Timedout

[davepreach]

Today I started getting this message poping up with an AVAST heading.  "
AVAST! Connection Timeout
internet connection timeout elapsed.  Continue waiting?
(OUTLOOK.EXE ->205.208.196.10.ispnetbilling.com:110)

What is this and how do I correct the problem?

[szc]

I suggest you search these forums prior asking just because there are numerous (literally thousands) of posts already explaining how to solve this problem. Plus, you would find your answer much faster as well.

Here (follow links I gave in my reply in that thread):

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17823.msg151666#msg151666

[alanrf]

Did you make any changes to your email setup on Outlook today?

The message you received is from the Internet Mail scanner of avast saying that a connection from Oulook (apparently trying to receive POP3 email) has waited too long.

It would appear that an email server address has been misconfigured in Outlook. 

Do you have a mail server set up as "205.208.196.10.ispnetbilling.com" for one of your email accounts?   

[szc]

Sorry, haven't noticed you are using MS Outlook... anyway, solution shouldn't be too far from that. Another good example, how people should post brief configurations of their systems, list of most important security programs they have installed etc.

It can immediatelly give a picture about the problem and possible solution.

So, we know your mail client is MS Outlook, what's your OS, which version of avast! (Home Edition or Pro), which version and build, what virus database version etc. ?

[davepreach]

I have the latest version of Avast Home.
Windows XP
I haven't changed any of my Outlook e-mail accounts lately, but I do have an internet account with ISP.

[szc]

Do you have avast! Outlook/Exchange provider enabled ? Check that by clicking avast! blue ball icon in system tray and when new window is open, if you don't see those icons on the left side, click on DETAILS...

If you see those icons, just forget my previous sentence...

So, browse that list of icons, and find OUTLOOK/EXCHANGE provider inside.

Anyway, if you don't use Outlook Express as your mail client, you can completely TERMINATE Internet Mail provider because you won't need it. On the other hand, Outlook/Exchange is what you need because you are using MS Outlook (Outlook Express and MS Outlook are two different clients). If it's not active, ACTIVATE it.

[davepreach]

Outlook/exchange was active and so was Internet Mail provider.  I terminated the Internet Mail provider.  That seems to be working... thanks.

[szc]

Yes, no problems... Internet Mail Provider is expected to work with Outlook Express and some other mail clients. Outlook/Exchange is for MS Outlook, and the fact that it was enabled, is a good thing... but since Internet Mail Provider was active and never used, you've been getting all those alerts...

I'm glad you are good now.

You are more than welcome to come back if you have any further or additional questions !

Regards!

[alanrf]

Hmmm ... if any of the avast folks are reading this thread I have a question. 

The advice Sasha gave this user is, of course, the right solution for this user.

However, it would appear from the condition described by davepreach at the start of the thread shows that Outlook's POP3 connection to port 110 was indeed being intercepted by the Internet Mail provider at the same time it was said that the Outlook/Exchange provider was active. 

So, what would happen for a user who uses Outlook and has another account on a different client - let's say Outlook Express?  Isn't there a mechanism so that Outlook would be excluded from interception by the Internet Mail Provider if the Outlook/Exchange provider is active? 

[Lisandro]

So, what would happen for a user who uses Outlook and has another account on a different client - let's say Outlook Express?  Isn't there a mechanism so that Outlook would be excluded from interception by the Internet Mail Provider if the Outlook/Exchange provider is active? 

I have both: MS Outlook and OE, Internet Mail provider and MS Outlook pluggin.
Installed, available and running.
The accounts into Outlook AREN'T scanned and intercepted by Internet Mail provider.
The accounts into OE AREN'T scanned and intercepted by avast plugin for Outlook.

[alanrf]

Tech ... I had no doubt that they worked together. 

So my question for the avast team is why should anyone ever see an Internet Mail scanner timeout message reporting Outlook.exe?

I would not think that the Outlook/Exchange plugin would need any timeout processing since the timeout would be managed by Outlook itself. 

Can't test it myself since the only version of Outlook I have available is Outlook 2000 and I don't plan to pay for a newer version.