delay in receiving email

[jjatcal]

I have been having this problem for quite some time now. I asked my ISP provider and they tell me that it is something with Outlook 2000 and suggested to switch to Eudora. They say it has nothing to do with their system.

The issue is that sometimes I receive email that comes hours late OR NOT AT ALL. For example, I will send an email to myself. I expect to get it within seconds. But I dont get it for hours. 30-40% of these tests messages I don't get at all!!!!

Other times, folks send me email that shows it was sent at 3:35 PM when I double click the message to open it in its own window. But when I see my inbox, it shows I got it at 5:42 PM. What is the problem?

 

[Marcs41]

1: If you don't get to your email for hours, it means it is stuck somewhere. Are talking pure Outlook or Exchange server?

2: The times you see can differ indeed, some relayservers in between are not always accurate on timestamps, so consider that 'normal'.

Marc
_{If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!}

 

[jjatcal]

I am using Outlook 2000. However, I had tried to use Exchange and so I recall making it capable for Exchange (I forget exactly what but settings in Outlook 2000 allowed me to change it to Exchange type server).

First time I ran into this was about a year ago. What I had written earlier was from memory of those tests.

In last two days I did tests again. One test was to send an email to myself on 345 pm. I got it two hours later at 545pm. My sent box shows email sent at 345. I was online the entire time and didnt get my email to myself. I however came back later and saw (closed/opened Outlook) and saw that the email came in at 545pm. How is this? It seems it got stuck for 2 hours somewhere!!!

I also did one right now. I sent it at 1106 pm. I have been online and it should have come to me. However, it did not come till 1206 am this time!

First ex., 2 hours later exactly, second example 1 hour later exactly!

WHat is going on???

 

[Marcs41]

Check the headers when it comes in, see where it has been and forward that to your ISP. They really should be able to tell you where the bottleneck is.

 

[Spirit]

Have you got Outlook connecting to your ISP or an Exchange server?

If its an exchnge server check the inbound message queue on the server.

If not send yourself a mail then manually log into your mail account and see if it in the Mailbox of you ISP.

How often have you got Outlook to syncronise / Send&Receive?

Post back,

Iain

 

[jjatcal]

Iain,
I am using AOL (dialup and broadband) for my ISP. Email and web hosting is done by another service provider.

I am using Outlook 2000. It is not Exchange (please see caveat above, which though I don't think is an issue).

I have tried sending email to myself and don't get it for an hour or two exactly. If I send at 11pm, I get at 12am or 1am.

I am not sure what you mean by getting Outlook to synchronise/Send&Receive. I do that every few minutes to get my mail, but I think you mean something else???

Thanks.

 

[Spirit]

This is for Office XP but should be pretty similar to what you need.

Open Outlook, Then go to Tools - Options - Mail Setup Tab - Make Sure the Sned Immediately Option is ticked when On line.

In Send/Receive Button - Make sure your schedule Send/Receive time is set low say 5 mins and not 1 hour.

Now I think from previous posts if you send yourself a mail and sit there clicking the Send/Receive button manually then the mail still won't arrive for an hour? IF this is the case then;

Again send yourself a test message, log into your webmail NOT via outlook but through the portal. Now you should see the mail sat there awaiting delivery if you do I am stuck! If not you know it is your providers problem.

No I think you understand what I mean by Send&Receive (that would worry me if you start to understand what I mean!). Basically I am trying to establish;
Does your Email provider receive the mail immediately or is there a delay?
or, if your provider does receive the mail then why can't Outlook see it for up to 2 hours?

 

[jjatcal]

I ensured that the send immediately was clicked. Send/Receive has been set to 1 minute.

Yes, you hit it right on the nose. I send an email and click Send/Receive immediately. Yet, nothing happens!

You mention to "log into your webmail NOT via outlook but through the portal".

I don't understand. I only use outlook to access email. What webmail are you referring to? And what portal?

I know Outlook has webmail but I don't think I have that (at least not Outlook webmail). My email host provides other webmail, Squirrel and Horde for example.

Please explain.

Thanks.

 

[Waidesworld]

That's what he means. Logging in to your email using Horde or any other portal access software program shows you one possibility. If the mail is sitting there then there is an issue with your ISP and getting the mail to you. Think logically. You sent it, it travels to your inbox, yet you can't download it for an hour or so. Alsoi if it is in your portal you could check the times on it for delivery details.
Aslo try sending an email to yourself, not test, with options of read receitp and delivery receipt and see if that is coming back quicker than an hour.

 

[Spirit]

For example;

Mr Magoo sends me an email from mail@yahoo.com at me@hotmail.com, both he and I use Outlook. The process is this;

Mr Magoo writes email clicks send.
His Outlook connects to mail.yahoo.com
His Outlook passes the message to mail.yahoo.com
Mail.yahoo.com then pass the message to Mail.hotmail.com
My Outlook connects to Mail.hotmail.com an there is new mail.
My Outlook downloads the message from Mail.hotmail.com

Before any one can help you further we need to know where the bottle neck is. So do this;
Get Mr Magoo to log into Him@yahoo.com on the web NOT outlook.
Get him to send a message to hotmail
While he does that you've logged into Hotmail NOT through Outlook. And watch the mail arrive. (Please remember to click refresh every so often.

Some crappy mail providers will syncronise only every hour or so to reduce network traffic and charges.

Post back with the results.

Ta,

Iain