Mail 5.3 can't send mail on smtp.live.com
Help me!!!! I haven't been able to send mail for ages now on my macbook air - nothing has changed, no updates etc as far as I can remember and no one else seems to be having my problem from what I can see in the discussions. The message stays in my outbox then times out and says:
"Cannot send message using the server smtp.live.com -email address-
Connections to the server “smtp.live.com” on the default ports timed out.
Select a different outgoing mail server from the list below or click Try Later to leave the message in your Outbox until it can be sent."
I can receieve mail and I can send messages from my iphone. My internet connection is fine and I'd really rather not pay £35 to fix it - it shouldn't break in the first place! I'm pretty much computer illiterate but I have followed things that have worked for other users such as turning SSL (?!) on/off; changing port numbers, using the connection doctor - Hotmail POP shows green light, SMTP continues to search/load. Nothing else in smtp list.
PLEASE HELP BEFORE I KILL LAPTOP!!!
MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.5)