How to best share MSOutlook?

[Metallo]

Hi,

I have a small home network connected as follows:

- My Desktop (Server) wired
- My Laptop (Client) wireless
- One Printer
- Linksys router WAG354G V.2
- OS on both computers: WXP Pro SP2 fully updated

My question is the following:

What is the best way to share my mail account?
I want to be able to use my mailbox exactly as I do with my desktop.
I thought about the remote desktop function, but this freezes my desktop
when somebody wants to access it via laptop, so this is not good.
I want to keep both machines independent, for instance, if I am working on
my desktop and my wife wants to log on our mailbox and send and email from
the laptop, she can do that.

Is a mail server software a possibility? If yes, suggestions among freeware
ones?

Thank you
Alex

 

[Sooner Al [MVP]]

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[Guest]

An IMAP connection might be the best option for your purposes, This allows
you to syncrhonise your mailbox with a server, rather than downloading.

In general, however, you cannot have two people using the same mailbox at
the same time. This will lead to trouble.

Most ISPs provide IMAP these days, but if not, Mercury does.
http://www.pmail.com.

The other option is to use the VNC remote desktop, which does allow
simultaneous local and remote control.

 

[Metallo]

Hi Ian,

Does it mean that when using IMAP protocol the clieny does not dowload the
mail but reads it on the server?

If so, what happens if the server goes down? I mean, there is no way to
download the mail on the client?

Alex

 

[Guest]

IMAP works by synchronising folders, so you can have copies of your mail on
more than one computer. You can read your mail when disconnected, but there
are certain things you can't do offline, like creating new folders.

Leaving the mail on the server when using POP3 allows the same incoming mail
to reside on two computers, but the other folders, e.g. Sent Items, will not
be duplicated. If that is adequate, it's simpler to setup than IMAP. This
will also make mailchecks very slow if a large amount of mail is left on the
server, so it best suits light users.

 

[Metallo]

Ian,

I do understand the concept, basically everything is on the server and not
on my PC.

However, is there a way to archive on my PC the mail on the server on a
regular basis?

Alex

 

[Metallo]

Ian,

I decided and set my post to IMAP.
It looks OK so far, only a question:

When I open MSOutlook, I get, as default, Personal folders expanded and IMAP
folder collapsed.
Is there a way to reverse this?

Also, the send/receive which is performed when I open the mail, is it done
now for IMAP as well?
Sometimes I get the impression that I can see new mail only when I click the
Inbox in IMAP...but I am not sure.

Last, I guess there is no way to get a pop up window when a new email
arrives, like in pop3, because it is not on my PC but on the server..right?

Thanks
Alex