Need some email help

[Manolito]

OK I am an old guy and not very good at electronics or apps. I have a phone and high speed service by Frontier. I want to go to a wireless internet service that just put up a dish in my area.

My question is E-mail. I know I have to start all over and get a new address etc. Who should I use that will allow me to change providers and not have to change the email address?

Who offers a reliable secure mail service for a reasonable price (what ever that is)? Can I put a forward on my current address that will allow me to receive emails from the old address so i can notify the senders of the change.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bill

[the86d]

It depends on what your e-mail address is. If it is at your provider (I assume) then some have a policy to let you keep it, but some do not.

If you were say @verizon.net, and left Verizon, in the past you would loose that account.

If you ever thing you might need to swap providers of Internet again, you might want to go with a free e-mail provider that will never change such as gmail.

It really depends on the provider's policy, small companies do not have the resources to keep addys working if you don't pay them anymore. I stopped caring after I got a gmail account (that I never type on any web page especially when buying stuff), and only use the provider provided e-mail addy as a spam account, and for when I buy stuff.

You best bet is to make 2 gmail accounts. One for spam, and when you buy stuff, as they spam you after you buy stuff, and then one for personal (only) use and only give that one to friends and family.

Since you mentioned:

OK I am an old guy...

Make sure to write usernames & passwords down (and maybe the site they were for), and don't stick them to the monitor, or leave them lying about.

[Manolito]

Thanks 86D I appreciate the information. My note book I carry in my back pocket is the only memory I have left.

[the86d]

Thanks 86D I appreciate the information. My note book I carry in my back pocket is the only memory I have left.

Make sure to do backups (on a separate drive [not usb flash unless you backup to two and rotate them]) of important data that you need to keep, as any data that you don't have in at least 2 separate places is data that you don't care about.

Most people have only digital pictures, and they are priceless if lost.

[JDay]

Gmail. You can keep it for life. And if you get an Android handset you'll need a Gmail account to download apps anyway.

[orchard]

Get two accounts, one each at two different providers.

So xxxx@gmail.com
and xxxx@yahoo.com

The gmail account can also be used for your Google login. The yahoo can be like 86d said when you have to give an email and you do not want to read the spam. On the email for your friends/family - don't set up any contacts so if your account gets hacked, they can't send nasty crap to your family or friends.

[the86d]

Get two accounts, one each at two different providers.

So xxxx@gmail.com
and xxxx@yahoo.com

The gmail account can also be used for your Google login. The yahoo can be like 86d said when you have to give an email and you do not want to read the spam. On the email for your friends/family - don't set up any contacts so if your account gets hacked, they can't send nasty crap to your family or friends.

Where is you sense of adventure (for your "friends or family")?

Seriously though, THIS is a really good idea (no contacts on your gmail account), but if you don't have contacts how would you keep track of say "Girlfriend's work number" on an Android if you don't have contacts?

I have actually had my main gmail account compromised in the last 6 months or so, luckily with the faster pipes we have here in the US... I could change it while they were still logged on.

If the account was compromised, couldn't just the email in your folders to get gen a list of e-mail addys? That is what I would do... if I were spamming. (Hell, before proxy domain registration, I used to pull addys from whois searches.)

[speedrrracer]

Make sure to write usernames & passwords down (and maybe the site they were for), and don't stick them to the monitor, or leave them lying about.

Writing down passwords is a huge security issue, instead download the free, open source and easy-to-use KeePass .

With KeePass, you just remember it's password, and you're done. It will then remember all the passwords for all the many different websites you visit / email accounts you have / etc etc. This way, you can actually have real passwords for each site like you should, but without the burden of remembering each one.

You can keep KeePass on a USB stick, so even if you computer crashes you're GTG, or if you travel and use a different computer, etc.

[the86d]

Writing down passwords is a huge security issue, instead download the free, open source and easy-to-use KeePass .
...
You can keep KeePass on a USB stick, so even if you computer crashes you're GTG, or if you travel and use a different computer, etc.

You could keep the paper in your gun safe...

Good idea for those with no predefined way of keeping track/up of them. I have heard about that a few years ago, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Personally don't trust USB drives further than I can walk across the carpet and zap 'em. I personally have had bad luck, but others swear by them. I have a Password Protected spreadsheet to keep track of all mine. I know someone can get it with enough effort, but then I will just change them all.

[ocabj]

Two factor authentication with one time passwords.