OE Error Number: 0x80004005

I’d had major issues with Norton System Works 2004 and have since
uninstalled it. Completely. As per their instructions. Even used three
registry cleaners after the fact. In the meantime I’d installed the Avast
Home (free) version and ever since then I get this most every time I try to
send a message with any kind of an attachment:

An unknown error has occurred. Account:
http://oe.msn.msnmail.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/hmdata’, Server:
http://oe.msn.msnmail.hotmail.com/cgi-bin/hmdata’, Protocol: HTTPMail,
Port: 0, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 12019, Error Number: 0x80004005

Newsgroup incoming and outgoing is fine, it’s only when attempting to send
via Hotmail or OE6. I may have incorrectly entered SMTP data. Would anyone
know and share which server OE/Hotmail uses for that?

thanks in advance