Access your Msn Hotmail mailbox with Outlook Express

You can use Microsoft Outlook Express to access your msn hotmail mailbox using the HTTP protocol. Because HTTP and not POP3 is being used the mail is also left on the server and so is accessible from both the normal browser client and from Outlook Express.

To set up your msn Hotmail account in Microsoft Outlook Express:

1. In Outlook Express, click Accounts on the Tools menu.
2. In the Internet Accounts dialog box, click Add, and then click Mail.
3. Use the following information to complete the Internet Connection Wizard:
On the Internet E-mail Address page, click the option I already have an e-mail address that I'd like to use. Type in your Hotmail address.
On the E-mail Server Name page, click HTTP in the My incoming mail server is ... box.
In the box My HTTP service provider is, click Hotmail. No other information needs be entered on this page.
4. Follow the remaining instructions to finish the wizard.

Note:
If you have several  Hotmail accounts, you can add those accounts to Outlook Express.

 Or if they belong to different people and you want to keep them separate then either create separate identities or give each user a different logon account (preferred as everything is kept separate not just email).

Hotmail Outlook Express additional settings and Tips.

Accessing you msn hotmail mail when offline

 After you have setup Microsoft Outlook Express to work with msn hotmail you should automatically have your inbox synchronised with the server.

This will enable you to work on the email when offline. To check that this is the case right click the inbox folder (in Hotmail) and go to synchronization settings and either set it or ensure that it is set to all messages. The inbox folder will have a blue arrow to indicate that it is being synchronized.

If you also want to see copies of sent email regardless of which client sent them you will also need to synchronise the sent items.  However synchronization  doesn't save you emails and they will be deleted if you delete them either in Outlook Express or using the standard browser interface.

In order to keep copies of the mail create a new folder under local folders and copy or move using drag and drop from the msn hotmail inbox to the desired folder.