Before you can use e-mail you must configure your personal computer to communicate with the mail server. These instructions are based upon Windows and Microsoft Outlook Express. If you use another e-mail client, or are a Macintosh user, just explore your software. The basic requirements are the same. If you get into trouble, give us a call; we're happy to help.

Here is the specific information you need for e-mail service that is provided by Infolane.

• Your e-mail address
• Your password
  Contact your Infolane representative if you do not already have this information.

Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express

Open your program. If you are doing so for the first time you may be presented with a configuration Wizard. If so, go ahead and follow the instructions.

If not, select Tools and then Accounts from the menu.

Select either choice depending upon your circumstances

• Internet Connection Wizard -- to set up a new account

• Mail Properties -- to modify an existing account

Here are the basic configuration facts:

• Incoming mail server: postal.infolane.com

• Outgoing mail server: postal.infolane.com
  (Yes, they are both the same.)

• Account Name is the same as your complete e-mail address, such as "info@infolane.com".

• Do not log on using Secure Password Authentication

• Do select for Outgoing mail server, My server requires authentication
  Use the same settings as for your incoming mail server.

1. Browser   The software you use to view Web pages. Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are Web browsers. Normally, you do not use your browser to access e-mail. However, when you are away from your computer, you may use Infolane's Web e-mail interface to check your mail and send messages from any computer connected to the Internet without any configuration hassles.

2. E-mail Client   The software you use to read, compose and send e-mail. Windows computers come with Microsoft Outlook Express already installed. Microsoft Outlook (not the Express version) is included with the Microsoft Office Suite. Mozilla Thunderbird is a free, open source, e-mail client.

3. Mail Server   The computer that processes your e-mail for you, along with other mailboxes with the same domain name as yours. Your mail server could be in your own office, at Infolane's network operations center or elsewhere on the Internet.

4. E-mail address   Your unique e-mail identifier. All e-mail addresses are of the form, somename@somedomain[dot]topdomain, for example, info@infolane.com

5. Password   An encrypted string of characters, usually six to twelve characters long, that when associated with your e-mail address, provides access to your account.