5 tips for getting your e-mail on vacation
If you’re going on vacation, you’re probably looking forward to getting away from the phone. But e-mail is less intrusive, and many of us want to bring it with us.
That used to be a real chore. But accessing e-mail from anywhere has become easier over the years. Today, it’s not much more difficult than downloading it at the office.
The key is finding decent PC access to the Internet on the road. Most hotels offer such access. Even a dial-up account is OK for downloading e-mail. And with Wi-Fi hotspots all over urban areas, fast access is a snap.
Of course, you have to find a way to access your e-mail server. So let’s look at how that can be done.
You’ll need to do some homework before buying and setting up the gear. Not much, I promise. Read on.
1. Get it via the Web.
The easiest way to get your e-mail is to simply pluck it off the Internet. Many companies, including mine, allow you to sign in on a Web page. From there, you access your e-mail.
The biggest advantage here is that you don’t have to go into your settings to download e-mail. But be sure to arrange to leave the e-mail on the server, or find some way to save it on yours. Otherwise, it will be gone after you view it.
To check the Web situation, talk to a system administrator at work. Be sure you understand how to get in from the road. You don’t want to waste vacation time trying to reach the help desk.
2. Add an account to your software.
Your home computer knows how to access e-mail from your workplace because an account has been set up. The account tells the computer that the server run by your Internet service provider has your e-mail. That server has a name, like mail.ISPname.com. The same account has the name of the outbound server. And the account is told to remember your password.
Such an account is easy to set up. All e-mail programs will take multiple accounts. So you can set up a business account and in most cases, access it just as you do your personal account.
In Microsoft Outlook 2003, click Tools>>E-Mail Accounts. Select “Add a new e-mail account” and click Next. Your e-mail may be POP3, IMAP or Microsoft Exchange Server. Get that information from your administrator, along with the server name.
If you want to send mail, you may need the outbound (SMTP) server name. The administrator can supply that, too. Also ask what you need to know to access the company system.
Microsoft Outlook Express also is easy. Click Tools>>Accounts, and select the Mail tab. Click Add and enter your information.
If you will be taking a company computer, you’ll probably need to add your personal account. Instead of the company administrator, get your settings from your ISP.
3. Know your options.
Services such as MSN and AOL make it easy. Both providers have local numbers practically everywhere. You can dial up just as you do at home. And if you stop in an Internet café or local library, you can always sign on and check your e-mail at AOL or MSN’s Web site.
4. Combine everything into one account.
If you don’t want to set up new accounts, try Pop3Now (www.pop3now.com). Pop3Now can manage up to five accounts at one site. The cost is $5 per year. A similar service is available from Mail2Web (www.mail2web.com). It is free. Both allow you to access your e-mail through a Web site.
5. Leave your e-mail behind, if you want to wait.
Most e-mail applications offer you the choice of removing e-mail from the server when you download it. That’s not a good idea. You won’t be at your most businesslike while on vacation. Besides, other people, including your offspring, may be using the computer. Your e-mail might be accidentally deleted.
To guard against that, leave the e-mail on the server. You can download it again and file it properly when you get back to work. Ask the system administrator if you must make arrangements in the office. Enjoy your vacation!
Tags:aol, Computer, e mail, homework, Internet, mail program, Microsoft, microsoft outlook, Office, Outlook, Outlook Express, tips, vacation, Web
