Hi CoJo, when you send or receive an email, you should see a little icon in your systrai near the clock, for just a second or two, with a litlle blue dot in it.
If not, no problem.
You can set it up like this: go to start/programs/avast and then click on mail-protection wizzard.
Follow the steps, its just a matter of a few clicks, filling in your pop and smtp server.
Depending on the email-client you use, you might have to set up your pop and smtp configuration again.
This should be easy, something like cojo@belsouth.com#pop3.belsouth.com in your username. For pop and smtp you set it to 127.0.0.1.
If you use Outlook you dont have to do this last one.
Sorry for my bad english, it is not my native language.
Good Luck.