Email program - RV-Dreams Community Forum

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Email program

netters · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have DSL right now through embarqmail.com with our phone company. Their mail is a web based mail but I really like my Outlook mail program, not outlook express, so I contacted them and they stepped me through making the changes so that it will automatically download into my outlook. You might contact them and see if they have the same options. Hope this helps. smile

-- Edited by netters at 17:35, 2008-09-15

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks. I'm currently using Charter, but only use their webmail when away from home. When my home is away from my house (soon, I hope), then I will need to get serious about my internet service and email. I hate to say it because I've read a lot about it, but I really don't quite understand how it all works in an RV. I don't know what phone service I will use either, but I guess I will begin to comprehend it all very quickly when I'm about to take off!
gypsy

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use the Verizon air card and we have both hotmail and outlook express it works well.
southwestjudy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

How long do you think myspacerv.com will stay in business? Changing emails is a pain.

Why not use Google Gmail? Super simple. Amazingly powerful if you want it to be. Incredibly accurate spam filters (and you know Google really knows how to handle spam). Google will pretty much be in business for a very long time. Ability to have all other email addresses to be read from and replied to using your "other" email address from the super simple Gmail reader - once set up you never need to bother logging onto your other email account. Ability for most any PC based email system (outlook etc.) to read your Gmail mail.

Well the list goes on and on.... And best of all???

FREE, FREE, FREE with gigabytes of FREE FREE FREE storage

Would any of you who have recieved email from me have had any idea I read and reply all of my email adresses using Gmail?

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I agree about using Google's gmail.com and it works fine with Outlook Express, you just have to use their help system to set it up. Outlook Express lets you get and send mail from multiple email accounts so you can have more than one email name going at once. That lets you transition people from your old email to the new one.

-- Edited by bjoyce at 22:33, 2008-09-15

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I set up my gmail account today. I tried to transfer my address book from Outlook Express to gmail, but for one thing, saving it for export produces a .wab file, whereas gmail is looking for a .cvs file. In the process of trying to clean up the OE address book so it wouldn't be so difficult for me to manually copy everything, I deleted the entire thing! Now I have NO address book.

If there is a way to add gmail to the OE program rather than the other way around, can someone please tell me how to do it. Thanks.

gypsy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

You bet. Create an account in OE for Gmail and use the gmail pop.gmail.com and smtp.gmail.com servers. There is a fully detailed help page in Gmail to specifically set up OE to access gmail and it covers all the details. I leave my address book in OE and did not upload it to gmail. In addition, I can read/send emails using BOTH OE and Gmail. Gmail handles OE fantastically well using pop/smtp setup. Even sent mails from Gmail are downloaded to OE to keep both side very synched.

Gmail help for OE

You can also set up OE/Gmail as IMAP but I'd suggest in the case of OE to just set it up as pop/smtp.

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think I'll go back to a can and a string...All this is way over my head...and that is not too high up there...Yahoo mail works for me. Dude next time we meet up you will have to get me set up on all this high faluting stuff...I would like to get rid of this rotary dial phone I have... there is no way to get instructions in spanish when I dial #2???

Lost in Space....Speedy

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Speedy & Dude, let me in on this meeting, cuz i can't quite get it to work. I added the gmail acct to outlook express, but never got it right.

I should be packing stuff to move, but I can't get away from this computer. I've changed a lot of things over to the new email address, but I inadvertently deleted my entire address book in the process of trying to get it into gmail.
gypsy

RVDude · RV-Dreams Family Member

Now where did I put those soup cans and string?
Nothing like KISS eh?

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

There's a couple of things in my life I thought I would never see or hear.

First is a kid on a skateboard talking and texting on a cellphone.....

Second is RVers discussing e-mail services. Isn't that one of the signs of the apocalypse ?

What is this world coming to. aww

Speedhitch · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry Gypsy....this is the best I can do....

speedhitch@yahoo.com put back in and move on

Speedy

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have wasted so much time at this computer today that I swear - tomorrow morning I'm not even going to turn it on. I'll never get everything packed if I do! I just gave up on the address book, but was able to either remember the important ones or get them from previous saved email msgs.
gypsy

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

I use Earthlink for my primary email, probably because I have for many years and don't want my email addy to have to change. It isn't very expensive to subscribe to just email (no internet). I like that they have webmail because I never download email to my computer until I have checked on webmail and deleted any spam.

There are no ads, and you can use most any email program you want. I happen to use the earthlink mail program because I am used to it, but it is very similar to outlook express.

For internet access, I use a Verizon aircard.

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I've heard so much about Verizon Air card. I looked at the Verizon website and it looks like an actual phone. Can you explain how it works? Also, they want to know the location where you will use it the most, but if you are a fulltimer then that is difficult to answer. Also, do you need to have Verizon phone service in order to get the aircard? Thanks.
gypsy

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

gypsy97 wrote:

I've heard so much about Verizon Air card. I looked at the Verizon website and it looks like an actual phone. Can you explain how it works? Also, they want to know the location where you will use it the most, but if you are a fulltimer then that is difficult to answer. Also, do you need to have Verizon phone service in order to get the aircard? Thanks.
gypsy

Hi, Gypsy.

The Verizon air card takes one of two forms: a gadget that slides into my laptop (which I use) or a gadget that connects to the computer via a USB port. Whatever you get, if you get one, be sure it has a port that will accept an external antenna. I think I would get the USB one if I were doing it over again. That way you can set up a router, plug the device into the router and then use WiFi within your coach so you can sit wherever you want.

