Windows 7: Windows Live Mail Sending/receiving email from other accounts

In order to make use of the Windows Live Mail feature of Windows7 I have successfully created a Windowslive ID account using my gmail address as my sign in. I did this by accessing the Windows Live ID website through my browser. E-mail sent to that address is now reaching my Windows Live inbox. But I am having two problems.
1) When I try to access my Windows Live mail by launching Windows Live Mail from my task bar the program says “Windows Live Mail needs to download folders before you can read the messages in this account. To download the folders, click Download.” When I do, it starts the transfer, then says “The TCP/IP connection was unexpectedly terminated by the server.” So I can access my mail via browser, but not via the mail program that came with Windows7.
2) When I try to add an additional account (Pacific.net) using the Sending/receiving email from other accounts link it says “setting up your account…” then “We can't connect to Hotmail right now. Please make sure that you're connected to the Internet and try again.” I can do a workaround by forwarding my Pacnet mail to my gmail account and then it will reach me; but that way seems convoluted, and I can’t distinguish the source using the colour folders option Windows Live Mail provides – something I would like to do.
Can you help with either (preferably both) these issues? Thank you.
mlindawong@gmail.com