Mail application giving me headaches

[cidamon]

Hi there. I've got a Mail issue that even the most experienced Mac users seem to be baffled about.

I've always used Entourage for my e-mail, but wanted to support APple by using Mail, and I was told it had better security issues (?). So I switched over to Mail a few months or so ago. That's when my problems started. I have my own domain/website, and I travel a lot for business. I also use a T-Mobile Sidekick 2 to check my mail.

Here's the problem.

Whenever I'm on the road, my messages download to my pager just fine (and the "REMOVE MAIL FROM SERVER" box is UNCHECKED); but I'm unable to check my mail using my web-based mail client (i.e., mail2web.com or the website provided by my hosting company). It says I have no mail...but as soon as I get back to my 'home' computer, all the messages download just fine. As a result, I'm stuck with only being able to check mail/respond on my pager - which is not at all productive, especially when I send/receive files. Even when I do NOT use my pager, it says I have no mail...then I get home and download a pile of messages.

WHY does this happen? I've checked the settings in my Mail prefs, and they're all correct. Any ideas?

Thanks.

[MisterMe]

You have not describing anything specific to Mail. To the contrary, it appears that Mail is working. You need to work with your hosting company to run down your problems.

In the future, it will be really useful to share with us the version of your copy of Entourage, MacOS X 10, Mail, etc.

[cidamon]

Yikes - what a curt and "scolding response" that was. This is my first time in these forums...so bear with me.

I'm using OS X 10.4.3, and all the latest. Entourage (I'm using the Office X version; been thinking of upgrading to 2004) is NOT the problem - it works FINE with my mail settings. All these problems started when I started using Mail. Why would I be unable to check my mail when on the road, yet come back and be able to download it all on Mail? Whenever I use Entourage, I can check my mail on the road using mail2web.com, but if I use Mail, I'm unable to do this.

What else would I need to post in terms of settings/prefs for someone to work with me? The hosting company I use is run by a good friend of mine, and he and I have been struggling with this problem for a few weeks now. It is DEFINITELY not the ISP nor the pager company...because when I use Entourage, both work fine. But when I use Mail, my mail "disappears".

Hope this helps.

Thanks!

[ElDiabloConCaca]

That is a strange problem... what kind of account is it -- POP or IMAP? I'm assuming, from the way you described it, that it is a POP account...

Try doing this (I know it may seem a bit backward, but give it a try):

In your POP account settings, under "Advanced," enable (check) "Remove copy from server after retrieving a message:" and set it to "When moved from Inbox". I believe that the default behavior for POP accounts when that option is UNchecked is to remove the message immediately, like any good POP client should. Now, the messages should stay on the server even if you've downloaded them in Mail, and will only be removed from the server when they're moved from your Inbox in Mail. Note that any changes like this will only affect future messages -- messages already downloaded into Mail before enabling this option will not "sync" back to the server.

To store messages on a server and receive them in multiple places, an IMAP account really should be used -- POP was designed more around a "deliver the message to one, single place" mentality.

If you are indeed using an IMAP account instead of a POP account, please disregard all of the above...