I cannot access my emails using my Outlook for Mac when abroad

[Psych13]

Dear BT Community,

I arrived in Greece yesterday and for the first time since arriving, have tried to check my emails using my Outlook for Mac (which works perfectly fine when I'm in the UK)-but I receive the following message: 

Do you have any idea why I am unable to access my emails abroad using Outlook for Mac? I can send and receive using BT web mail but I prefer to use Outlook and am here for a few weeks! Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Psych13]

Just to add: I've been having a live chat with Microsoft for the last hour and they are unable to resolve this for me. The issue is not to do with my MS Profile identity-something happens when I travel to Greece such that my email settings are either not recognised or something is blocking my settings. I have turned off my anti virus as a test and that didn't resolve things either. 

[gg30340]

It may be that the Internet Provider you are using in Greece is stopping your BT settings or it could be that your Internet Provider's IP address is being blocked by BT.

I usually find that when I am abroad it is invariable easier just to use webmail than my usual email clients.

[Psych13]

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply:). After having spoken to BT,  it seems that this is indeed the most likely cause (he made reference to the IP address). I had previously spoken to Microsoft for an hour and they didn't have a clue:). 🙄   The guys at BT suggested that I use my iPhone's personal hotspot feature (if I do wish to use Outlook whilst abroad)-so I've been doing that and then reverting back to the wifi network I'm on-just because I don't pay for it:). I don't want to use all of my mobile data from downloading emails but I do prefer to use Outlook than web-based mail; I'm away for 3 months. I might be able to cope if it were a week or two but it's a little longer than that and I do like Outlook. 

I wish I knew a workaround to be able to communicate to the hosts I'm staying with; maybe they could set up their wifi so that it recognises my BT settings IP address *or* why don't BT just stop blocking international IP addresses? 🤔

Thanks again for your reply-it helps to have some confirmation of what BT suggested. 

[gg30340 · Accepted solution]

Re "why don't BT just stop blocking international IP addresses".  One of the main reasons is because it is international IP addresses that the majority of spam originates from.

You could try using a VPN on your Mac and set it with a UK IP address and that may allow your email client to work.

There are free VPNs but they usually only allow a limited option for setting where the IP address is so you may have to pay for one. 

Most of them give a months free "full feature" use so you could change providers every month to avoid having to pay for the full package if they have a minimum period rather than a monthly package.  

EDIT: It will not be your host who is blocking you, it would be their Internet Provider, so your host would be unable to do anything about it.

[Psych13]

Thank you so much for the below:). I decided to heed the suggestion of using web based mail from abroad and just login to my Outlook using my personal hotspot from my iPhone occasionally to make sure all folders are up to date, etc.  Thanks for your help though. I have learned something new, and that's what matters:).