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Newsgroup FAQs - E-Mail

This document contains the AT&T Worldnet Help E-Mail Newsgroup FAQs posted to the worldnet.help.faqs newsgroup every 30 days.

If you have additional e-mail questions and are unable to find the answers in our E-mail FAQ and the E-Mail Newsgroup FAQ, please post them in one of the following AT&T Worldnet help newsgroups. Be sure to mention the application that you're using and the version of that application. If you're new to newsgroups, please read our Newsgroups Tutorial for a brief introduction to newsgroups and instructions on how to participate in them. Note: If you're looking for AT&T DSL Service support, see http://dslhelp.att.net

Click the newsgroup name if you're dialed into AT&T Worldnet Service. If you are dialed into AT&T Worldnet Service and would rather use your browser than a newsreader to view these newsgroups, click the webnews link and the newsgroup will open in a new browser window. If you've enabled accessing your account from another ISP, use a newsreader that supports SSL and have configured your newsreader to access the iNetNews servers, click the iNetNews link to the right of the newsgroup name.

If your browser supports it, hover your mouse pointer over the newsgroup name and a brief description of the newsgroup will be displayed.

Note: When you open the software, make sure you expand the plus (+) signs next to the messages listed. By doing this you will be able to view the messages and responses of others as well as see the answer to your particular question.

For a list of all of the AT&T Worldnet help newsgroups, see Getting Help Through Newsgroups.

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Forwarding E-mail with Full Headers

Question: How do I forward messages with required information to improve the performance of the e-mail screener?

Answer: This FAQ will provide information on forwarding messages.

Background: One of the features of the E-mail Screener system is that end users can forward junk mail that did not get filtered to missed-spam@att.net. This permits the e-mail screener system to create a rule that will block such messages in the future.

In similar fashion, should any non-junk mail be accidentally filtered out it can be forwarded to another address, this-is-not-spam@att.net in order to prevent this error from occurring in the future.

In order for this to work, the forwarded message has to contain sufficient information for creating the rule. A necessary part of this information is the message header. The header contains all the routing information that tells how the e-mail arrived in your mailbox. A header for a typical spam message is shown at the end of this FAQ.

Simply forwarding a message from an e-mail client to missed-spam@att.net may not result in all the necessary information from being sent. Many clients strip the header information from the message before it is sent.

This FAQ provides instructions on how to perform the message forwarding so that the necessary information is sent. Please use this method if at all possible since messages that are forwarded as attachments can be processed easier and faster than inline messages. Be aware that only the header and the message should be sent to missed-spam@att.net. Do not include any other comments or documentation such as abuse reports or anything other than the header and body of the original message.

The method for forwarding the messages varies depending on the e-mail client you use to get your e-mail. This FAQ will cover some of the most common e-mail clients. If you need help with a different e-mail client or assistance with following these instructions, you can ask in the: news://worldnet.help.email-software newsgroup.

Procedure:
Using the following instructions will result in forwarding appropriate information to missed-spam@att.net. You may wish to print out the instructions for future reference.

Microsoft Outlook Express 5.x

  1. Launch Microsoft Outlook Express.
  2. Click the e-mail message that you want to submit.
  3. From the Message menu, choose Forward as Attachment.
  4. In the To: field, type missed-spam@att.net.
  5. Leave the subject and body of the message blank, and then send the message.
Note: If you are warned that the message has no subject, click the OK button.

Microsoft Outlook Express 6.x

  1. Launch Microsoft Outlook Express.
  2. Right-click the message that you want to send, and then choose Forward as an attachment.
  3. In the To: field, type missed-spam@att.net.
  4. Leave the subject and body of the message blank, and then send the message.
Note: If you are warned that the message has no subject, click the OK button.

Microsoft Outlook

  1. Launch Microsoft Outlook.
  2. From the Tools menu, choose Options.
  3. Click the Preferences tab, and then click the E-mail Options button.
  4. From the When forwarding a message menu, choose Attach Original Message.

Netscape Mail or Messenger

  1. Launch Netscape Mail.
  2. Right-click the message that you want to send, and then choose Forward as an attachment.
  3. In the To: field, type, missed-spam@att.net.
  4. Leave the subject and body of the message blank, and then send the message.

Note: If you are warned that the message has no subject, click the OK button.

You won't normally receive any acknowledgment of forwarded messages but be assured they are used to build better rules to help improve the E-mail Screener. Thanks for helping to make it better for everyone. Note, however, that not all messages forwarded to missed-spam@att.net will result in a new message rule. What is junk to one member may be desirable mail to another. A key consideration of the screener is to avoid screening messages in error. As a result, some messages you consider spam may still be received.

