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Windows Mail/Outlook Express (WM/OE) offers the option of creating and using multiple e-mail accounts with different domains for one user. This self-help article will focus on some features that WM/OE provides and specific settings for Charter.net e-mail accounts.
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E-mail Accounts
WM/OE houses all e-mail accounts under one area. Most errors around sending and receiving e-mail are caused by incorrect settings which can be accessed and corrected under this area.
Accessing E-mail Accounts
- Click Tools, then Accounts.
- Select an e-mail account, then click Properties.
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General Tab
Mail Account Field – This field is used to identify an individual e-mail account. It is also referred to as the “friendly name” field. The description entered here will appear on the E-mail Accounts screen. If you are using WM/OE to access multiple e-mail accounts, you may want to change the description of each account for easier identification on the E-mail Accounts screen.
Name Field – This information within this field will be displayed to the recipient of your e-mail. For example, customer has been typed into this field. The e-mails you send to friends will see customer within the From field. This field can be changed to any name you wish.
E-mail address Field – This field displays your e-mail address and MUST MATCH YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS EXACTLY. Check to make sure you have entered the correct spelling and characters. Common mistakes are typing “chater” instead of “charter”, using unnecessary spaces, commas instead of periods, and using “.com” when the e-mail domain is “.net”.
Reply address Field – When using this option, responses to e-mails you send will be sent to a different e-mail address.
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Servers Tab
Incoming mail (POP3) – pop.charter.net must be used for all Charter.net e-mail accounts. Check to make sure you have entered the correct spelling and characters. Common mistakes are typing “chater” instead of “charter”, using unnecessary spaces, commas instead of periods, and using “.com” when the e-mail domain is “.net”. Also, some anti-virus programs can change this address. If you just installed an anti-virus program and can no longer receive your e-mail, check this setting and correct if necessary.
Outgoing mail (SMTP) – smtp.charter.net must be used for all Charter.net e-mail accounts. Check to make sure you have entered the correct spelling and characters. Common mistakes are typing “chater” instead of “charter”, using unnecessary spaces, commas instead of periods, and using “.com” when the e-mail domain is “.net”. Also, some anti-virus programs can change this address. If you just installed an anti-virus program and can no longer receive your e-mail, check this setting and correct if necessary.
Password – The password for an e-mail account is case sensitive and MUST MATCH EXACTLY.
Remember password – It is recommended that you place a check in this box so that WM/OE automatically remembers your password. If you decide not to use this feature, then you will be prompted to enter your password every time you use WM/OE.
Log on using Secure Password Authentication – Charter e-mail servers do not use SPA. Do not place a check within that box or an error will occur.
My server requires authentication – Charter residential e-mail servers do not require this authentication setting to be used. Do not place a check within that box or an error will occur.
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Connection Tab
It is recommended that Always connect to this account using is checked and Local Area Network has been selected from the Drop Down menu.
Former Dial-up Users: If you have switched to Charter High-Speed Internet service from a dial-up ISP and were using WM/OE for your e-mail client, your former ISP may have set WM/OE to connect using your telephone modem. If you are prompted to select a connection when launching WM/OE, simply select Local Area Network from the Drop Down menu and click OK to save your settings to correct this issue.
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Advanced Tab
Outgoing mail (SMTP) – 25 is the port that Charter.net e-mail accounts use to send e-mail. You may receive an error sending e-mail if the port number has been changed from 25.
Incoming mail (POP3) – 110 is the port that Charter.net e-mail accounts use to receive e-mail. You may receive an error sending e-mail if the port number has been changed from 110.
Leave a copy of messages on server – Checking this box will leave a copy of an e-mail on the e-mail server. If used, you can adjust the number of days for the e-mail to remain on the server until deleted and/or remove the e-mail copies from the server when you delete the e-mail from WM/OE.
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E-mail Options
WM/OE offers multiple features to enhance your e-mail experience.
Accessing E-mail Options
- Click Tools, then Options.
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General Tab
Play sound when new messages arrive – This box is checked by default. Unchecking the box will disable playing a sound when new messages arrive.
Send and receive messages at startup – This box is checked by default. When WM/OE is launched queued e-mail within the Outbox will be sent automatically and new e-mail will start to be received. Unchecking the box will disable this feature and will require you to manually send and receive e-mail.
Check for new messages every – This box is check by default. If you do not close down WM/OE, it will check for new e-mail based on the amount of time specified. Unchecking the box will disable this feature and will require you to manually check for new e-mail.
