Despite what your provider told you, they just demonatrated their limit of what they know. There is always a timeout on connections to an outgoing server. Usually they have one and the mail client has one. It is a fail-safe in case the communication stops for some reason, so the software can "recover" instead of just hang there for ever waiting.

The issue will be you have an anti virus product scanning outgoing mail and our room mate does not, or it is a different one. Bottom line, you do not need outgoing mail scanned. The anti virus says you have no virus, and they do not just spontaneously emerge.

Thanks, Matt. You were right on. My anti-virus provider customer service rep told me it only checks incoming messages, but unchecking a box about looking for threats in files attached to email messages made it work. I've complained to the anti-virus company about not having adequate options for checking incoming messages without also checking outgoing ones.

Thanks for your help.

Nancy

What anti virus are you using? Might be worth noting.

I use Trend Micro Maximum Security. It's always provided good protections, aside from this new wrinkle.

Nancy