I needed to register on Yahoo Messenger for business reason.
I'm registered (username, password and activated the account using the verification code)and am having trouble connecting.

Start/Programs/Yahoo Messenger : I get a popup "Connecting to Yahoo! as (my username)" and it just stalls forever.

So, I click 'Cancel' and get the 'Sign In' popup which has my username and password filled in and offer a 'Sign In' button which I click.

Now I have a screen-high window with a sleepyhead icon (presumably telling me I'm not connected) and the word "Welcome" and another 'Sign In' button which I click.

That generates a split second "Connecting to Yahoo as (username)" message and it too stalls.

So, I click I on Messenger/Connection Preferences of that window and get a window to do with proxies . Choices are :
-No Proxies
-Use proxies
-Firewall with no proxies
-No network detection

Despite the advice under each option none work, except perhaps "Use Proxies" which I haven't tried since I need a server name for the HTTP and/or SOCKS proxies.

My question: where do I find these server names and server port numbers?

Are you running XP? if so, maybe the windows firewall is stopping the connection. Try disabling it and check 'no proxies' in yahoo messenger options. Do you have firewall software running? zone alarm and others should popup a message that the yahoo im client is trying to connect, that's why I think it could possibly be the windows firewall. This is assuming you don't have a proxy server.

Sorry, forgot to describe the PC
Win 2000
Cable connection
256 Mb RAM and plenty of HD left.

I have Zone Alarm installed but it doesn't pop up in this case. It may already be disabled so I'll look into that as a side issue.

The firewall is in the router.

I'm not sure I'm answering your questions correctly.
Isn't as simple as finding a server name and filling in the blanks? D-oh!

also you don't have to use Yahoo messenging software! There's a (imo) excellent free multi-protocol messenging program GAIM you could try it out- maybe it will connect without hassles. There's others too - Trillian comes to mind but it's not free. I've been using gaim for over a year with my AIM account but actually haven't tried it with my yahoo one.

Problem is I'm connecting to be able to converse with one person and he's on Yahoo Messenger .... and won't budge!

I know MSN Messenger would be easier to install, my 12 yr old could've have done it before his bedtime and we'd be having beers right now.

i didn't suggest to install msn messenger only a suggestion to try out gaim
http://gaim.sourceforge.net/about.php
I don't know if you have a proxy or not- really don't know much abt them but i think you need to find that info from your isp

I didn't read that you recommended MSN. I was just saying we have a fully trained MSN Messenger tech here (my 12 yr old ) so that would be a no-brainer to install.

Is gaim yahoo compatible? I just answered my question by reading the first line of their website.
Thanks, I'll try it.

Try Trillian, it is made to interact with MSN or Yahoo or AOL messangers..Jabber is another

Try uninstalling it and reinstalling it.
I have had yahoo messenger for years and never had a problem with it not connecting.
make sure that you have the newest one!! Woody