MSN Explorer: Sign-in credentials not recognized

When you try to connect to MSN, you may see one or more of these error messages:

"Error 6: We were unable to sign you in. Please check your email name and password, and try again."
"Error 691 Access Denied: username and/or password were invalid on the domain."

Additionally, you may see one or more of these messages on the MSN Connection page:

"Event: Password not correct."
"Event: The member name and password do not match."
"Event: You could not access the remote access server because your user name and/or password was not recognized by the domain."

Either your user name or password was mistyped, or there's a problem with how MSN is currently handling user name or password authentication. Try the solutions for your operating system. Try to sign in to MSN again after completing each numbered step:

Windows XP

Try to sign in again, making sure that you type your user name and password correctly.
Make sure that you've changed your initial password.
Select different access numbers. For more information, see MSN Client: Make sure that your connection settings are correct.
Establish a narrowband network connection:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type ncpa.cpl, and then press ENTER.
3. Right-click the manual connection that you want to change, and then click Properties.
4. On the General tab, select the Protocol (TCP/IP) and Client for Microsoft Networks check boxes.
5. Click OK.
6. Close the Network Connections window, and then restart the computer.
Disable the automatic dialing feature for dial-up networking:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type ncpa.cpl, and then press ENTER.
3. Double-click the connection icon.
4. On the General tab, click Properties.
5. Select Show icon in notification when connected, and then click OK.

Windows 2000

Try to sign in again, making sure that you type your user name and password correctly.
Make sure that you've changed your initial password.
Select different access numbers. For more information, see MSN Client: Make sure that your connection settings are correct.
Establish a narrowband network connection:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type ncpa.cpl, and then press ENTER.
3. Right-click the manual connection that you want to change, and then click Properties.
4. On the General tab, select the Protocol (TCP/IP) and Client for Microsoft Networks check boxes.
5. Click OK.
6. Close the Network Connections window, and then restart the computer.
Disable the automatic dialing feature for dial-up networking:
1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type ncpa.cpl, and then press ENTER.
3. On the Advanced tab, click Dial-up Preferences.
4. Select the Always ask me before dialing check box, and then click OK.

Windows Millennium Edition

Try to sign in again, making sure that you type your user name and password correctly.
Make sure that you've changed your initial password.
Select different access numbers. For more information, see MSN Client: Make sure that your connection settings are correct.
Establish a narrowband network connection:
1. MSN requires that three key network components are installed. If any of these network components aren't installed, you must use your original Windows installation disks to install them:
  - Client for Microsoft Networks
  - Dial-up adapter
  - TCP/IP
2. Remove from the network stacks any additional clients, protocols, and services that you're not currently using or that aren't used by MSN. Do not remove the adapters or any additional components used for specific network or ISP connections.
3. For the Primary Network Log-on setting, select Client for Microsoft Networks. If you add the MSN client or make it the primary network logon, these changes modify the configuration of your operating system when it restarts.
4. Click TCP/IP protocol, and then click Properties.
5. On the IP Address tab, click to select Obtain an IP Address Automatically.
6. On the Gateway tab, select any installed gateways, and then click Remove.
7. On the DNS Configuration tab, select Disable DNS, and then click OK.
8. Click Yes, and then restart your computer.
Disable the automatic dialing feature for dial-up networking:
1. On the Start menu, click Settings, and then click Dial-up Networking.
2. Double-click MSN Connectoid.
3. Clear the Connect Automatically check box, and then click OK.

Windows 98 Second Edition and Windows 98

Try to sign in again, making sure that you type your user name and password correctly.
Make sure that you've changed your initial password.
Select different access numbers. For more information, see MSN Client: Make sure that your connection settings are correct.
Establish a narrowband network connection:
1. MSN requires that three key network components are installed. If any of these network components aren't installed, you must use your original Windows installation disks to install them:
  - Client for Microsoft Networks
  - Dial-up adapter
  - TCP/IP
2. Remove from the network stacks any additional clients, protocols, and services that you're not currently using or that aren't used by MSN. Do not remove the adapters or any additional components used for specific network or ISP connections.
3. For the Primary Network Log-on setting, select Client for Microsoft Networks. If you add the MSN client or make it the primary network logon, these changes modify the configuration of your operating system when it restarts.
4. Click TCP/IP protocol, and then click Properties.
5. On the IP Address tab, click to select Obtain an IP Address Automatically.
6. On the Gateway tab, select any installed gateways, and then click Remove.
7. On the DNS Configuration tab, select Disable DNS, and then click OK.
8. Click Yes, and then restart your computer.
Disable the automatic dialing feature for dial-up networking:
1. Under My Computer, double-click Dial-up Networking.
2. On the Connections tab, click Settings.
3. Select Prompt for information before dialing, and then click OK.

Windows Vista or later