Default port Mail uses to send e-mail

I certainly don't think you are an idiot, but not so sure about the tech?

Neither Port 995 or Port 110 has anything to do with sending. Port 995 is for a POP3 server when using SSL, and 110 is for when not using SSL. Using SSL is generally thought to be safer, but not all servers support it. Cox for example has been known to have some implementation issues with supporting SSL.

With regard to the port for the SMTP, open Mail Preferences/Accounts/Account Information and click on the arrows beside the name of the SMTP (Outgoing Server) and choose Edit Server List. Next choose the Advanced Tab available at that point, choose Use Custom Port, and setup 587. Using 587 will always require separate authentication, which it is possible you have not had to use with Port 25, but that would depend on your ISP. At any rate, use the Username and Password that you have used with the Incoming Port and all should be well.

Ernie

Message was edited by: Ernie Stamper

The main difference from port 25 is that port 587 requires authentication, as specified in the draft standard RFC 4409.

Port 25 is the default port for smtp traffic. Your ISP (along with many others)
is going to block traffic on port 25 in an effort to stop SPAM.

Steps:

Open Mail
Click on Mail Preferences
Select Accounts at the top
Click on the mail account you are using on the left
Click the drop-down menu under Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) and select Edit Server List.
Select Advanced.
Type 587 in Server port
Authentication select Password
Put in your username and password
Click OK

The Default Port list is meant, I believe, to allow Mail to negotiate a working server at various locations, if you were to be moving about with a laptop. At a single venue, such as home, there is no reason not to establish the port manually as we instructed. They did not tell you Port 25 would not be working (although likely it will soon not be), but "suggested", it appears, that you establish the port to be 587. Thus it is best to take the options away, and simply override the choice of port.

If Port 25 were made non-working, then Mail would likely negotiate to present the outgoing server on Port 587 of its own accord.

The Default Port did not appear in Mail until 10.5.5 and Mail 3.5, as best I remember (I could check, but little need to).

Still not sure what the tech was telling you about the Incoming Server.

Ernie

IS the ISP Comcast? If so my experience is that it works for a while and then stops - it's been hit and miss for so long I finally surrendered and went to the dark side using entourage - it works fine - incoming 110 outgoing 587 - I see sometimes there is 995 thrown in for good measure but since it works flawlessly I don't give a hoot -

Now that most free email accounts allow POP access, I have all of my clients get one of them, and abandon their ISP accounts. It makes it much easier to change Internet providers and these companies do spend money on development and quality improvements. Most ISP email servers are poorly run, the techs are not well trained, and when you call for support they don't really have a clue if you ask them a question that's not on the script table they use. My own Telco finally contracted out the email server because they were on version 3 and couldn't keep it running. Now the Telco has even less of an idea or source of information as everything is 3rd party with another company with the "new" version 4 mess.

The ISP's also have a terrible record for effectively controlling incoming Spam. Their Spam filter systems are unsophisticated, very mechanical, and run way behind the trends. Gmail does much better, and even Hotmail now known as Livemail does a much better job of blocking crap. Yahoo doesn't support free access to POP mail so I don't even consider them when making recommendations. I don't consider using another program to trick Yahoo as support.

ISP's view email servers as an expense, and will not do anything more than a bare minimum of upgrades or improvements. Wildblue Satellite's email server was so crappy that they've actually contracted with Google to provide reliable service.

Meanwhile, over the last 4-5 years the ISP's have arbitrarily turned on port 25 blocking on parts of their network in rolling implementations and left many thousands of users with confusion and frustration. Of course, if windows users weren't so susceptible to becoming part of a spambot we wouldn't have the problem to deal with in the first place.

I've had the same local Telco ISP blame both Apple Leopard Mail program and Microsoft's Vista Mail program on the same day for the same problems. Turned out the ISP couldn't figure out how to set their security certificate.

My clients don't realize they are being driven away by a support system that really doesn't want to deal with issues they themselves don't understand. They just get told to delete the email account and start again, what, what do you mean all of the messages are gone? 🙂

Port 110 would only be used as an Incoming port with a POP account not using SSL -- it would never be appropriate for use with the SMTP and Outgoing.

Ernie