Netscape Navigator Mail setup/trouble shooting guide

A. Introduction

Netscape browser versions 2 and higher have a built in email program. The following guide has set-up as well a fix information on this email program. Netscape 2.x - 3.x does not offer an option for multiple mailboxes. Netscape 4.x offers multiple "profiles" for this feature.

B. Netscape 2.x - 3.x Mail and News Preferences (Setup Information)

1.To get to the Mail and News Preferences click Options under the browser or mail window and choose Mail and News Preferences.

2. Appearance Tab: All the items you set in this window have nothing to do with the operation of the program and only with the way the mail will look on your computer. You should study this section and make your own choices as to how you want your mail window to look.

3. Composition Tab: Again, all the items you set in this window are your own choice. There are options to email or save outgoing mail or news items. The save email items are usually defaulted to the sent mail file (i.e. c:\netscape\mail\sent).

4. Servers Tab: This is the first section that contains the most important settings follow the instructions carefully.

a.Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server- In this space, key in smtp.2fords.net

b.Incoming Mail (POP3) Server- In this space, key in mail.2fords.net

c.POP3 username- Enter your email username. (do not enter your entire email address, just your user name)

d.Mail Directory defaults correctly (i.e. c:\netscape\mail). (this means don't change the original settings.)

e.Maximum Mail Message defaults to None. (this means don't change the original settings.)

f.Messages copied from the server should be Removed from the Server.

g.Check for Mail should be NONE or a high number (i.e. 99) see Troubleshooting for more information.

h.News (NNTP) Server- The 2 Fords Network uses default news servers that change from time to time. Check with the 2 Fords Tech Support (758-5527) for the current news server settings.

i.News RC directory defaults correctly (i.e. c:\netscape\news).

j.Maximum messages at a time is your choice for News. (a good trial setting would be 500)

5. Identity Tab: This is the second most important section in setting up your email. Follow the directions carefully.

a.Your Name is rather obvious. You should put your real name here, not your user name. However it is your choice as to what name you put here.

b.Your Email should be your full email address. yourusername@2fords.net

c.Your Reply-to-Address should list your email address again or users will not be able to reply to you properly.

d.Your Organization: it is your choice what you put here. If you have a business you want to be displayed on each email, you might want to put it here.

e.Signature File is optional. It is a little more advanced option, but you can put an assortment of messages at the bottom of each email by utilizing this option. You would create your "signature file" in a word processing program and select it for placement. With more practice, you can make this file change with each mail message.

6. Organization Tab: are all your preferences as well but the most important option here is Remember Mail Password. When you attempt to retrieve mail a box will appear asking for the email Password which is the same as your login password. If this box is checked Netscape will remember your Password, and if not checked it will ask for the Password over and over again. You need to uncheck this anytime you have changed your login Password or if you are having password problems.

C. Troubleshooting Section

Note: The following fixes list many common errors as seen in Netscape. You can try to search for more fixes at

http://help.netscape.com or at http://www.sousystems.com/faq/ufaq.html

1. POP3 Server Error has Occurred- Automatic Check for Email Bug. The first thing to try if you get the error: An Error Occurred With the POP3 Server. You should turn off automatic mail checking. When you have Netscape set up to check for mail automatically it can cause problems in retrieving your email especially large email items. While many people have their computers set to check for mail every 10 minutes, this is not a good idea because it causes too many problems to list here. Netscape defaults to check for mail every 10 minutes so either set it to never or a high value and retry. If you disable the Check for Mail Option and it still fails you can delete the large email item by calling the 2 Fords Tech Support and reporting the problem. The final thing to try before calling the 2 Fords Tech Support is to "power down" your computer and restart the program. This will "flush the cache" and many times allow enough room to download a large email file.

2.Login PW panel Returns or your Login PW is Getting Revoked. If Netscapes stored email Password is incorrect, this will cause the password panel to return while trying to retrieve email (note there could be a problem with the mail server if it has worked before so check the Network Status page if your setup has worked before). Uncheck Remember Mail PW in the Mail and News Preferences under the Organization Tab and retry typing the correct password when asked. Also if Netscape is set up to check for mail every 10 minutes and it has the wrong pw it can cause the login pw to be revoked. While many people have their computers set to check for mail every 10 minutes, this is not a good idea because it causes too many problems to list here.

3.Can not See Your Email After it is Downloaded. You should be aware that the Netscape Email program Window can be manipulated to cover up the email headers and/or the actual email message. The Email program defaults to displaying your email on a "Browser" type interface as if Netscape itself is viewing your email. The bar can be moved up and down using your mouse, if you do not see the email or you can try maximizing the Mail window itself so that you can read your email. After you close the Mail window with the desired positions it will save the positions for next time.

4.Having a Problem Sending Mail and your settings are correct. Netscape 32-bit for Windows 95 (Unable to Resolve SMTP...) If you are getting the above error and you are using the 32-bit Netscape version then open Netscape then Options and then Mail and News Preferences. Click the tab Servers and erase everything (including spaces) in the Outgoing Mail (SMTP) Server field. Click OK and close Netscape down completely. Restart Netscape and re-add the SMTP server. Netscape 16-bit for Windows 3.x or 95 (unable to open temp file...) This error is associated with an incorrect entry in the NETSCAPE.INI file. Simply use File Manager or Windows explorer to navigate to the file and double-click it. Under the heading Main look for the entry called temp directory= and verify the path statement is correct.

5.Receiving an Error about Finding or Opening an FCC file. Unable to Find FCC File while Sending Mail Go to Options then Mail and News Preferences then the Composition Tab. Verify the path to the Sent file in the Mail File field under "By Default, copy outgoing message to the file" is correct. If it is and you still get the error remove the path or rename the file and have Netscape recreate the Sent file. This procedure should be used for "Unable to Open FCC File" as well but check all fields with a path statement including the News entries.

6.Any other problems receiving mail. Try renaming all the files called *.snm and popstate.dat in the directory Netscape\mail, if you would like to keep the old messages or simply delete the files. Restart and retry the Netscape program. You can also Uninstall Netscape making sure to delete the directory and then reinstalling. Bookmark.htm and Address.htm save your bookmarks and address book respectively so you can make backups of them.

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