Creating an e mail address

[#1]

New to PN can someone explain to this poor soul how simply to create an e mail address I can use with Outlook Express. All on line  help guides and on YouTube seem impossibly complex with emails, mailboxes, alias's etc.  I think have a default one on joining but now 2 days after joining all efforts to make this work have  met with little success. 
Currently using a gmail address which is infinately easier to create than a PN one! 
0/10 for simplicity Pnet! 
Regards

[#2]

From here https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=myemail&s=1&redirected=yes&?membermenu=emailsettings
Click on Manage My Mail
Then on Create New Email Address
Follow the steps and there you are

[#3]

Quote from: Oldjim

From here https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=myemail&s=1&redirected=yes&?membermenu=emailsettings Click on Manage My Mail Then on Create New Email Address Follow the steps and there you are

I've been there but I don't know what its trying to tell me on the summary page.  Already filled in under the heading "e mail address" it has my first "name @" and alongside under "type" it says "mailbox" and then "default"
So  I created another e mail address which has alongside it  says  "postmaster@"  and under type it says "alias" and then my new mail address just created followed be a dustbin icon.
I'm far from being a non techy type but  I've seen easier cryptic crossword clues!!!
If I read the PN blurb correctly you get a default e mail address when you join which is your first name followed be your log in user name,  however if I try sending mail to that address it comes back as "unknown"
All as clear as mud! 

[#4]

Ok, the first thing to understand is that there are 2 types of email addresses you can have on your account, mailboxes and aliases. All these are in the form <somename>@<yourusername>.plus.com.
Mailboxes are 'real' email addreses and any mail sent to them will go into a mailbox which is collected by using the <mailboxname>@<youraccountname>.plus.com and the password ( you set for that mailbox when you created it ) in your email client. Aliases are just that, a name which is used as an email address e.g <aliasname>@<yourusername>.plus.com and is associated with a real mailbox. All email to that alias will go into the associated mailbox. Aliases are useful when subscribing to new websites,forums etc, you can give each one effectively a different email address by creating a separate alias for each , each associated with one of your actual mailboxes. That way when you start getting spam to an alias , you know who it's from , and if necessary you can just delete the alias and any further mail can get 'blackholed'.
When creating new mailboxes & aliases it's probably simpler to select either the 'mailboxes' or 'aliases' tab in 'Manage my mail' first.
Hope that helps

[#5]

Right well thats as I understood thanks,  but  it but it doesn't explain why my default address which I ASSUME was created on joining is not operative and of course waiting time to get to speak to someone is 45 minutes at least. Maybe I should have stayed with my old ISP!?? 
Good old gmail! 

[#6]

If you didn't specify a PN email address ( but used your gmail one ) when joining then it could be that your email component ( of the account ) isn't set up completely. If you try creating another mailbox ( and it lets you do it ) then that might 'kick' the system into properly activating the email component. Failing that, 'online chat' might be able to help, it's sometimes quicker than the phone.

[#7]

Quote from: MisterW

If you didn't specify a PN email address ( but used your gmail one ) when joining then it could be that your email component ( of the account ) isn't set up completely. If you try creating another mailbox ( and it lets you do it ) then that might 'kick' the system into properly activating the email component. Failing that, 'online chat' might be able to help, it's sometimes quicker than the phone.

Yes I did specify a gmail address as my corresponding address so that sort of sounds plausable. I'll try making another mailbox as you suggest. The on line chat is "off line" just now....gone for tea?!

[#8]

Quote from: hamster21

Currently using a gmail address which is infinately easier to create than a PN one!    0/10 for simplicity Pnet!

Quote from: hamster21

...it but it doesn't explain why my default address which I ASSUME was created on joining is not operative Good old gmail!

Hi hamster21,
A warm welcome to the forums.
First the comparison of PlusNet's email service and gmail - gmail is a single email box / account - though I understand your perspective of simplicity - you are comparing chalk and cheese.  The PlusNet service will allow you to create multiple email addresses (one for each member of the family or for different roles / activities you are involved in - personal vs business vs leisure) if you want them, each with their own separate password.  Gmail gives you a just a single address.  You could if you wanted obtain your own domain name, have it hosted by PlusNet and then you can send emails to you@yourdomain.co.uk
As MisterW has explained, there are real email boxes, alternative names for the same mailbox (aliases) and also redirects so that you can give people the address of something@myaccount.plus.com and have the PlusNet email server send those emails elsewhere.
The first question is what is it you want to do?
The second question is has your PlusNet broadband service started yet?  Until your subscription starts, the usability of the PlusNet email service is limited - in what way are you finding that it does not work?  It is possible that you have configured the mailbox property, but have an issue with your email program.  How are your trying to access the default email box - a program on your device, or via PlusNet's webmail interface?

[#9]

Quote from: Townman

The first question is what is it you want to do? The second question is has your PlusNet broadband service started yet?  Until your subscription starts, the usability of the PlusNet email service is limited - in what way are you finding that it does not work?  It is possible that you have configured the mailbox property, but have an issue with your email program.  How are your trying to access the default email box - a program on your device, or via PlusNet's webmail interface?

I joined PN three days ago and have an account all set up and working with broadband
What I want to do is explained in my first post. Initially, anyway, I want what I used to know as an "e mail address" like a gmail address that I can ask my friends to send  emails to!    These would then be downloaded in to my on Outlook Express via POP 3 etc which I have all set up ready as per PN data.  Thats all! 
Outlook Express doesn't recognise my default address and I have  tried to access the  PN Webmail pages and it won't allow me access.
I have tried all day on and off to use the PN helpline but its always busy and the online chat is non functional so as a last resort came here for some assistance
I dispute your comment s re Gmail  email since if I'm prepared to,  I can create as many address's on there as I like and already have two.  Likewise my last ISP allowed me to set up to 6.

[#10]

Hi,
You can set up nearly an unlimited number of email addresses here, buts first lets see if you can simply connect to the default account.  Exactly what error message are you getting?  Can you connect to the email box?  Can you send emails? Can you receive emails?  That is, is it totally non-operational or just partly non-operational?
To connect to the default account, create an Outlook express account as follows...
Name: whatever you want to call it
Email address (check to see what's the default email address on your mail settings on the portal) - something@<youraccount>.plus.com (if you are unsure use postmaster@<youraccount>.plus.com
Username: <youraccount>
Password: <youraccount password>
Incoming server: mail.plus.net (if POP3) or imap.plus.net (if IMAP)
Out going server: relay.plus.net
Then try to connect to email and note the error message and post back here.
At the simplest level of attempting to access email, use the PN Webmail system and just put your username and password in - that should connect you to your default email box.  If that does not work, then the problem is not your setting up of the email boxes or Outlook, it is something else.  If you have created additional email addresses in Webmail the user name for them is: <youraccount>+mailboxname and use the password you gave that box.  Using webmail, you can 'layer' the diagnosis of the problem - mailbox configuration or Outlook access configuration.
Hope that helps.

[#11]

@hamster21
I really don't understand why you're even bothering with plusnet email
If you're happy with, know how to use and your friends already you gmail address why not just continue to use it, rather than replace it with one you'll either lose or have to pay for should you choose to leave PN and also isn't secure.
ISP provided email is best avoided IMO.

[#12]

Davey...you know I think your right!!!   I don't care for the format of the PN email address's anyway!
Wise words......
Regards
dick:quote

[#13]

@hamster21, I've just replied to your open ticket.
I'm not sure if anything's changed but your email address seems to be functional. I've added some detail about how to configure things on the ticket.