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Read Tab
Mark message read after displaying – This box is checked by default. If you use the Preview Pane option, WM/OE will display the e-mail message without the need for you to completely open the e-mail message. Reading an e-mail with this option enabled will mark the e-mail as read based on the selected time setting.
Automatically download message when viewing in the Preview Pane – This box is checked by default. If you use the Preview Pane option, WM/OE will automatically download new messages.
Show ToolTips in the message list for clipped items – This box is check by default. WM/OE will display ToolTips options for any attachments included in an e-mail.
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Receipts Tab
Request a read receipt for all sent messages – Enabling this option will prompt a recipient of your e-mail to send a read receipt e-mail to you verifying that they have read the e-mail.
Returning Read Receipts – You may be prompted from someone sending you an e-mail to send them a read receipt e-mail, verifying that you have read their e-mail. By default, Notify me for each read receipt request has been selected. You can change this to never send or always send a receipt.
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Send Tab
Save copy of sent messages in the ‘Sent Items’ folder – This box is checked by default. This feature saves all sent e-mail to the Sent Items folder and is useful to quickly forward an e-mail to another party.
Send messages immediately – This box is checked by default. This feature sends all composed e-mails immediately. Unchecking this feature requires you to manually send e-mail by clicking Send E-mail.
Automatically put people I reply to in my Contacts list – This box is checked by default. This feature saves all new e-mail addresses in your Contact list for future reference. This helps save time by not having to manually enter e-mail addresses.
Automatically complete e-mail addresses when composing – This box is checked by default. This feature auto-completes e-mail addresses when typing in the To field. This helps save time and helps prevent mistakes when typing e-mail addresses.
Include message in reply – This box is checked by default. This feature includes the last message sent in the e-mail. This allows a reader to view the whole e-mail conversation from beginning to end.
Reply to messages using the format in which they were sent – This box is checked by default. This feature provides consistent format throughout the e-mail, such as same font sizes and colors.
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Compose Tab
Compose Font – You can change the font, font style, size, effects and color settings of your composed e-mail.
Stationary – You can import a background image to use as a stationary for enhanced visual effects for your composed e-mail.
NOTE: Not all recipients will be able to see stationary backgrounds, as it depends upon their e-mail provider allowing the feature to be used.
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Signatures Tab
Signature settings – After creating a Signature, you can choose to add your signature to all new outgoing messages, Replies and Forwards.
Signature – You can create a signature to be automatically displayed within all outgoing e-mail. Signatures can include anything, from simply displaying your name to job titles and educational degrees/certifications.
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Spelling Tab
Spell-check Settings – By default, this is not checked. Using this feature will check your message for misspellings after you click Send but before the e-mail is actually sent from WM/OE. Any misspellings will be displayed and will prompt you to select the correct spelling.
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Security Tab
Virus Protection - Attachments – By default, Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus is checked. WM/OE will disable the ability to save or open any uninfected attachments that have .zip and .exe extensions or any attachments that are infected. If you want to disable this security feature, uncheck the box and click OK.
Downloaded Images – HTML e-mails – By default, Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail is checked. WM/OE will prompt you at the top of the e-mail to download blocked images. If you want to disable this security feature, uncheck the box and click OK.
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Connection Tab
Internet Connection Settings – Former Dial-up Users: If you have switched to Charter High-Speed Internet service from a dial-up ISP and were using WM/OE for your e-mail client, your former ISP may have set WM/OE to connect using your telephone modem.
When launched, if WM/OE attempts to dial your telephone modem to connect to the Internet, cancel the connection attempt, access this screen, and click Change.
Place a bullet next to Never dial a connection and click OK.
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Advanced Tab
Insert signature at the bottom of a reply – Selecting this feature will insert your signature at the bottom of a reply e-mail.
Maintenance – Empty ‘Deleted Items’ on exit – Clicking the Maintenance button allows you to select the option to empty e-mail from the ‘Deleted Items’ folder when you close the WM/OE program.
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Message Rules
WM/OE offers the ability to create message rules to automate pre-determined commands when a new e-mail is received. Accessing Message Rules
- Click Tools, then Message Rules, then Mail.
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Creating a New Rule
You can create a single or multiple Message Rules to be applied to all e-mail received by WM/OE. There are multiple options to apply to an e-mail when received, too many to display here.
The following example explains how to create a rule to move a newly receive e-mail to a specific folder; however, you can use this as a guide when creating other rules.
- Place a check next to Where the From line contains people.
- Place a check next to Move it to the specified folder.
- Click contains people.
- Type the e-mail address that you know you will be receiving e-mail from, click Add, then click OK. For this example, friend@charter.net has been used.