A typical spam message header, the header is the usually hidden portion of an e-mail which contains all the routing information:

Return-Path: <k3go@fogdata.se>
Received: from whnt928.webhosting.com ([205.178.159.22])
by mtiwgwc27.worldnet.att.net
(InterMail vM.4.01.02.39 201-229-119-122) with ESMTP
id
<20001010192048.TIFE2589.mtiwgwc27.worldnet.att.net
@whnt928.webhosting.com>;
Tue, 10 Oct 2000 19:20:48 +0000
Received: from jumbo3 ([63.23.66.165]) by whnt928.webhosting.com with
Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.5.1877.197.19);
Tue, 10 Oct 2000 15:25:55 -0400
To: k3go@fogdata.se
From: k3go@fogdata.se
Comments: Authenticated sender is <k3go@fogdata.se>
Reply-to: k3go@fogdata.se
Subject: Reach Hundreds of Prospects Every Month
t19
Message-Id: <200010101473QAA40040@post.178.159.22>
Return-Path: k3go@fogdata.se
Date: 10 Oct 2000 15:26:55 -0400

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Additional E-mail Addresses

Question: How can I get more than one e-mail address?

Answer: Is there more than one person using your computer and your AT&T Worldnet Internet access? Would you like more than one e-mail address for users in your household, or even for yourself, to keep e-mail to and from different sources separate?

AT&T Worldnet Service now provides up to FIVE ADDITIONAL e-mail addresses with each account, as well as additional features like 10 megabytes (MBs) of Web space per e-mail address. You select the e-mail ID and the address will be e-mail-ID@worldnet.att.net or e-mail-ID@att.net. Either address will work.

Practical help is also on the Web at the WURD (Worldnet User's Reference Desk):

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Forwarding E-mail

Question: How do I forward my incoming AT&T Worldnet e-mail to any other e-mail account?

Answer: To have e-mail forwarded automatically to another e-mail account:

  1. Visit the AT&T Worldnet Member Services.
  2. Select Administer Your E-mail Settings.
  3. Log in using your AT&T Worldnet e-mail ID and e-mail password for the account you wish to forward.
  4. The next screen will provide the current status of e-mail forwarding. Choose Turn E-mail Forwarding On if it is currently OFF.
  5. On the next screen you can enter the e-mail address to which you want your messages to be forwarded. Make sure you read the note Important Information about E-mail Forwarding at the bottom of this screen. Also see the warning at the bottom of this FAQ.
  6. If you wish to have messages available both in you AT&T Worldnet e-mailbox and in the forwarded address e-mailbox, choose this option. Note that if you choose to leave a copy of messages in your AT&T Worldnet e-mailbox and don't download or delete them periodically, your e-mailbox will fill up and you will no longer receive e-mail.
  7. After you choose the Submit button, an E-mail Forwarding Status screen will then be presented confirming your choices. If the information is incorrect you can make the appropriate selection to correct it.
  8. To disable e-mail forwarding, complete steps 1-4 and choose Turn E-mail Forwarding OFF.

***Warning about some problems with e-mail forwarding:

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E-mail Help

Below are some things you can do to help us assist you.

Please give us some idea of what the problem is in your subject line, and indicate which program you are using. You can find the name and version of the program from the Help menu and choosing About.

In general, try to post your problem to the appropriate group.

Remember to check out the subject lines of other posts before you post your question, because your question may have already been answered. If you don't see the answers, select the + sign next to the subject in your newsreader in order to show all the replies to a particular post.

If you still need assistance after getting an answer, please reply back to our response.

If you just need configuration information for your software, go to E-Mail Clients and AT&T Worldnet Service

For questions about e-mail software, including Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Netscape, Eudora, Pegasus etc., the Worldnet Message Center or the Mail Screener:

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HTML E-mail Messages

Question: What are Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) e-mail messages, and how do I use them?

Answer: HTML e-mail messages are e-mails that look just like Web pages. You can use color, different fonts, and pictures or graphics to design these HTML messages. Most newer e-mail programs let you drag images into the message so that your e-mail includes pictures of different things or just graphics that improve the overall appearance of the message.

Before you send HTML messages, realize that to many people this may be inconvenient since their e-mail programs may not be set up to see messages in this format and/or their Internet service provider (ISP) may not allow such messages to get through their e-mail servers. Those who can't see them in the way you intended encounter something of a mess. You should first ask regular correspondents before sending HMTL messages.

Most new e-mail programs in the address book will let you designate who does or doesn't prefer to receive HTML. In Outlook Express you can set an address property to convert all messages to Plain Text. In Netscape's address book you must indicate that the person prefers to receive Rich Text HTML messages. Some e-mail programs are set up so that they will reply to an e-mail in the same format that the original e-mail was sent.

To test how your HTML messages look, send yourself one and then view it either in your e-mail program and/or on the Web using AT&T Message Center at: http://webmail.att.net

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Leaving E-mail on the Server

Question: Should I leave e-mail on the e-mail server?

