Did you know you can use MSN Messenger with a non-hotmail or MSN e-mail address?  All you have to do is create an account with Microsoft’s Passport (.net) network with your e-mail address and you can use that e-mail address as a MSN Messenger account to chat with people and many other Microsoft services.

Sign Up

The first thing you need to do is go to this website ^[1] and click Sign Up in the top left of the page.

On the next page make sure Yes, use my e-mail address is highlighted and click continue.

Fill out your information on the next page.  Put the e-mail address you want to use to sign in to MSN Messenger where it asks you for an e-mail address.  Make sure you pay attention to the characters you have to type towards the bottom of the page.  Make sure you use capital letters if they are capitalized in the picture or it won’t work.

You have to sign an agreement on the next page by typing your e-mail address in the box and clicking I Accept.

Now you have to verify that e-mail account by clicking a link they e-mail to that account that verifies you own it.  Once you verify your e-mail address you can use it to chat on MSN Messenger and other Microsoft services with your e-mail address.

You’re done!