Return HomeMicrosoft Outlook 2000 & Internet Explorer Settings for Windows 98 & ME

 

These settings are something of a compromise between security and ease of use. I do not guarantee accuracy, but they do work for me.

·             If your configuration of MS Outlook or Internet Explorer (IE) is behaving strangely, simply compare your settings to mine, side by side.

·             Or to resolve a specific issue, press Ctrl-f and type the word or term that you are looking for.

·             Of course, your ISP, mail and modem names, etc. will differ. Things may really differ if you are not running Windows on an IBM compatible PC.

·             If you cannot see all of this page without scrolling to the right, you might want to adjust your display properties up to a width of 1024.

·             To print this out, click on File / Page Setup in your toolbar and select Landscape. Then Print it.

·             To maximize security, I also have ZoneAlarm and Norton Antivirus always on and running. Consider these critical; they may save your life.

·             About once a week, I run  BigFix which checks for Windows and other updates, plus.

·             Just as often, I run EndItAll to close everything, EasyCleaner to purge accumulated garbage and Norton SystemWorks (Utilities) to scan & defrag.

·             Occasionally, I run Fred Langa’s BrowserTune and I ask Steve Gibson’s Shields-Up to attempt penetration of my system.

 


Click here to go to the Internet Explorer settings...


Microsoft Outlook 2000 settings:

Tools


Accounts

“Internet Accounts”

{ This can also be accessed through the Options / Mail Delivery tab below.  Enter by either door. }

Mail

{ Select one Mail option (or the only one) }

Properties button

General tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / General }


Mail Account

Van’s mail


User Info


Name:

Van


Organization:

blank                           { but I could put 'The Computor Tutor' here }


E-mail address:

van[at]blakeman .net     { out through my ISP (was Earthlink dial-up; now Adelphia high speed cable) }


Reply address:

van[at]blakeman .net    { in through my domain host (my mail & web space at Lunarpages.com) }



                                              { E-mail & Reply can be different. Reply is normally blank. }


Include this account when receiving…

yes

 

Servers tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / servers }

Server Information


My incoming mail server is a

POP3 server.

alternatives 1:

Incoming mail (POP3)

mail.adelphia.net          { in through my ISP. This is the normal setting.  (was mail.earthlink.net)  }

  2: 

Incoming mail (POP3)

blakeman.net                { or, in through my domain which is hosted by Lunarpages.com  }

  3: 

Incoming mail (POP3)

127.0.0.1                       { or, my actual setting - email goes through a spam filter first: K9; then to Outlook }


Outgoing mail (SMTP)

mail.adelphia.net          { out through my ISP (was mail.earthlink.net) }



                                                 { Incoming and Outgoing are generally the same (i.e.: mail.adelphia.net) }


Incoming Mail Server



Account name:

blakeman.net/110/van%blakeman.net    { Was “5172vbla” elsewhere - usually defined by mail provider }


Password:

*****


Remember password

yes


Log on using Secure...

no


Outgoing Mail Server



My server requires...

no


Settings button

disabled

 

 

Connection tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection }


Connection

Connect using my phone line


Modem

EL Barn  15084376884    { EarthLink Barnstable ... Do one for each local #. If one doesn't connect, try another}


Properties button

{ Same thing as “ Dial-up settings” in the Internet Explorer. }


General tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection / Modem / Properties / General }


Phone number / Telephone...

15084376884


Use area code and Dialing Prop...

no { if the number is local and you don’t dial 9, etc..  I included the area code in the above number. }


Connect using:

Viking V.90 Cellular PC Card Modem or U.S. Robotics 56K Voice Pro PnP or ...


Configure button

or Lucent Win Modem { I have 3 modems to choose from }     


General tab



Port:

COM2 { 1, 3 or 4 depending on other modems you may have }


Speaker volume

Off


Maximum speed

19200  { A tech told me to set it this low. Perhaps it doesn’t matter if you’re modem is a 56K dial-up }


Only connect at ...

No


Connection tab

 


Connection pref...