Answer: Usually your e-mail programs are set by default to remove e-mail from the server. This means that once a message has been downloaded to your computer by the e-mail program, such as Outlook Express, Netscape Messenger, etc., it is no longer on the AT&T Worldnet e-mail servers. This is a good thing, since messages can pile up on the server. AT&T Worldnet Service gives you 10 megabytes (MB) of space for e-mail, which is a lot of e-mail. But if you receive large attachments, that 10MB can quickly be used. That being said, there are times when you should leave e-mail messages on the server.

  1. Generally this applies when you have two computers. For example, you might be on a vacation using your laptop, but want all your messages to end up on your desktop computer when you get home. Just set the e-mail program on your laptop to keep messages on the server and set your desktop computer to delete them.
  2. This also is true if you check e-mail from work as well as home.

Just remember, unless one of the e-mail programs on one of the computers removes the messages, those old messages will fill up your e-mail box. When your allocated 10MB is full, people sending e-mail to you will get their message returned and not be able to contact you.

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Reducing Junk E-mail or Spam

Question: I have received some junk e-mail, also known as spam, and there was an option to reply in order to be removed from the e-mailing list. How can I reduce junk e-mail, and should I reply to be taken off the list?

Answer: Make sure you enable the Worldnet E-mail Screener program. It is effective at eliminating much of the spam you are now receiving. If you already have enabled the E-mail Screener for your e-mail account(s), you may also try setting up filter rules within your e-mail program. For detailed information on setting up your e-mail screening option, e-mail program filters, and other useful anti-spam tactics, visit these sites:

As for replying to junk e-mail, it may be a good idea not to reply. An e-mail address is valuable to marketers, especially if it is fresh. By replying to junk e-mail you are proving that your address is valid and that you read your e-mail (how else did you find out how to get taken off the list?) So if you reply, you significantly increase the marketing value of your e-mail address. The company e-mailing you the spam may be honest and take you off their e-mailing list, but even if the company keeps its word, it can sell or trade your e-mail address to another junk e-mailer. Responding to spam will oftentimes get you more junk e-mails, not fewer. Sometimes silence is golden.

If you'd like an overview of spam and a brief tutorial on the subject, go to:

Filtering How To's are also available by e-mail client:

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Shorter Worldnet E-mail Address

Question: Did you know that other people may send e-mail to your Worldnet address as either e-mail-ID@worldnet.att.net or just e-mail-ID@att.net?

Answer: In other words, you no longer need to include worldnet as part of your e-mail address if you don't choose to do so. You can use: e-mail-ID@att.net instead of e-mail-ID@worldnet.att.net
E-mail messages addressed as either will be recognized and reach your e-mail box.

Question: Why would I want to use the shorter e-mail address?

Answer: Friends and family may have an easier time remembering your shorter e-mail address.

Question: Are there any potential problems with using the shorter e-mail address?

Answer: One thing to be aware of is that if you are subscribed to an e-mailing list, you will continue to receive e-mail from that list, but you will not be able to send to the list. You will have to notify the list that your e-mail address has changed to the shorter version. If you are not sure what an e-mail list is and are curious, for more information go to:
Mailing Lists - An Internet Tutorial

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Testing How My E-mail Looks

Question: How do I test the way my e-mail messages look or are received?

Answer: You may want to test your e-mail settings to see how a message appears to someone receiving it or to make sure all your settings are correct by sending the e-mail to yourself. To do this:

  1. Compose your message as you would any other, and in the To: section simply enter your own e-mail address. Be sure to include any signature you have created. Then send the message. (Don't forget you might want to try using both the Plain Text and HTML formats for e-mail).
  2. Next time you check your e-mail you will either receive your message or you will receive an error message.
    1. If you receive your message, check out how your e-mail address appears. You may also want to look at the full headers. In Netscape, from the "View" menu, select "All Headers." In Outlook Express, hold down the ALT and ENTER keys at the same time. The information you view there will be available to anyone receiving your e-mail.
    2. If you receive an error message it will provide some information on what is wrong. The error might indicate your e-mail address was wrong or some other setting is incorrect. You may post the error message in one of the "worldnet.help.software.mail" newsgroups, which will help the AT&T employees determine what the problem is.
  3. Of course, your e-mail may appear slightly differently in other e-mail programs. One option you may want to try is checking your own messages on AT&T Worldnet's Web-based e-mail service, known as AT&T Message Center at: http://webmail.att.net

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Email Size Guidelines

What is the maximum size e-mail I can send or receive with Worldnet?

Most Internet Service Providers put a limit on the size of a user's server mail box. A limit of 2MB to 10MB is common depending on the type of mail service used. Any message larger than the size limit will be rejected. Often there is already other mail waiting in the user's server mail box waiting for download. This reduces available space for messages. Any message larger than the available space for messages will also get rejected. The total size for the message includes the e-mail message and the encoding overhead (normally performed automatically when sending mail) for the attachment. If the recipient's limit is a 10MB mail box, you will not be able to send a file attachment over approximately 7MB.

With the above information in mind, you should use the following guidelines when sending or receiving large e-mail messages:


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