Mailing outside the home, for example on holiday abroad, sometimes not so smoothly. You receive emails, but cannot send anything. Recognizable?
What’s the problem?
Outside the home, for example abroad, sending mail is not always possible for people who use a provider address in a mail program on the laptop. This has to do with the settings of the outgoing mail server.
Each provider has a server for incoming mails and another server for outgoing mails. So these two streams are separate. If you are setting up an e-mail program (on the PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone) you will need the names of these servers. You will find this in the data you have received from the provider. For example, at Ziggo you will see the following:
- Incoming mail server: pop.ziggo.nl
- Outgoing mail server: smtp.ziggo.nl
Retrieving e-mail is always possible with the correct login details. However, the outgoing SMTP mail servers are protected by many providers. Users can then only send emails if they are on the provider’s network. So if you want to send an e-mail outside your home, but you are not on your provider’s network, the provider will say ‘sorry, but you are not on our network, so you are not allowed to use our outgoing mail server’. The main reason that providers shield this is to prevent spam.
Solutions and an alternative
There are three solutions to the problem and there is a way to avoid the problem.
Three solutions that we discuss in more detail below:
- Using provider’s webmail
- Adjust settings in your mail program
- Using a paid SMTP server
What do you choose? If you want to continue to e-mail with your own e-mail program, you only have the choice for option two or three. Solution 1 is the easiest.
To avoid the problem, switch to a Gmail or Outlook.com web address. You can read more about the advantages of this alternative at the end of this article.
Solution 1: Webmail
This is the most obvious solution: if you are not at home, use your provider’s webmail. You then surf to a site of the provider and log in with your e-mail details. So with the username and password as you received them from your provider (or as modified by yourself). So make sure you have this information handy or memorized. This solution is also easiest when your tablet or smartphone refuses to send mail from your provider address.
The sites on which you manage the mail with the best-known providers are:
- Caiway/Cablephone
webmail.caiway.nl - KPN
webmail.kpnmail.nl - Online
webmail.online.nl - Tele2
webmail.tele2.nl - Telfort
webmail.telfort.nl - XS4ALL
webmail.xs4all.nl - ZeelandNet
secure.zeelandnet.nl/mail/ - Ziggo
mail.ziggo.nl
Solution 2: Adjust settings
Some (not all) providers allow you to send e-mails outside your home via the incoming e-mail server. Below we describe how to do this for a number of programs.
Windows Mail
- Choose in the menu Additional > Accounts.
- Select the tab servers.
- Place a checkmark under ‘Outgoing mail server’ This server requires authentication.
- click on Institutions.
- Select the option Using the incoming mail server settings.
- click on OK.
- Click again OK.
Outlook 2010, 2013 and 2016
- Click on (the orange button) File.
- click on Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Press the button Modify.
- click on More settings.
- Select the tab Outgoing mail server.
- Place a checkmark The outgoing mail server (SMTP) requires authentication.
- Select the option Use the same settings as for incoming email.
- click on OK.
Are the settings correct, but you can’t send e-mails? Then there is only one way to solve the problem: to use the SMTP server of the network with which you are connecting to the Internet. Request this information from the hotel, campsite or apartment where you are. Then change the ‘outgoing e-mail (SMTP)’ in the program you are using in the SMTP server of the network where you are.
Solution 3: payment service Travel SMTP
For the sake of completeness, we call the service Travel SMTP. This offers, for a fee, access to their own smtp server. This ensures that you can send emails anywhere and anytime. Provided you have an internet connection of course. The cheapest package costs 16.50 euros per year (excluding VAT). More information about this service can be found on their website.
Web address instead of provider mail
Instead of provider mail, use a webmail service such as Gmail or Outlook.com. With these accounts you can send and receive e-mails anywhere and anytime, possibly in your favorite e-mail program. It works on PC and laptop, as well as on tablet and smartphone. You can import the e-mails that are included with your current provider mail at the services. Another advantage is that you are no longer dependent on your provider for your e-mail. An email address with a webmail service lasts a lifetime.
The following articles will help you create an email address with a webmail service. Choose Outlook.com (from Microsoft) or Gmail (from Google):
- Outlook.com: Starting with Email
Note: A Microsoft web address, such as an email address that ends in Outlook.com, cannot be used in Windows Live Mail. - Gmail: the basics