 


Data bits:

8


Parity:

None


Stop bits:

1


Call preferences



Wait for dial...

no   { Especially No if connecting through a cell phone with no dial tone. }


Cancel…within

60 secs


Disconnect…

no


Port Settings button

 


Use FIFO…

yes


Receive…

High


Transmit…

Maximum


Advanced button

 


Use error…

yes


Compress…

yes


Use flow…

yes


Hardware

yes


Modulation…

Standard


Extra settings

blank    { Some modem manufacturers provide settings for this field – call them or check their web site. }


Append to log

{ Not a bad idea so you can see what went wrong. Just remember to clear the log every so often. }


Options tab

 


Connection control

 


Bring up...

no


Bring up...

no


Dial control

 


Operator...

no


Wait for cred...

disabled   8 seconds


Display modem Stat...

yes


Distinctive Ring tab

[ This tab is not at this location in IE 6.x ]


This phone line...

no


Forwarding tab

[ This tab is not at this location in IE 6.x ]


This phone line...

no

 


Networking(ME) / ServerTypes(98) tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection / Modem / Properties / Server Types or Networking }


Type of Dial-up Server:

PPP: Internet, Windows…


Advanced options:



Log on to network

no    { 98; not ME – see Security 14 lines down }


Enable software compression

yes    { I believe that some modems require that this be off }


Require encrypted password

no    { 98; not ME – see Security 12 lines down }


Require data encryption

no    { 98; not ME – see Security 11 lines down }


Record a log file...

no    { but it might help you can see what went wrong. Just remember to clear the log every so often. }


Allowed network protocols:



NetBEUI

no


IPX/SPX…

no


TCP/IP

yes


TCP/IP Settings button



Server ass. IP…

yes


Server ass. name...e…

yes


Use IP header…

yes


Use default...

yes


Security tab   (ME; not 98)

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection / Modem / Properties / Security (ME only) }


Authentication:



User name:

van[at]blakeman.net    { was van9@earthlink.net }


Password:

*****


Domain:

blank


Connect automatically

yes


Advanced security options:



Log on to network

no


Require encrypted...

no


Require data...

no


Scripting tab



Script file / file name

blank


Edit button

disabled


Browse button

{ Allows you to load a script file of your own or one you downloaded for special purposes. Careful ! }


Step through script

disabled


Start terminal screen...

no


Multilink tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection / Modem / Properties / Multilink }


Do not use additional...

yes


Use additional devices

no


Selected device & 3 buttons

disabled


Dialing tab   (ME; not 98)

{ 98 – see note 3 lines down }


This is the default…

yes


Dial whenever…

yes { Can only select one }


Redial settings:

{ In 98, this is set in IE under Tools / Internet Options / Connections / Settings / dial-up settings / Advanced }


Try to connect

4 times


Wait

5 seconds between attempts


Enable idle disconnectect:

yes


Disconnect if idle for

20 minutes


Consider idle at

5  percent of ...


Don’t prompt before ...

no (off)


Disconnect when…eeded

yes


Add button  { We’re back in the main Properties box}

{ To add a another connection – I have 9 selections, each configured according to different needs. }



Advanced tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Advanced }


Server Port Numbers

{ Ignore those fields that are not in your dialog box }


Outgoing mail (SMTP):

25


Use Defaults button

{ Instead of entering your own }


This server requires ... (SSL)

no


Incoming mail (POP3):

110 { normally, but my email is first filtered through K-9 for spam, which requires a 9999 here. }


This server requires ... (SSL)

no


Server Timeouts

5 minutes

Return Home

Sending / Break apart...

no


Delivery / Leave a copy...

no


2 sub-fields

disabled


Tools

{ Done with Tools / Accounts }


Options


{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options }


Preferences tab

{ That’s all they are; nothing critical. }


E-mail Options... button

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Preferences tab / E-mail Options }


Message handling



After moving or deleting ...

open the previous item


Close original message on reply ...

yes


Save copies of messages in Sent ...

yes


Display a notification message ...

no


Automatically save unsent messages

yes


Advanced E-mail Options... button



Save messages



Save unsent items in:

Drafts


AutoSave unsent every:

1 minutes


In folders other then ...

yes


Save forwarded messages

yes


When new items arrive



Play a sound

yes


Briefly change the mouse...

yes


When sending a message



Set importance:

Normal


Set sensitivity:

Normal


Allow comma as address...

yes


Automatic name checking

yes


Delete meeting request ...

