...
Any success/failure information adds to the knowledge base.
...
Can I use my mail client with an external
...
provider such as GMail or Apple MobileMe
...
?
Most email providers supply a web-based interface for reading and sending mail, and in most cases those will work through the SLAC VPN.
You may connect to external mail providers in from your mail client via IMAP or POP protocols to receive mail, but when using VPN you must send mail through our authenticated SMTP server (or temporarily shut down the VPN connection). The SLAC authenticated SMTP server does not look at the From: line, so the email will still appear to be from xxx.xxx@gmail.com ... and the SLAC server is Internet accessible so you should be able to use it from anywhere.
...