View Full Version : Getting free Hotmail
Jimlad
16-09-2006, 7:44 AM
I have FREE Hotmail and tried to get an account set up for my wife to use on her laptop. No matter what I did I couldn't get it set up. After getting through to their system via emails from my PC, I was advised that Hotmail will not utilise outlook express but they don't tell you what to use it with. can anyone advise how I:mad: achieve setting up a FREE hotmailaccount for her?
Jimlad
darren_eaf
16-09-2006, 7:55 AM
You can only access a free hotmail account through your web browser.
It does not have POP3 enabled, which means you won't be able to use outlook express or anything like that.
Strobe
16-09-2006, 8:02 AM
You did used to be able to get an Outlook Live service which includes a copy of Outlook 2003 and allowed you to sync with your hotmail account. It was a subscription service though (about $50). I gave up on it after a year though as it was bit of a faff. Just access your hotmail via your browser, the latest live mail is good. Shouldn't be too much of an issue if you have a broadband connection. I believe gmail can be configured for pop3.
eternaldark
16-09-2006, 8:41 AM
Me and my partner have had hotmail for years and i have it set up so i can read my mail via outlook!
Singh400
16-09-2006, 9:15 AM
Free Hotmail did have POP3 support, and it still does. Only thing is that Microsoft made it a paid service a while back.
Those of you who have already setup pop3 before, the change will continue to recieve that service for free.
Jimlad
16-09-2006, 8:19 PM
Free Hotmail did have POP3 support, and it still does. Only thing is that Microsoft made it a paid service a while back.
Those of you who have already setup pop3 before, the change will continue to recieve that service for free.
Does that mean if pop3 support has not been set up before some previous date (what is that date, ballpark?) and how do I check if it is? My wife's laptop is not new and was owned previously by my son. As I have been unable to set hotmail up it looks as if it hasn't, so free hotmail is not available on her laptop.
Jimlad
Singh400
16-09-2006, 8:44 PM
Does that mean if pop3 support has not been set up before some previous date (what is that date, ballpark?) and how do I check if it is? My wife's laptop is not new and was owned previously by my son. As I have been unable to set hotmail up it looks as if it hasn't, so free hotmail is not available on her laptop.
Jimlad
After some googling:
While new Hotmail accounts do not have POP3 email access, it is possible to check one's own e-mail using Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express on PC and Microsoft Entourage on Mac, using the WebDAV protocol and an extension for Mozilla Thunderbird. While this service was free for a number of years, Microsoft announced on September 27, 2004 that they were making it a subscription-only service for new users immediately and existing users from April 2005. However, existing users are still able to access their Hotmail accounts via this protocol for free as of August 2006. It is unclear if or when Microsoft will revoke this feature as many users rely on this function. Users can get around this restriction however, by using software that simulates a POP server to which the e-mail application connects.
FreePOPs is an example of a free software application that allows email clients access to webmail (including Hotmail) services through POP3.
POP3 access had been granted at one point in Hotmail's history, and legacy account holders can still access POP3 settings. This allows mail from other accounts to be accessed through Hotmail using the "POP mail" button located on the Hotmail toolbar.
There is now a new service in beta testing called Windows Live Mail Desktop which allows access on its desktop client to free or paid MSN Hotmail/Windows Live Mail accounts. However if you have a free account an ad will be displayed. Windows Live Mail Desktop is available for direct sign-up in the United Kingdom and United States.