How to sync email between WLM desktop and web Hotmail?

[Guest]

Have had a sonic.net account since the mid-90’s. I want to keep the email address and have added it to a Windows live hotmail web account that scoops the sonic.net account emails and puts them into my Hotmail inbox online.

I also have Windows Live mail Desktop 2011 that grabs email from the sonic.net email account.

For the life of me I can’t figure out how to keep the two inboxes synced (ie; delete or move and email in WLM desktop is not deleted/moved in Hotmail web interface or vise versa).

I have set up a pop3 in WLM desktop (no luck). Set up IMAP in WLM desktop (no luck). The IMAP does keep the WLM desktop and Sonic web interface synced (as designed).

I want to keep with the WLM desktop and Hotmail web interface because of the contact and calendar syncing.

Any help would be appreciated

thanks in advance,

[dane]

So it sounds like WLM will access Sonic via IMAP, which keeps the messages here and thus the two are in sync.

Is the issue then just Hotmail? Does it support IMAP, or only POP?

-Dane

[dougr]

I don't think Hotmail has IMAP capability. The "settings" section offers HTTPS (for better online security) but warns that any desktop program will have issues if it is setup.

Thanks,
Doug

[dane]

Basically IMAP lets you use Sonic.net as a centralized common repository for the mail, then you'd be using various interfaces to access it. These could include client applications like Outlook or Thunderbird, our webmail interface, or an outside interface that supports a remote IMAP server.

Not to be confused with a mail service which itself offers an IMAP server - in other words, they store the mail and let you access it using a client like Outlook, etc.

Looking at Gmail's settings now, I see that it offers IMAP as a server, but I don't see it offering to act as a client. I think this is likely to be the crux of the issue if you're trying to keep Sonic.net, WLM and Hotmail all using the same mail storage.

-Dane

[dougr]

Thanks for your input Dane.
Don't really want hotmail to use the same mail storage, just stay synced with WLM.
I have decided to dump WLM and go to Outlook which can act as a client with exchange (correct?).

Have just installed Outlook 2010. Will set up to download from Sonic.net. Should I set up as POP3?
You have settings/setup for Outlook 2007 on the Sonic site. Is this close enough for 2010?

After setup I will see if Hotmail can stay synced with Outlook.

Thanks again,
Doug

[dane]

IMAP is what you want - it provides a central store for your messages, which will thus "sync" on various clients such as Outlook, Thunderbird, our webmail, iPhone, iPad, and other smartphones.

Hotmail may or may not support accessing a remote IMAP server. I haven't used it, and don't know, but sort of doubt it.

-Dane

[jleake]

The screenshots for Outlook 2007 are pretty similar to Outlook 2010. The biggest difference is that you'll find the section you need under File>Info. Then select Add Account to add a new account or Account Settings to modify an existing account.