I know this is a ridiculous question for pros but I have to ask to know. Is it possible to have the same email address on 2 or 3 different computers and if so how does a reply or new email know which computer to go to?

Thx if anyone can help with this elementary question.



Bob Newton

I wouldn't do it. unless you set the other computers not to delete the mail that it downloads from the server.

If you set up the email account on each computer so that it is a POP account that leaves a copy of the messages on the server, you are telling Outlook to just download whatever's in that email account from the server, so it takes everything to each computer that's set up that way. In this case, when you delete stuff or mark it as read at your inbox on one computer, it wouldn't change what shows in the inbox on any of the other computers that point to the same email account. Another thing to consider is that the Sent Items would only reside on the computer where you sent it, not on the server, so it could get frustrating if you really need to find something you sent...unless you BCC yourself routinely...which can cause other issues.

This is good if you need to have your emails available from several locations and do not have access to an Exchange server and cannot set it up as an IMAP account, but it can get confusing. I have a Yahoo account that has been my lifeblood for business leads for over a decade, and I do POP it to multiple computers. But, periodically I change the settings at my primary computer (after I've synched the others) to *not* leave a copy on the server, and do a quick dump of that server inbox and then reset the "leave a copy" setting. It's a royal pain in so many ways, but in my business, I can't afford to change my email address, and I don't have the $$$ or time to set up an Exchange server, nor the funding to pay someone else to host Exchange for me. Just food for thought...YMMV

Good luck!