Sending e-mail from off-campus

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Overview

Note: This information only applies to full-time students, EMBA 73 & 74 students, and faculty and staff that have been migrated to the new Kellogg Exchange environment.

If you're getting an error message when trying to send mail (especially "None of your e-mail accounts could send to this recipient", "We do not relay" or "Mail not local"), it's probably because you're trying to send mail from off-campus. Like virtually every other network on the Internet, Northwestern's mail servers are set to accept outbound mail only from computers on its network. So, if you try to send mail from home using Comcast, your IP address will look like this: gibberish.moregibberish.comcast.net and the Northwestern mail server will reject it because it's a non northwestern.edu address.

Information for current students, faculty and staff

Like virtually every other network on the Internet, Northwestern's e-mail servers are set to accept outbound mail only from computers on its network. So, if you try to send mail from home using the your cable modem service, your IP address might look like this: gibberish51.comcast.net. The Northwestern mail server will reject it because it's a non-northwestern.edu address.

There are two ways around this problem:

  • You can use Northwestern's Virtual Private Network (VPN) server. If you use the VPN server, you'll be assigned a NU IP address like this: vpn0700008.vpn.northwestern.edu and your mail will go through. See our NU VPN instructions for Windows XP or Windows Vista for more information.
  • You could configure multiple accounts in Outlook. See below for more information.

Both options will solve the problem, but we recommend the VPN solution, because it will also help you connect to Northwestern University Library research databases that would otherwise be off-limits to off-campus web surfers. VPN will also help you connect to the Kellogg domain.

Creating multiple accounts in Outlook

If you switch back and forth between networks frequently, you might want to add a second "personality" that would use your ISP's mail server Instead of changing Outlook's configuration each time you switch locations (see "How can I create multiple accounts in Outlook?" below for instructions).

Before starting, check our off-campus mail server quick reference below or contact your ISP to find out what their SMTP server address is. You will need this before you can proceed.

  1. Go to the Tools menu and select Email Accounts
  2. Select Add a new email account.
  3. The information should be the same as for your Kellogg account (same e-mail address, username, etc.). The only thing that will be different is the Outgoing mail (SMTP) server. Make sure you enter your ISP's SMTP server here. You can click on More Settings to give the account a name like "Home".
  4. After you've created your second email account, go to Tools > Send/Receive > Send/Receive Settings > Define Send/Receive Groups. Click on All Accounts and click Edit. Uncheck the box next to your newly created "Home" account and click OK then Close.

Now, when sending messages from home, before you click the "Send" button, go to the Accounts menu, then choose your "Home" account.

Off-campus SMTP server quick reference

Here is a list of off-campus mail servers. Please note that these servers are not maintained by Kellogg or Northwestern.

Cable provider SMTP Server address
Comcast -- Evanston & North Suburbs smtp.comcast.net
RCN (formerly 21st Century) -- Chicago mail.21stcentury.net
All other providers Call your Internet Service Provider

Last update: August 23, 2007