Cannot send message using the server smtp.comcast.net

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Level 1

54 points

Cannot send message using the server smtp.comcast.net

Sending the message content to the server failed.

I'm sending basic email, no HTML even. If I click 'Try With Selected Server" with the exact same server, it will eventually send. If I click 'Connection Doctor' it ALWAYS shows a successful connection, even though a follow up 'Try With Selected Server' may fail....

This didn't happen in Tiger for me. Does anyone know whether there is something needing tweaking, or if this is simply a Leopard bug needing fixed?

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5)

Posted on Nov 12, 2007 10:56 AM

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Answer 1

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 11:21 AM in response to OS Lucinity

The sender address myname@myemaildomain.com was rejected by the server smtp.comcast.net.

It also says that. Comcast instructs you to use port 587, but I noticed if I set it to port 25, mail will send maybe half of the time...

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Answer 2

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 12:06 PM in response to OS Lucinity

My email domain provider informed me that regulations (or something) require that outgoing email be sent via my ISP's STMP (Comcast). Comcast has informed me that it's the email domain providers responsibility to provide an SMTP for outgoing email.

Here are the exact copied words of Comcast Chat Support's Danny the Analyst...

I apologize for the confusion however Comcast does not provide technical support for Apple Mail and the smtp mail comcast.net will not working with no other email domain then your Comcast email address

I responded with 'That's not true'.

He responded by giving me the following link, and said that's the extent of their support:

http://www.comcast.net/help/faq/index.jsp?faq=EmailMail_(Mac)17746

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Answer 3

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 12:12 PM in response to OS Lucinity

screws it, I'm going to use http://dyndns.org/services/mailhop/outbound.html

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Answer 4

Nov 12, 2007 12:13 PM in response to OS Lucinity

Are you sending from an e-mail address that is @comcast or at something else (i.e. @mac.com)?

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Answer 5

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 12:18 PM in response to Troy Murray

Yup

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Answer 6

Nov 12, 2007 12:29 PM in response to OS Lucinity

I'm getting the same message and didn't have this problem with Tiger. Crazy thing is I can send a message, my recipient replies but when I try to reply back it won't send. Why can I send but not reply to a sent message? I'm using port 995. I'm on the road a lot and someone told me when staying in hotels you had better luck with this port. Any suggestions?

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Answer 7

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 12:34 PM in response to OS Lucinity

NOTE FOR COMCAST USERS:

For whatever reason you can send outgoing mail via smtp.comcast.net with port 25 and SSL checked MUCH of the time. And it ALWAYS worked in Tiger. But I don't advise it, and Comcast says they don't support it. Better to pay $15 a year for your own SMTP outbound relay with SSL encryption from http://dyndns.org

I just signed up, and am emailing with no more hassles.

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Answer 8

Nov 12, 2007 12:36 PM in response to OS Lucinity

You were using port 465 for the SMTP server correct? ( http://tinyurl.com/2daphm)

Always free Gmail instead of $15 annually.

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Answer 9

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 1:12 PM in response to Troy Murray

No, never saw that article Troy, thanks!

Regardless, I feel more confident using an outgoing server who says they support it. Comcast said they wouldn't support my outgoing email even though they're my ISP because it wasn't @comcast.net. And I dunno about using gmails outgoing SMTP server.

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Answer 10

Nov 12, 2007 2:17 PM in response to OS Lucinity

I have had the same problems on and off with Comcast, and our university Mac Listserv has mentioned there is a problem with Comcast and Leopard, but gave no details. Comcast Tech "Support" gave a similar answer in that this is Apple's problem with the Mail application, not theirs. I do use Port 587, and it seems to work an and off.

Anyway, what helped me send mail (for a while, it is getting weird again and I have to constantly keep entering the Comcast smtp to send mail) is wiping out my list of smtp addresses in Mail Preference (Accounts) and re-entering (even the same information). This worked for a while, but is really quirky. Sometimes if I quit Mail, and then reopen it, I can send email using the Comcast smtp.

Like other issues, I am hopeful 10.5.1 will have a fix for this issue, as it is very irritating.

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Answer 11

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 12, 2007 2:30 PM in response to Scott Barrows1

Do you use @comcast emails or your own @whatever email addresses?

I use a personal email domain, and Comcast tech support simply said that if I'm not using an @comcast.net email address, I can't use their email server. I told him it's not true, but didn't elaborate about how I've been using it for over 2 years on port 25. For some reason port 587 doesn't work at all for me. Anyways, I've moved onto a custom outbound relay with http://dyndns.com. It feels more secure, supported, and no hassles.

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Answer 12

OS Lucinity Author

Level 1

54 points

Nov 13, 2007 2:33 PM in response to OS Lucinity

UPDATE:

My email has been outgoing QUICKLY and without any hassle for a full day and a half now.

https://www.dyndns.com/services/mailhop/outbound.html

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