Q: El Capitan Mail send error

I've got the same problem.

all my mail accounts can receive mails but i can't send any mail.

i closed ssl on all acconts and saved the settings. after reopen the settings ssl is on again.

when i try to send a mail, mail asked for a password from another account. when i put in the passwort the i became the answer mail that the authorisation failed. when i check the connection mail connect to the server and for all accounts the green lamp is on - BUT I CAN'T SEND ANY MAIL

Maybe any idea?

i must send mails with layouts to customers.

The first problem appears to be that some smtp prefs can be corrupted during the upgrade to 10.11. Further, any attempt to modify the smtp servers or to add new ones results in the new information being thrown away when closing the prefs. The only workaround I've found (mentioned by another user) is if you fill out the correct smtp information, save it, and then *leave* the preferences window open. Sends will then work. You'll have to fill out the information again if you quit Mail. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be a more elegant work-around.

Dave

Dave - What you say makes sense.  My ISP told me to change the ports shown in Preferences for the specific accounts' SMTP servers I'm using to 25, no Password, etc., very simple for now. That works for a while, even after closing Preferences, but eventually the port changes back to a different one that doesn't work

I found a thread up here from years ago where someone had the same problem and came up with a workaround by adding a few lines to a plist that forces it to stay with port 25. I haven't tried that yet myself, would rather see Apple come up with a fix in El Capitan. Then again, since this has been in existence for so long, I don't know if they will ever fix it.

Here's the thread:

Mail keeps changing my SMTP server settings

I hope someone will comment after reading this.  

Larry

Larry,

I found a thread up here from years ago where someone had the same problem and came up with a workaround by adding a few lines to a plist that forces it to stay with port 25.

I don't think that will work. This issue has been reported in the developer forums for a while during the beta period. The problem is the way that preferences now work: instead of simply writing out to a prefs file, apps interact with a system database that handles writing and reading to all preferences. What appears to be happening here is the preferences system is not writing out new or modified smtp settings to the plist file; thus when you quit and relaunch, Mail is just loading the default settings since the new ones weren't stored. This appears to be some bad interaction between Internet Accounts (in Sys Prefs), Mail, and the keychain manager where smtp passwords, etc. are stored. I think it is this three-part interaction that makes simple workarounds difficult. In the meantime, use another mail client or keep that preferences window open. . . .

Dave

Dave -

1. I got an email with your reply to me on this discussion thread, yet I don't see your reply posted here.  Wonder what that's all about?

2. I had just gotten off the phone with Apple support when I saw your message. They told me  that I should go to Mail Preferences, the last Tab (Advanced) and uncheck the first box "Automatically detect and maintain account settings" on all of my accounts.  Sounded reasonable, only based on your reply, it doesn't sound as if that will work.  The next time the thing changes back, I'll call them back and let them know that they were wrong. (And luckily, they didn't charge me for the call, which, if what you're saying is correct, is about what it was worth.) 

Thanks!!

Larry

Larry,

"Automatically detect and maintain account settings"

Doesn't work. That setting flies off into the aether too. 

Dave

Thanks Dave. By the way, a different thread up here is from a group of people who believe that they have solved this although their solution didn't work at all for me.  Take a look -

Outgoing mail server gone under El Capitan

You'll see towards the end that one of the posters has them all using iCloud's outgoing server for everything, and apparently that helped these people:

"OR_CDOct 2, 2015 5:07 PM Re: Outgoing mail server gone under El Capitan
Re: Outgoing mail server gone under El Capitanin response to DrasticbunnySolved

Had the same problem, icloud emails were still coming through, but somehow el capitan deleted outgoing icloud server.

Solved by going to System Preferences > iCloud > disable mail option, wait a second then re-enable it.

Went back to Mail app, hit send on iCloud outgoing email and the outgoing server list popped up.

iCloud was back in the list, select and "always use this server"

Worked for me."

As I said, this didn't help me at all, actually messed things up, but so many here seem to like it that maybe there's something of value in this?

P.S. And since you said to keep Mail's Preferences open for now, I assume that also means to keep Mail open 24x7?

Larry

Hi Dave.  I called back to Apple support and told them what you'd said. The woman I spoke with this time has only had one mail issue with El Capitan to work with, and she had the caller complete delete the account and then set it up brand new.  But when I told her what you said, she said that she'd send out an email to her manager and try to get him to learn more about this.  She'd told me that there were few mail complaints, and I told her that with all due respect, I can see from the discussion boards that that's not true.  Regardless, I haven't shut off Apple Mail, and have kept Preferences open, will continue to do so around the clock until someone tells me definitively that this has been fixed. 

Following these directions helped me with this issue today:

iCloud: Mail server settings for email clients - Apple Support

Please explain if this info can help with non-iCloud email accounts?  The problem many of us have is that our regular email accounts, not iCloud accounts, stopped sending email when we installed El Capitan. Some of those accounts are used in business settings, even were assigned to us by companies to use, so we can't  simply switch and start providing email accounts that end in @iCloud.com. But thanks for sending this out, since i'm sure it some may benefit from it.

No, the cited iCloud instructions will not help with the non-iCloud (IMAP, POP) account problems. In fact, the iCloud account seems immune to this judging by reports elsewhere.

Dave

No.  iCloud was the only account (out of 5) that I had any trouble with after the migration to El Capitan so I can't speak to any other domains/servers.