I can get my Hotmail email via Outlook Express by choosing an HTTP
mail server during setup. However, I need to route all of my outgoing
mail from my Hotmail account through a different SMTP server. I have
had some success with this but need the final steps. In the Registry
Editor under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account
Manager\Accounts I found the settings for the HTTP mail server. (The
HTTP mail server handles both incoming and outgoing) I added a new
string value and called it SMTP Server and then as the data value I
put my SMTP server name and it works, Outlook now sends all outgoing
mail through that server. The problem is that Outlook also throws an
error even though the email was successfully sent. I'm assuming it is
getting confused by the SMTP Server value since it is not expecting it
to be there but it uses it anyway. Does anyone have a better way to do
this or do you know of a way to get rid of the error? I have tested
this on Win2k and XP and it works on both. Thanks.

Hello,

My university doesn't allow any outgoing mail except through their
SMTP port. (i.e. they block all outgoing port 25 connections except
through their own mail servers) so I'm in the same boat you are for
Hotmail through Outlook Express. The easiest solution is to create a
second account with your SMTP server as the outgoing and leave blank
or make garbage your incoming POP3 or IMAP server.

Then, once this account's created, go to Tools-->Accounts and select
this new outgoing only account. Click on Properties on the right, and
fill in the E-mail address and Reply to address as your hotmail
address. Click on the Servers tab at the top and make sure the POP3
and SMTP are what you want them to be. Then go back to the
Tools-->Accounts screen and select it once more, click Set as Default
and you're set.

This allows you to use your Create Mail button as the default SMTP
sending account and whenever you click on a mailto: link on a webpage
but allows you to check your hotmail.com account by clicking on the
left folder tree as normal. The only problem might have is you have to
remember to turn off "Include this account when receiving mail or
synchronizing" or it will check your blank/garbage POP3 server every
time you have a scheduled e-mail check.

This is the EASIEST way to get SMTP outgoing functionality as your
default account without registry editing / custom config files and it
satisfies your question.

Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question, if you require
more information, please clarify the question, or if you find this
answer satisfactory, please feel free to rate it. Thank you!

skermit-ga

Great answer. I was going at it from a programatic stand-point but
this works. Thanks!

set up a non hotmail account then go in and edit it and change the
account information to match your hotmail account use mail.hotmail.com
for your pop and smtp servers, I have been able to send hotmail out
via mail.hotmail.com but have never tried to pop that way.