- Click specified.
- Highlight the folder you want the e-mail to be automatically moved to after it has been received and click OK. For this example, a folder named Test has been used. If you need to create a folder, click here for instructions.
- Verify that the information is correct in box 3. In box 4, type the name of the rule and click OK.
- The new Mail Rule will be displayed. Click Apply Now to run the rule for any existing e-mail in the Inbox. Unchecking the box next to the rule name will disable the rule from being applied. Click OK to exit the screen.
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Creating a New Folder
WM/OE offers the ability to create a new folder to help better organize e-mail.
Accessing the New Folder Creation Wizard
Intro Text for ordered list:
- Click File, then New, then Folder.
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Creating a New Folder
- Type the name of the new folder. For this example, a new folder named Test will be created.
- Select where you want the new folder to be placed. For this example, the Test folder we be placed under the Inbox folder.
- Click OK.
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Layout Options
WM/OE offers the ability to display Layout Toolbar buttons and the Preview Pane option for viewing e-mail. Accessing the Layout Option
- Click View, then Layout.
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Basic Layout
Placing checks next to the Toolbar options will display quicklink buttons on the WM/OE toolbar. Clicking Customize Toolbar allows you to add more quicklink options to the toolbar.
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Preview Pane
Placing a check next to Show preview pane will display the contents of an e-mail without the necessity of opening the e-mail to be read. The Preview Pane can be adjusted to show below or beside the e-mail.
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Troubleshooting E-mail Errors
Some common e-mail error messages can be resolve with a simple correction of settings. The error messages below will explain why the error occurred and where to reference within this document for a resolution.
421 Connection Refused – You have exceeded the maximum number of messages allowed to be sent per hour. Charter institutes this security measure to prevent spamming.
Resolution: Wait for an hour before trying to send more e-mail or use Charter’s web mail interface at www.charter.net.
421 Service Not Available – The IP address assigned to your computer has been suspended, therefore not allowing e-mail to be sent or received.
Resolution: Please call 1-888-GET CHARTER and select Internet Help to report the issue.
421 Charter.net Lost – The connection to the Internet has been severed, therefore not allowing e-mail to be sent or received.
Resolution: Trying launching an Internet browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Netscape, etc.) to see if your Internet connectivity is active. Once launched, try surfing to two or more websites. If you can surf, try launching WF/OE again to see if you can send and receive e-mail again.
If you cannot send or receive e-mail, temporarily disable any firewall or anti-virus software you have active and retry sending/receiving. If the e-mail is successfully sent/received, then there is an issue with your firewall or anti-virus software blocking e-mail. Charter recommends that you call your firewall or anti-virus provider for further help.
If you are still having issues, please call 1-888-GET CHARTER and select Internet Help to report this issue.
450 Unable to find: Domain not found – The e-mail domain of an e-mail address you are trying to send e-mail to is incorrect.
Resolution: Look in the Outbox folder and verify that the e-mail domain you typed is correct. The e-mail domain is the last part of the e-mail address (ie @charter.net). If it is incorrect, open the message, correct the address, and click Send again to retry.
452 Too many recipients – You have exceeded the maximum number of e-mail recipients allowed to be included in one e-mail. Charter institutes this security measure to prevent unnecessary spamming.
Resolution: Split the total amount of recipients between two or more e-mails.
550 Message identified as SPAM – The e-mail you sent has been flagged as Spam by Charter’s Anti-Spam Detection System.
Resolution: If you believe the message was mistakenly flagged as Spam, please visit http://www.charter.com/postmaster, find the 550 Message identified as SPAM error message, and click the provided link to submit a request to not flag your e-mail as Spam.
550 Relaying mail to – The IP address assigned to your computer has not been identified as a Charter owned IP address.
Resolution: If you are traveling and have access to an Internet connection, use Charter’s web mail interface at www.charter.net. If you are using the Internet connection from home and are still having an issue, please call 1-888-GET CHARTER and select Internet Help to verify that you are using a Charter owned IP address.
552 Message size exceeds allowed maximum message size – The total size of your e-mail (includes body message and attachments) you are attempting to send is too large.
Resolution: The maximum message size allowed is 10 megabytes. For sending, you will need to reduce the size of the e-mail message and/or split the attachments to be sent within multiple e-mails. For receiving, you will need to contact the sender and ask that the total size of the e-mail be reduced to 10 megabytes.
554 E-mail Security Alert – The IP address assigned to your computer has been suspended, therefore not allowing e-mail to be sent or received.
Resolution: Please call 1-866-229-7289 to report the error message.
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