XP and OE6 problems Please Help!!!

[SnoDog311]

Ok this is strange. I have 2 computers (both running XP) connected together with a crossover cable. Networking is working fine. I have a second NIC in one computer (host,XP Pro) which connects to Verizon DSL via external modem. All was working well until a few days ago. My second computer (client,XP Home) which connects to the internet through the host computer suddenly stopped receiving email in Outlook Express 6. I didn't change anything. What happens is it goes to check mail, says it's receiving mail then times out saying the server didn't respond in 60 seconds. This only happens if I have mail. If there is no mail it checks through fine. Once I got stuck, I went to Verizon's page and checked mail that way. I deleted the mail there and went back to OE again. It checked fine. I sent another test mail from different account and OE once again timed out. I increased the server timeout setting with no luck. I can send mail from the OE account (client) with no problem. I can ping both the incoming and outgoing mail servers from the client with no problem. I can telnet into the mail server from the client with no problems. I called Verizon and they said the account was ok. Another problem on client computer is that OE6 won't save mail server passwords. Also, there are a few web sites I can't get to on the client computer that I can get to on the host, but most sites work ok. Anybody have any suggestions? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.