That was the question this guy asked me. What to say? I didn't even know what an outgoing SMTP server was. Of course, that was a pretty good indication that I hadn't done anything with the settings, so I shook my head. After talking to this guy for a while, I knew (at least at the basic level) what an outgoing SMTP server was, and why I needed to change the settings. Keep reading and I'll explain as best I can.

I was whining about my problems sending email from offsite locations when Tom, an IT guy I chat with when he asked me that question. I guess I gave him a blank stare, because he explained what was up. An outgoing SMTP server is the server that an email program (Outlook in my case) talks to when it wants to send messages. The SMTP server, in turn, passes the messages along in their route to their final destination.

It turns out that companies are changing the way they set up their SMTP servers to protect against outsiders using the company's email system to send their junk mail or viruses. That's all pretty cool, but if your email program is set up to use the default settings, you are probably going to have a problem when you are not connected directly to the local network. This was my problem, and once I changed the SMTP settings, my sending problems were solved.

Bottom line? If you can receive email when you are traveling, but not send it, chances are very good that you have the same kind of outgoing (SMTP) server settings issues that I had. You don't really have to understand how it all works (I don't) and it isn't hard at all to do.

Are you fed up with problems sending email? It will only take you a few minutes to diagnose and fix this when you visit this outgoing SMTP problem page.