How to configure Outlook to automatically dial your ISP

The Microsoft Outlook Internet e-mail service does not automatically call your Internet service provider (ISP) to check for new messages. This article describes how to set up Internet e-mail in Outlook to connect automatically to your Internet service provider (ISP) at regular intervals to check for new messages.

This following information is covered in this article:

• When you start Outlook, it immediately dials your ISP and checks for new messages.
• Outlook disconnects the connection to your ISP after it checks for new messages.
• At an interval you set, Outlook dials your ISP, checks for new messages, and disconnects the dialed connection.
• If Outlook is not connected to your ISP and you send a message, Outlook immediately connects to your ISP and sends the message.

Use the following two methods to set up Outlook to connect automatically to your ISP at a regular interval:

• Set your e-mail account to connect by using the phone line.
• Set Send/Receive and Dial-up options.

How to set your e-mail account to connect using the telephone line

Use one of the following methods to configure your e-mail account connection in Outlook.

Method 1: Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click Account Settings.
3. Select the appropriate email account, and then click Change.
4. Click More Settings.
5. Click the Connection tab, and the click to select the Connect using my phone line check box.
6. Under Use the following Dial-Up Networking connection, select the appropriate Dial-Up Networking connection to use. To create a new Dial-Up Networking connection, click Add, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
7. Click OK to close the Internet E-mail Settings dialog box.
8. Click Next, and then click Finish.

Method 2: Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and earlier versions of Outlook

1. Start Outlook.
2. On the Tools menu, click E-mail Accounts.
3. Click View or change existing e-mail accounts, and then click Next.
4. Double-click the e-mail account to access the properties.
5. Click More Settings.
6. Click the Connection tab, and the click to select the Connect using my phone line check box.
7. Under Use the following Dial-Up Networking connection, select the appropriate Dial-Up Networking connection to use. To create a new Dial-Up Networking connection, click Add, and then follow the steps in the wizard.
8. Click OK to close the Internet E-mail Settings dialog box.
9. Click Next, and then click Finish.

If you have configured multiple accounts, repeat the above steps for each account that you want to automatically check for new messages.

How to Set Send/Receive and Dial-up Options

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Mail Setup tab.
3. Click to select the Send immediately when connected check box.
4. Click the Send/Receive button.
5. Under All Accounts group name, click to select the Schedule an automatic send/receive every check box under When Outlook is Online, and then set the Send/Receive interval.
6. Click OK to close the Send/Receive Groups dialog box.
7. In the Options dialog box, click to select the Automatically dial during a background Send/Receive check box under Dial-up.
8. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

Outlook now initiates a Dial-Up Networking connection to perform an initial Send/Receive. If the password has been saved with the Windows Dial-Up Networking connection, a prompt to log on does not appear.