Outlook 2002, Technical

I am currently using Outlook 2002, across a VPN to connect to my corporation’s exchange servers. The VPN connection is very poor, and constantly disconnects.

Outlook is currently set up to work, and be available offline.

When I am connected, and the VPN connection dumps, Outlook will begin to continuously request data fromt he exchange servers, and usually freeze the program in its tracks, when it cannot contact any.

How do I go about syncing Outlook with the exchange servers manually ONLY? If I do this will it stop its constant efforts to retrieve mail from the exchange servers?

Thanks for the help.
Ryan Carter.