no


Tracking Options... button

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Preferences tab / E-mail Options }


Options



Process requests and ...

yes


Process receipts on ...

yes


After processing, move ...

no


Delete blank voting and ...

no


Request a read receipt for ...

no


Always send a response

no


Never send a response

yes

 


Ask me before sending ...

no


On replies and forwards

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Preferences tab / E-mail Options }


When replying to a message

Include and indent original message text


When forwarding a message

Include original message text


Prefix each line with:

{ Disabled here, but if not so in yours, leave it blank. They make forwarded emails hard to read & messy. }


Mark my comments with:

no


Automatically put people I reply to in

yes              Contacts


Mail Delivery tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Mail Delivery tab }


Accounts Manager



Accounts button

{ This is the same as Tools / Accounts at the top of this page.  Enter by either door to change settings. }


Mail account options



Send messages immediately ...

yes


Check for new messages every

60 minutes


Dial-up options



Warn before switching…

no


Hang up when finished sending…

yes


Automatically dial when checking…

yes


Don't download messages larger then

no


Reconfigure Mail... button

{ To set up another connection to an ISP. }


Mail Format tab

{ Send HTML (triggers some filters) or text (more likely to get there); select stationary; create a signature. }


Spelling tab

{ Refine what gets spell-checked and what does not. }

 


Security tab

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Security }


Secure e-mail (3 options, a field & button)

{ Encrypt an email so that it can only be read by those who have the “key”. I don't use it, but it could be useful. }


Secure content

{ Limit the potential effects of malicious hacker penetration – this has becomes critical. }


Zone:

Internet


Zone Settings button (Security)

Internet    { Same as IE's Internet Options / Security.  Enter through either door. }


Select a web content zone...

Internet


Security level for this zone

Custom


Custom Level button

{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options / Security / Secure content / Zone / Zone settings / Security Level / Custom level }


Settings:

 


ActiveX controls...



Download signed…

Prompt


Download unsign…

Disable


Initialize and scr…

Disable


Run ActiveX…

Enable


Script ActiveX…

Enable


Cookies

{ This might not be included in your dialog box. Cookies are harmless; not a security matter. }


Allow cookies…

Enable


Allow per-session...s…

Enable


Downloads



File download

Enable


Font download

Enable


Microsoft VM

{ Also see Internet Explorer: Tools / internet Options / Advanced / Microsoft VM }


Java permissions

High safety


Miscellaneous



Access data…

Disable


Allow META ...

Enable       { Some of these options may not be in your dialog box. }


Display mixed ...

Prompt


Don't prompt…

Disable


Drag and drop…

Enable


Installation…

Prompt


Launching…

Prompt


Navigate…

Enable


Software channel…

Medium safety


Submit nonenc…

Enable


Userdata pers...

Enable


Scripting



Active scripting

Enable


Allow paste…

Enable


Scripting of Java…

Enable


User Authentication



Logon

Automatic logon with current...


Reset custom settings

Don’t, if you made the above adjustments.  { To select MS’s generic Low to High security Options. }


Default Level button

Don’t, if you made the above adjustments.  { These revert to the original MS security settings. }


Attachment Security/Security method

High      { 98; not ME }


Digital IDs (Certificates) & 2 buttons

{ Documents that allow you to prove your identity online. I have not used these. }


Other tab   { Still in Tools / Options}

{ Adjust these according to your personal preferences. }


{ Outlook thread: Tools / Options }

 

Return Home


 
Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x & 6.x Settings Press Ctrl-Home to return to the top. 

Tools


{ Do you know that you can run more then one IE at a time? In fact, you can Right-drag 2 IE icons into


Internet Options

your ‘Quick Launch’ bar, each with a different setting: ie: “URL:  http://www.blakeman.net/_VA/ ”. (in one) }


General tab

{ Personal preferences. I do not delete Temporary Internet files, nor History. }


Security tab

{ See Security under MS Outlook Options above - same thing. }


Privacy tab

Medium { Do not block cookies; you need them. They cannot harm you. }


Content tab

{ Limit what you can View (I don’t). Define your online ID (I don’t). Edit autocomplete options (I do). }


Connections tab



Setup button

{ Use a wizard to establish a new connection to the internet. }


Dial-up settings

EL Barn 15084376884 (Default)   { That’s Earthlink, Barnstable & the number it dials. I named it that way. }


