Oh - right well maybe thats something to do with it - that link isn't going to where it should so I'll paste in the information below and try and follow it if you can.
The Url as it appears in the address bar if you want to try it first is:-
support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kben-usq191687
(add http:// to above if necessary)
If it doesn't work the information you need to check your ports are listening is below.
This article was previously published under Q191687
SYMPTOMS
When you try to send or receive messages using Outlook Express or Outlook, you may receive an error message. When you try to send a message to your Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server, you may receive the following error message:
The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'your_account',
Server:'your_SMTP_server', Protocol:SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): NO,
Socket error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800ccc0e
Similarly, when you start the e-mail client or try to receive a message from your Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) server, you may receive the following error:
The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'your_account',
Server:'your_POP3_server', Protocol:POP3, Port: 110, Secure(SSL): NO,
Socket error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800ccc0e
CAUSE
The client connects to a port that is blocked or unavailable on the mail server. If the client is trying to send a message, the blocked port is 25, and if the client is trying to retrieve a message, the blocked port is 110. Refer to the error message for the protocol and port numbers.
WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, make ports 110 and 25 available. By default, ports 110 and 25 are available when the Exchange Server services start. The ports 110 for POP3, 119 for Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP), and 143 for Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) are automatically opened and made available on the Exchange Server computer when the Information Store service starts. Port 25 is automatically made available when the Internet Mail Service starts. If these services do not start, the ports are not available.
If the services are running, you can verify that these ports are listening (open) on the server by using the Netstat utility that is included with Windows NT Server:
Open a command prompt on the Exchange Server computer. You have to modify the command prompt properties, because the data scrolls off the screen. Open the command prompt, right-click the upper-left corner of the window, and then click Properties. Click the Layout tab, and then change the screen buffer size to 1,000. Apply the change. You are prompted to modify either the current window or the shortcut that you used to start the command prompt. You can modify the shortcut for future convenience.
At the command prompt, type netstat -an. Scroll back to the beginning of the data output, and look for the following entries.
Proto Local Address Foreign Address State
TCP 0.0.0.0:25 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
TCP 0.0.0.0:110 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING
If these entries are present, Exchange Server is listening on ports 110 and 25 on all interfaces. This is typical. If these ports are not available, you may have to troubleshoot the following services or systems more. The following general causes may "hold" these ports, or make them unavailable:
Hope this copies ok
Having to rush a little now.
[Message Edited]
WinCustomize Forums
But post again anyway and let me know whats happening - I'll leave the pc on and check from time to time 