How it works: well, technically speaking, I don't have a clue. But essentially it works the way a phone would. I click on a shortcut on my desktop and then in the window that appears, I click on "connect". That's it. Then you are connected to the internet, you use whatever browser you like to use. I usually use Firefox, but you can use whatever you want. But the Verizon account does not give you an email address or account. It is just Internet service.

I pay $60, plus tax, for the aircard, because I also have a Verizon cellphone. I *think* it's $20 more a month if you don't have a Verizon cellphone account. I think Verizon provides the most coverage in the country, so that's what I have. I pay $47.00 a month (incl. tax) for my cell phone.

The location question is goofy, but I just put the address that is my domicile. I use America's Mailbox in Rapid City, South Dakota. I have been with them for three years and I've always been very happy with the service they provide me. For me, South Dakota was the least expensive place to domicile, and America's Mailbox is great.

If there is anything else I can tell you to help your transition, just ask away.

Sonia

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

I *think* it's $20 more a month if you don't have a Verizon cellphone account.
Not anymore. Verizon charges everyone the same price of $60/month regardless if you have a cell phone with them. If you do have a Verizon cell phone they do want to know the number to combine the billing.

Note that Verizon does not provide you with email, it just gives you access to the internet.

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I appreciate the info. I have used Verizon once before and found I got better service with them than any I've had since. My only problem with them is that my bill always ran between $46-50 a month, and I used the phone for about 25 or 30 min. each month. They had no better plan except for a "local calls only" plan, so I dropped them. I haven't had a phone since then that works inside my house--I have to run out on the deck to answer it! I've gotten a gmail acct so I won't need another email address - I do wish I could get it to work with Outlook Express, but maybe when I cancel my Charter.net acct I can figure it out.
gypsy

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gypsy,

I just ordered a Verizon air card and all of the equipment (router, antenna, cords...etc) to setup my house and RV to go wireless.

I went this way instead of DSL at home because I couldn't see paying for DSL and then something different for the RV (satellite, air card).

This way I can unplug the aircard from the router in the house and plug it in to the router in the RV when we travel.

I checked around with the folks on this site and Escapees, the majority liked Verizon better and suggested www.3Gstore.com to order from.

I sent an e-mail to 3G and indicated what I wanted to do and they sent back a list of equipment I would need for the home and RV with prices. Good service so far and the prices are great.

I should have the equipment by this weekend. It's the same setup a lot of RVers have, so I know it will work well.

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

I bought a router for my desktop when I got the laptop. I plan to take both with me, so will I need a different type of router for the aircard? I think I may because I just looked and it is a Wireless-G Broadband router.
gypsy

Sonia · RV-Dreams Family Member

I don't know anything about routers, so I'll let someone else help you there.

The other thing I have is an antenna on the roof and an amplifier inside that I connect to the aircard to improve reception in areas with a weak signal. I highly recommend PrimeCellular.com for antenna/amplifier, etc. Call them if you need help, have questions. They are VERY helpful. They sell Mobile Broadband routers you can see on their website. But call to ask about it. They won't try to sell you something you don't need.

I would talk to them too before I bought any kind of aircard. The advice I got from 3G Store wasn't very good. I'm not saying not to buy from them, but they aren't high on my list. I guess it's my fault for taking their advice, but since these are areas I'm not too knowledgeable of, I depend on the vendors to help educate me. 3G also sold me some completely useless antennas.

Gypsy, you may find a greater need for a cell phone once you fulltime. I pay $47 a month for what may be the lowest minutes plan from Verizon. When I have a lot of personal business to conduct, dealing with insurance claims, etc, I run very close to my minutes max., but at other times, I'm fine. You do need to call campgrounds to make reservations, get directions, check on availability, etc.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gmail will work with Outlook Express but you have to do exactly what their help says both online and in Outlook Express.

Many RVers get Tracfone phones, which are pay as you go. You just have to buy more minutes every couple months to keep your phone number or buy a one year card to maintain the number for a year. It does cost Tracfone money to maintain a phone number, so they do have to charge you. Works well for those who do not use a lot of minutes.

Judy · RV-Dreams Family Member

You do not need to have Verizon for your cell phone if you have the Verizon Air Card. We have the VAC but use Att for cell phone service.
southwestjudy

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

gypsy97 wrote:

Is there a way I can have internet access on the road, and an email program with OE? Thanks.
gypsy

You didn’t need to transfer your address book to Gmail if you were going to use Outlook Express. That would be something to do if you were going to get your mail via the Gmail email program rather than with Outlook. Use this site and follow the directions 1-6. http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13273&topic=12890

The air card is a nice piece of equipment; however, I found that there is so much Wi-Fi available now that I dropped the service. And, unless you are in a geographical area that provides high speed broadband cell coverage, you’ll only get speeds a bit faster than the upper end of dial up. Those areas aren’t all that plentiful. If you don’t have any cell coverage, you don’t have air card service. Then of course there is that contract you can’t break without paying a fortune.

For those who want to save cell minutes, I’d suggest that you look into buying the Magic Jack. With a high speed connection you can make and receive calls for free thru the computer’s connection. You get a personal fone number to go with it.

Speedhitch> For the can/string thing, I’d suggest a beer can. There are some obvious benefits.

-- Edited by TXRVr at 09:23, 2008-09-22

gypsy97 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the info. So I didn't need to transfer the address book after all?

As I will be losing my internet connection - charter.com - in about 2 wks or sooner, I will just wait to see what I can do once I get settled into an RV. In the meantime I think I will be able to access gmail from a library or a wi-fi site. After that I will definitely want to use outlook express as the more I use gmail the less I care for it.

Thanks again for the responses.
Gypsy