Add button

{ Manually establish a new connection to the internet. }


Remove button

{ Delete a connection. }


Settings button

{ IE thread: Tools / Internet Options / Connections / Dial-up settings / settings }


Automatically detect settingst…

no


Use automatic configuration script

no


Use a proxy server

no


Dial-up settings



User name:

van9@earthlink.net    { was van@talarion.com }


Password:

****


Domain:

blank


Properties button

{ See MS Outlook under Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Connection / Modem / Properties - same thing)der MS Outlook Accounts above - same thing)


Advanced   { 98; not ME }

{ In ME, this is set in MS Outlook under Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / connection / Dialing }


Try to connect

2 times


Wait

5 seconds...


Disconnect if idle for

30 minutes


Disconnect when...

yes


Dial whenever a network connection…

yes     { This “network” should be read as “internet” }


Perform system security check…

no


LAN Settings…

none   { Unless your PC is part of an in-house 'Local Area Network' of machines. }


Programs tab



Internet programs

 


HTML editor:

Nvu { My preference, but FrontPage, Dreamweaver and Microsoft Word for Windows will work. }


E-mail:

  Microsoft Outlook

Newsgroups:

Microsoft Outlook


Internet call:

Microsoft NetMeeting


Calendar:

Microsoft Outlook


Contact list:

Microsoft Outlook


Reset Web Settings button

{ If you don’t like your default home page, search engine or whatever, this will give you Microsoft’s. }


Internet Explorer should check...

yes - always



Advanced tab / Settings:

{ IE thread: Tools / Internet Options / Advanced }


Accessibility

{ Personal preference or necessity. }


Browsing

{ Some of these settings are in IE 6, but not in IE 5. Just ignore them in IE 5. }


Always send URLs as…

yes


Automatically check…

no    (One less thing running in the background slowing things down - just do it yourself weekly.)


Close unused folders…

yes


Disable script debugging

no


Display a notification…

no


Enable folder view…

yes


Enable Install…

no & no  { Could allow installation of malicious coding. }


Enable offline items…

no


Enable page transitions

no


Enable personalized Favorites Menu

no     { ME; not 98 }


Enable third-party browser extensions ...

yes


Force offscreen compositing ...

no


Notify when downloads…

no


Reuse windows…

yes


Show channel bar at startup...

no     { 98; not ME }


Show friendly HTTP…

yes


Show friendly URLs

no


Show Go button in Address bar

no


Show Internet Explorer on the desktop

no     { Right-drag it into the Quick Launch bar instead. }


Underline links

Always


Use inline AutoComplete

yes    { ME; not 98 }


Use inline AutoComplete for Web...

yes    { 98; not ME }


Use inline AutoComplete in Win...

yes    { 98; not ME }


Use Passive FTP…

no


Use smooth scrolling

no


HTTP 1.1 settings



Use HTTP 1.1

yes


Use HTTP 1.1 through proxy…

no


Microsoft VM

{ Also see Outlook: Tools / Options / Security / Secure content / Zone / Zone settings / Custom / Microsoft VM }


Java console enabled…

yes


Java logging enabled

no


JIT compiler for virtual machine…

yes


Multimedia



Always show IE Radio toolbar

no


Don’t display online media ... bar

no


Enable Automatic Image Resizing

no


Enable Image Toolbar

yes


Play animations

no


Play sounds

yes


Play videos

yes


Show image download placeholders

no


Show pictures

yes


Smart image dithering

no


Printing



Print background colors and images

no


Search from the Address bar



When searching

Just go to the most likely site


Security



Check for publisher's certificate…

yes


Check for server certificate...

no


Check for signatures ...

no


Do not save encrypted pages…

no


Empty Temporary Internet Files…

no


Enable Profile Assistant

no


Use Fortezza

yes


Use PCT 1.0

no


Use SSL 2.0

yes


Use SSL 3.0

yes


Use TLS 1.0

no


Warn about invalid site certificates

yes


Warn if changing between secure…

no


Warn if forms submittal is... redirected

yes

Return Home......

Restore Defaults button

no!  Not after all this work!



{ IE thread: Tools / Internet Options / Advanced }