Frequently Asked Questions
   
 
What's So Special About the AntiqueNet.Org Email Service?

Firstly, AntiqueNet STOPS spam and viruses from reaching your inbox. If you, your work colleagues or your family, are concerned about offensive emails in your inbox every day, then changing to an AntiqueNet account is the solution.

Moreover, AntiqueNet provides an email service that has been specifically customised for the Antiques business. For example, a typical requirement is the ability to send and receive emails that have large attached files – usually digital photographs of pieces. Ordinary email accounts restrict the size of emails you can send, and usually one decent size attachment fills up your server allocation! Not so with AntiqueNet, we have NO artificial restrictions on message size. 		 
     
 
Why is AntiqueNet.Org different to my Yahoo account, for example?

Many ‘free' email services claim to stop spam, but they either delete it - with no chance to check if it might be a good email - or store it in a different folder which you still have to check. This doesn't solve the problem that you want to minimise spam, save time, and be confident that you are not going to miss good email.

Our system scans outbound email as well as inbound. So when you send email through AntiqueNet, you can also be confident that you are not inadvertently sending viruses to your friends or business colleagues.

 
     
 
Can I Send Photos and Large Attachments using my AntiqueNet account?
Yes, the service has been specifically designed for this. You could even send a 20Mb file if you wanted. We do ask though, that you do not treat our service as cheap file storage! 		 
     
 

I am not technical and don't want to worry about setting up antivirus or antispam software, can I still use AntiqueNet?

The antivirus and antispam features of AntiqueNet are NOT software – they are an integral part of the service. There is no additional software to install on your PC – the service works as soon as your new account is activated. Getting set up is very simple. 		 
     
 
Just how good is the AntiqueNet at stopping spam?

AntiqueNet has been developed in cooperation with ADVASCAN TM , a leading provider of antivirus and antispam managed services to business and corporate users. Advascan TM provides unique configurability and controls over how it stops spam and how it manages email that are quarantined. Even without much adjustment from the default settings, Advascan TM can remove up to 95% of spam and still guarantee that you won't lose good email.

Through AntiqueNet, for the first time this industry-leading performance is available to any user, even individuals.

 
     
 
Can I change the sensitivity and configuration of my antispam setting?

It depends on what type of AntiqueNet account you have. If you are an individual user and your email address is of the format username@antiquenet.org then your settings will be the default for the system. If you are a small business, and your email address is of the format username@mycompany.antiquenet.org , then your antispam settings are accessible under the ADVASCAN TM AMI (Administrator Management Interface) web interface; moreover, you will have individual control of the white list and black list that is used for all email users in your business.

 
     
 
What happens if AntiqueNet traps a virus?
If our Advascan TM system traps a virus, it is NEVER delivered to your inbox. Instead, we quarantine it (in a special storage area separate to the spam store), and also post a message to the sender of the email that he has sent an infected message. 		 
     
 
What happens if AntiqueNet stops a spam message?

Messages that meet the threshold criteria for spam are not delivered to your inbox, but are placed in the spam quarantine storage area. Advascan TM – the core scanning engine behind the AntiqueNet service – uniquely has TWO thresholds which are configurable. A high threshold – meaning emails must have a high ‘spam score' to qualify – is less aggressive, while a low threshold is more sensitive. Using two thresholds allows the system to trap and manage spam emails efficiently.

 
     
 
How can I be sure I am not missing good email?
Once a day, the system will send you an email with details of all messages that have been stopped as spam. These emails are NOT released into your inbox unless you specifically instruct the system to do so. The list of emails is sorted by ‘spam score', those at the top of the list have lowest scores. With a quick glance of this single email, you can be sure you have not missed a wanted message, and if you see one listed that you want to receive, you can simply choose to have it automatically forwarded to your inbox. 		 
     
 
This sounds like a good service, can I use it for my family members too?

Of course. In terms of functionality, there is little difference between a small business with a handful of email users, and a family. In the business context, one user is the administrator. In the family context, one adult has ‘parental control' over how spam is trapped and managed by the service. If you prefer to use a non antique related domain, you can use our sister service abacii.net. A family account can have multiple accounts of the format username@thesmithfamily.abacii.net , etc. Through the management interface, it is possible to make the spam filter very aggressive, to extensively block offensive material. By adding sender email addresses to the whitelist, you can ensure that your friends and family are still able to email you (and your children) with no problems.

 
     
 
How do I set up my Email program to use my AntiqueNet account?

Setting up Outlook, Outlook Express, or any other email client program to use AntiqueNet is very straightforward. When you sign up, you will be issued with a username and password for your dedicated POP3 email inbox. Simply enter these in your email program, and you are ready. It is similarly easy to configure your program to send emails through the AntiqueNet SMTP server. You will be sent full details when you join.