Level 1

1 points

Outgoing Mail Server Offline

Hey guys,

here Mail is driving me crazy... I configured it once but from time to time when for example I move from home in the office I have problems in sending emails. It says that the outgoing mail server is offline. Actually at a certain point it starts to work again but I've no clue what was wrong. I try to change settings but then I but them back as originally and magically it works again but is not alway the case.

I'm a scientist and I don't like very much this Magic... It simply should work as expected. With Tiger I did not have a single problem with Mail...

Any idea!?

Macbook Pro 15"", Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Oct 31, 2007 3:18 AM

31 replies

Nov 18, 2007 2:48 PM in response to gilbertb

deleting mail.plist, that worked for me too

rik77 Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 18, 2007 3:26 PM in response to Gary Tate

Where is that file located exactly!? Is it in the user library directory (i.e. /Users/me/Library/Mail/...) or it is in HD/Library/Mail... Personally I have a lot of xxx.plist but none of them is actually called mail.plist.

Can you explain that more precisely!?

Thanks. I think we're getting to the solution of this problem...

Nov 20, 2007 9:30 AM in response to rik77

Just adding weight - I am also experiencing problems sending mail from OS X Mail in Leopard. Server goes offline and eventually (often hours later, sometimes 10 minutes) the mail is sent.

Oddly, not (yet) experienced this problem at work, just at home - work is BT home is Pipex. Relevant?

Driving me crazy, I work from home but having to log on and use mac.com webmail is a nightmare.

Has anyone actually heard anything from Apple on this issue - clearly it's one that is effecting a lot of people?

Nov 29, 2007 10:37 AM in response to rik77

I trashed the mail plist (in prefs) and that seems to have worked (for now).

JonBruc

Level 2

216 points

Nov 29, 2007 10:44 AM in response to rik77

I have mail problems from time to time, and there are some things I look out for. First, go to your keychain and check for duplicate items (logins for the mail server) delete these dupes (after quitting Mail) and try again. Also, under the 'edit server list' tab in your outgoing server pull down, make sure there are no dulpicates.

Dave Cook

Level 2

355 points

Nov 29, 2007 12:20 PM in response to rik77

I've been experiencing similar problems in mail.app as well. This morning I read that the DNS resolver in Leopard has been changed to first attempt SRV requests for lookups initiated by the getaddrinfo() function. If the users DNS server drops these requests the DNS lookup may take an extended period of time to complete (30 seconds to several minutes) as Leopard tries different domain requests and eventually falls back to making an a record request. This can result in application freezes or timeouts. I believe it's possible that this could be causing our mail servers to go off-line.

Apparently the fix for the DNS issue is easy:
1- Go to System Preferences
2- Click on Network
3- Select Built In Ethernet and click Advanced
4- Select the DNS tab and add 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 in place of any current DNS servers. Click OK

I haven't tried it yet, but I will when I get home tonight. The DNS addresses above are from http://www.opendns.com

rik77 Author

Level 1

1 points

Nov 29, 2007 12:47 PM in response to Dave Cook

It seems to work! By the way I've noticed that I had the problem just when I'm at home on my wireless network. There the dns is set by default as the address of my router. I added also other DNS and now it seems to work. I'll test it also in the next days and then we will open the champaign! It's too long that this issue is unsolved!

Any how thanks!

Dave Cook

Level 2

355 points

Nov 29, 2007 7:30 PM in response to rik77

It's working for me too 🙂 I just received todays mail on two different servers in about 1/10th of the time it usually takes. That is, if my servers don't go off-line. Those new DNS entries seem to be magic.

Dec 5, 2007 1:02 AM in response to Dave Cook

Hello Dave, Have been having this same problem since installing Leopard last weekend. Added your DNS addresses to my Airport settings and bingo! all my pending emails in the outbox sent in a jiffy! Many thanks for your fix. Hope this gets picked up by Apple.

Dec 5, 2007 3:48 AM in response to Dave Cook

Unfortunately deleting the plist nor adding the open DNS servers has fixed the problem of mail not sending from any of my accounts.

It is interesting about the DNS resolver, my problem iMac is at work, my home iMac which is sync'd via dot Mac does not have any problems sending mail. The first DNS address in the network settings is grayed out (it resolves to an internal server) so I could only add the other DNS servers after the default one.

rik77 Author

Level 1

1 points

Dec 5, 2007 4:52 AM in response to HadleyHope

Although adding the DNS list improved a little the situation at home the problem persist and it is right that since I'm connected to the net via the wireless router I can just put new DNS after my router address in the settings. This is not the case for ethernet connection where you have to enter DNS in a blank list. Is this problem perhaps related to DHCP or something similar!? At work I don't have this problem anymore!

So I would say that I have a partial solution to the problem...

Dec 5, 2007 5:17 AM in response to rik77

Strange I don't have a problem at home but did at work, just managed to fix it!

I think there must be several problems, as what I have done is very specific to a work environment, namely a Active Directory environment.

In desperation I opened Directory Utility in the Application/Utilities folder. On the first screen the previously bound (in Tiger) active directory server had a red dot next to it with a message active directory server not responding.

I then unbound the Active Directory server, and also made the following other changes, so I don't know if just unbinding the server fixed the problem.

I went into the advanced settings then Search Policy. Both Authentication and Contacts were set to Custom Path, I changed both of these to Automatic.

Directory Utility seems now not recognize any Active Directory domain that I enter, but least I can send mail...

Dec 5, 2007 5:54 AM in response to rik77

Leopard is a Goat! BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT!

Dec 5, 2007 6:40 AM in response to HadleyHope

The active directory thing was a red herring, you're right it is a DNS type issue.

After changing to the open DNS servers I could not telnet to one of our internal servers, removed the open DNS IP addresses and could no longer send mail!

Dec 5, 2007 7:12 AM in response to HadleyHope

Last post, promise!

Not sending seems now to be a combination of both DNS settings and the Authentication setting under Search Policy in the Directory Utility.

I managed to re-bind back to Active Directory and mail stopped sending again, the search setting under the Authentication tab had changed back to Custom Path, I changed it back to Automatic and can again send mail.

Sorry for the multiple posts ;-(

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Outgoing Mail Server Offline