This how to connect to the mail server using telnet
You need to display a DOS prompt in Windows 2000 or XP
Go to Start/Run, type in CMD and click OK.

Example:
Click >Start button and select >Run  >at the prompt: (key-in) telnet yourmaildomain.com port 25 Click OK <<to connect to the SMTP server

Example:
Click >Start button and select >Run >at the prompt: (key-in) telnet yourmaildomain.com port 110 Click OK <<to connect to POP3

If the connection is successful, a response from the mail server will appear in the telnet window.

This how to connect to the mail server using PING
or download a freeware PING checking program.

PING your server using Window's 2000,NT,XP
After you have logged on (online)
Click:
>Start >Run >Open >key-in: cmd.exe
>Click OK for the command prompt

PING - your server using Window's Win95,98,Me
After you have logged on (online)
Click:
>START  >PROGRAMS  >MS DOS prompt and type: -t follow by your ISP DNS (DNS domain name server) IP address.

Example: ping -t 189.225.137.18
or you can also do this: ping -t www.your-isp.com

PING - Packets Internet Groper are utilities that send a small packet (datagram of around 536 bytes (4,288 bits) to the specified address of a remote computer and wait for the host to respond and report the time it takes for the datagram to return as well as to check if the IP address is valid and reachable.

During the interim, the elapsed time is recorded and reported if the packet successfully reaches its destination and an acknowledgement is returned (throughput). If, after a predetermined time, the packet does not return the Ping command will return with "destination host unreachable".

Throughput? The outgoing & incoming bits & bytes datagram between your computer, ISP connection and the Internet network.