This is written for the benefit of those who use the Hotmail webmail service. If your e-mail address ends in @msn.com, @live.com or @hotmail.com or you use Windows Live Domains, this applies to you.
POP-based Hotmail is not available in the free version at the time of this writing and I’ll say that right up front. You need to flip over $19.95 a year to get that feature currently. Yes, this turns off a lot of people (considering Gmail offers the same ability for free) but if you want the POP you gotta do it.
So let’s say you go ahead and do that. What are the server names you need to use to get to the goods?
This is what they are:
POP3 incoming server: pop3.live.com
Secure required: Yes
Port: 995
SMTP outgoing server: smtp.live.com
Secure required: No
Port: 25
How to login: Use your Windows Live ID (i.e. your e-mail address) and your existing mail password.
Will POP access ever be available in the free version?
Microsoft has said they "have plans" to do so. So watch for it. For now, you have to pay for POP if you use Hotmail.
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For the time being, I’ll stick with accessing my Hotmail & Live mail account via Outlook 2007 – sure it’s via HTTP but at least it’s free!
Thanks for the heads up though, Rich.
POP access was available in the free version at one time.
If your hotmail addressess are old enough they will still work using POP access.
I have 2 Hotmail addressess that are about 10 years old that work fine.