Using ACT! Internet Mail client with non-standard ports

It has been an issue for some years that some ISPs have been changing to non-standard ports for SMTP (usually 25) and POP3 (usually 110). This is to provide some added protection against spam and hackers.

For ACT! users, this has usually meant having to use Outlook or Outlook Express as the ACT! Internet Mail email client doesn’t support changing these ports.

While most users who have access to Microsoft Outlook prefer this as the best email client for ACT! (even more so with the current versions that integrate more tightly into Outlook), not all users have it available.

Outlook Express has other issues – no HTML email and it’s not available in Microsoft’s Windows Vista.

For those caught in this position, there is an option. You need to use port redirector software so that you can call port 25 or 110 on the local machine (or network server) and have it redirected to the port the ISP is using on their mail server.

One such product to try for this is Steel Bytes' PortTunnel.

  • Set the In port to be 25 (for SMTP) or 110 (for POP3) – you may not need both
  • For each, set the Out traffic to the port and target that your mail server requires
  • Then tell ACT!’s Email client to use the machine with the service (127.0.0.1 if on the local machine)

Give it a try and post a comment if it helps you.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Well I tried to configure my Netgear router but got confused -- I think that's the best place to configure ports.

However, I chose the easy route and called AT&T, which unblocked my port because I'm a business subscriber (if you're a home subscriber you'll have to use the port override programs).

GLComputing said...

I don't know of a Netgear router that can forward a port to a different port, which is what this post is about.

John Burt said...

I had the same issue, and using port tunnel have had partial success, in that I can now send outgoing mail on a yahoo.com address, but still unable to connect to the incoming pop server.
Yahoos instructions state to enable SSL.
I downloaded the trial key from SteelByte, but was unable to figure out on the SSL tab how to actually simply say yes.. far too many boxes for this bear of little brain.
Incidentally, I had tried to use a yahoo.ca address, but couldnt get anywhere in either direction
Any clues?

GLComputing said...

For help with this, you might try posting in the LinkedIN ACT! Fanatics Group:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=49896

GL Computing said...

I don't know of a Netgear router that can forward a port to a different port, which is what this post is about.

MagicBoy said...

Well I tried to configure my Netgear router but got confused -- I think that's the best place to configure ports.

However, I chose the easy route and called AT&T, which unblocked my port because I'm a business subscriber (if you're a home subscriber you'll have to use the port override programs).

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