify the problem...the problem is which SMTP server outlook uses to send out the email, not which account it uses. It should use the SMTP server associated with the account sending the email but this no longer happens.

It appears that my only way around this problem is to use Send/Receive Groups and manually send my email from accounts other than the default. It is hard to tell what caused this all of the sudden, but I don't have the time to dig into it or rebuild my Outlook setup.

ScottC, thanks for the pointers on Thunderbird. If I could sync my calendar to phone Nokia I'd jump today. I live by my calendar and need to have my phone sync with my computer.
I just tested a bunch of accounts and I do not ever see this problem -- using Earthlink, GMail, MSN, Hotmail and corp. email accounts. Every one authenticated via the sending-account's SMTP server before getting to me.

Now, keep in mind that (typically) every one of these SMTP emails must pass thru SMTP port 25 (exept GMail) of the ISP that I/you are using before it can go out anywhere else.

Are you sure that is not somehow screwing things up for you -- although I have no idea why?

I just tested a bunch of accounts and I do not ever see this problem -- using Earthlink, GMail, MSN, Hotmail and corp. email accounts. Every one authenticated via the sending-account's SMTP server before getting to me.

Now, keep in mind that (typically) every one of these SMTP emails must pass thru SMTP port 25 (exept GMail) of the ISP that I/you are using before it can go out anywhere else.

Are you sure that is not somehow screwing things up for you -- although I have no idea why?
With the exception of my ISP account, which I never send email from, all other accounts go through a hosting companies SMTP server using port 587. Something has gotten screwed up in Outlook 2003. I think I'm going to delete all accounts and recreate. If that doesn't work I will reinstall Outlook 2003.

I really would like to use Thunderbird, but not being able to sync contacts and calendar with my Nokia is a killer.

AHA! Is your ISP messing with your outgoing email? Seems to be from this message!

Just to make sure you have all bases covered and call your ISP to double check before you condemn poor old outlook.

In DSM I believe Comcast blocks port 25 (much like Cox here :mad: ) - I wonder if they additionally auto redirect everyone to the hosting companies 587 as you mentioned.

AHA! Is your ISP messing with your outgoing email? Seems to be from this message!

Just to make sure you have all bases covered and call your ISP to double check before you condemn poor old outlook.

In DSM I believe Comcast blocks port 25 (much like Cox here :mad: ) - I wonder if they additionally auto redirect everyone to the hosting companies 587 as you mentioned.
My ISP is Earthlink on a Qwest provisioned DSL line. Yes, earthlink blocks port 25 which is why I use port 587 directly to my hosting provider. It is not a port problem as the random accounts that get to be the sender are all on port 587, just different servers and or IP addresses.

FWIW, the local MSO is Mediacom, not Comcast and I don't have anything to do with them.

My ISP is Earthlink on a Qwest provisioned DSL line. Yes, earthlink blocks port 25 which is why I use port 587 directly to my hosting provider. It is not a port problem as the random accounts that get to be the sender are all on port 587, just different servers and or IP addresses.

FWIW, the local MSO is Mediacom, not Comcast and I don't have anything to do with them.
SMTP email still has to pass through something at the ISP before it gets to your hosting provider, no?!

Someone tell me I'm mistaken, but it's like my SBC DSL. They block SMTP port 25 -- although they will open it for your ID if you ask, as I have done. No matter if I use their port 25, or their "port XXX" for sending SMTP, it still goes through that SBC DSL provider port before it ever gets to my MSN email account's SMTP authentication server, or my GMail SMTP authentication server, or your hosting provider's port 587.

I still don't think that it's Outlook's issue... at least not the way you are thus far filling in the blanks here for us.

Actually question for you...

You say it goes to different servers of the ISP
Am I correct in understanding that
1. The ISP that the mails go out from IS THE CORRECT ONE
2. The problem is that it uses the wrong server.

If so - try the following
1. nslookup smtp.server.name - see if it resolves to the right IP (perhaps the name table somewhere is screwed up
2. telnet smtp.server.name 587 (587 of course being the port). Check to see if manually you can estabilish a session with the right server


1. I apologize if you are far more technical and have tried all this stuff already. This problem is just eating at me :)
2. I wonder if I should take this conversation to PMs - maybe I should read the FT rules again.

SMTP email still has to pass through something at the ISP before it gets to your hosting provider, no?!...

I still don't think that it's Outlook's issue... at least not the way you are thus far filling in the blanks here for us.

DallasBill, I may not have been clear enough in my descriptions. Sorry. Hopefully what I've included below makes the issue clear.

Yes, the smtp traffic has to pass through something, a router and or firewall belonging to the ISP but if they don't block port 587 (which earthlink doesn't) then it just passes right through the router and or firewall on its way to the designated IP address.

Actually question for you...

You say it goes to different servers of the ISP
Am I correct in understanding that
1. The ISP that the mails go out from IS THE CORRECT ONE
2. The problem is that it uses the wrong server.

Not ISP, Hosting provider, in my case the two are not the same. Hosting means web server, mail server and other stuff and is independent of my connectivity provider (ISP).

The mail goes out from the correct hosting provider, bypassing the ISP, but from the wrong email server.

If so - try the following
1. nslookup smtp.server.name - see if it resolves to the right IP (perhaps the name table somewhere is screwed up
2. telnet smtp.server.name 587 (587 of course being the port). Check to see if manually you can estabilish a session with the right server

I didn't do this; just did it and is all resolves correctly.

1. I apologize if you are far more technical and have tried all this stuff already. This problem is just eating at me :)
2. I wonder if I should take this conversation to PMs - maybe I should read the FT rules again.
This problem is really bugging me too. :(

Here's an example of the email header from an email message I just sent from one of my email accounts to another.
--------
Return-Path: <uavirgin@uavirgin.com>
Received: from wrongdomain.com ([xx.xx.xx.xxx]) by intendedrecipient.com for <doesnotwork@intendedrecipient.com>; Mon, 7 Nov 2005 17:46:32 -0800
Received: from uavirgin ([xx.xx.xx.xxx]) by wrongdomain.com for <doesnotwork@intendedrecipient.com>
---------
The return path is correct but for some reason Outlook sent the email through the wrong domain (wrongdomain.com) to the intended recipients domain. This was sent from the default domain (uavirgin.com). The domain/smtp server that the email is being routed through is the last email account in the list.

It should read:
Return-Path: <uavirgin@uavirgin.com>
Received: from uavirgin.com ([xx.xx.xx.xxx]) by intendedrecipient.com for <doesnotwork@intendedrecipient.com>; Mon, 7 Nov 2005 17:46:32 -0800
Received: from uavirgin ([xx.xx.xx.xxx]) by uavirgin.com for <doesnotwork@intendedrecipient.com>

Sorry if this is boring folks, but to me it is causing problems.

You have me stumped!

I would try the Outlook Install and Config (http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.outlook.installat ion&lang=en&cr=US) newsgroup. There's a lot of good MVP's there to assist.

Let us know~! ^

You have me stumped!

I would try the Outlook Install and Config (http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.outlook.installat ion&lang=en&cr=US) newsgroup. There's a lot of good MVP's there to assist.

Let us know~! ^
Thanks for the pointer to that forum DallasBill. Unfortunately no one there could help me solve my issue after several tries. So, I'll chalk this one up to weird MS software behavior and hope that soon I can sync my Nokia with Thunderbird and be done with Outlook. In the meantime I will have to use send/receive groups to "fix" my problem.

Thanks to all on the thread that tried to help. Lots of knowledge here and I really appreciate everyone's time and energy to help solve my problem. ^