form validation question - regex not working

I hope this isn't too far off topic - I have a regex for validating email addresses - if (empty($useremail) || !eregi("^([A-Za-z0-9\.\_-])+@([A-Za-z0-9\_-])+\. ([A-Za-z]{2,3})+$", $useremail)) Notice the {2,3} which is supposed to limit the last part to 2 or 3 letters, but I have been testing this and it allows as many letters as I put in there, but not 1 only. What's wrong? Also, when using eregi do I need to specify A-Za-z or just a-z, since it is case-insensitive? -- Chip Wiegand Computer Services Simrad, Inc www.simradusa.com chip.wiegand@simrad.com "There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." --Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977 (They why do I have 9? Somebody help me!)