Rejected password with RoadRunner (RR)

Hello Tom:

Welcome to Apple discussions.

I do not use your ISP so I have no first hand knowledge.

However, IMHO, I think the ISP's pointing at Apple is a bit too glib. I do not know if you have other options where you are located, but if you do, I would explore them.

Barry

I have had the same problem now and then - not as often as you are - but none of my other accounts show similar behavior. If you've got the settings correct, it's definitely a problem on the RR servers, not with your computer.

In my experience, if you make the mistake of telling RR tech support that you are using a Mac, they will nearly always blame your Mac and essentially end the conversation. (They don't have a page for that in their support manuals.) When I have to talk to them, I try to keep the computer type out of the conversation as much as possible. That attitude is very frustrating for me, as a very knowledgeable user and former tech support person, when I know perfectly well that the problem is not on my end and has nothing to do with what kind of computer I'm using.

While I know this question will seem unrelated, I think it can be. With the setup for the SMTP, are you using Password Authentication or None? Check this on both Macs, please. I ask this because I know that Roadrunner traditionally uses no authentication on the SMTP, but rather permission to use the SMTP is based upon the IP of the modem they provide, and in many cases attempting to use PW authentication on the SMTP has failed for many people. But recently one of my daughters who at home is on RR visited with her little netbook computer, and when she attempted to reply to one of her emails while connected to my network, she could not. I had to go into her server settings and select the box to Use the same server info as on the Incoming. At home that had not been necessary. So apparently, in some areas at least, RR has provided a SMTP that will work in locations other than the home connection.

This could have some interaction with the Incoming, and might cause some random issue with server authentication -- just a thought, but if not related, perhaps Thomas or you can comment on whether RR has made recent changes to use of the SMTP and authentication?

Ernie

I'm here with the same issue. One of four accounts is having this problem. Came to find a solution. If I find it, I'll post back.

Just got off the phone with RoadRunner National help desk.
Go to Safari and check to see if you can log in to the webmail for roadrunner for your region. If you can then following instructions should sort you out. If not, then call them. There was no problem for me when I said I was using a Mac. The tech ran right through the paces.
Check the following settings in Mail>Preferences.
In Accounts>Account Information: Make sure email address, incoming mail server, user name are all correct. The Outgoing mail server is correct and that the 'Use only this server' box is checked.
click on Outgoing Mail Server pulldown menu and click on Edit server list.
Under 'Account Information'. check that the server name is correct.
Under 'Advanced': Use default ports is checked
Use Secure Sockets Layer is UNchecked
Authentification says None. Click OK. Save the changes.
That should do it. It did for me.

Let me assure you that I very well know the difference between POP3 servers and SMTP, and their proper usage. But that does not prevent there being cross communication when Mail periodically tests the connection, which I have some evidence takes place. Therefore it would not be be impossible for the two to be related, although I certainly can not claim that is the case here, for you. I only asked you to confirm the method of authentication for each Mac. For authority that they could be related, see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POPbeforeSMTP

There is plenty of online "literature" to explain that the RR SMTP cannot be used when not connected at a RR location, but I have actual experience (from my daughter's visit) that somehow that has changed for some RR users! And the change in selection that made that work at my non-RR network location is consistent with POP before SMTP. This clearly indicates some sort of change in RR policies, at least in some areas, would you not agree?

Ernie

In Mail, there is little difference in using None as Authentication, and what is needed for POP before SMTP (also called SMTP after POP sometimes), as there is not a different setting for this, unlike Outlook Express. My point is that something about the way Mail 4.x is checking the status of SMTP, along with a fledgling implementation to allow POP before SMTP might be causing this. I have some evidence that Mail 4.x may be checking status of SMTP differently than in earlier versions -- won't go into detail, but it almost got me suspended by my ISP (actually was suspended until I contacted them to prove I was not a SPAMMER) because the status of one SMTP in the list of SMTP, but not active in any current account was being checked every 20 minutes, and to the other network I looked suspicious. But the situation existed for 18 months previous, but only arose after installing Snow Leopard.

Ernie

I have had the "rejected password" pop-up too and here is what I have discovered.

First of all, you don't have to re-enter your password. What you do is click cancel, and then click 'Get Mail.' If it works then I think this is what is happening.

The server doesn't tolerate multiple requests for checking email. So for instance, if you have more than one Mac in your house, and they are all set to check for email every minute, then you have a likely chance for an overlap which will cause a rejection. So I have changed mine to check every 5 minutes, and have had almost no rejection pop-ups. More recently, I set them to check every 15 minutes and now haven't had a one for a few weeks.

What if you only have the one computer? Then it could still be a situation where the server is backlogged, and your pesky Mac is harassing it every minute. So I would assume that you could change your setting to check every 5 minutes.

The idea that it is a problem with the Mac not communicating with the server may have some merit when you consider that the server is probably a windows P.O.S. and communicates better with it's own kind.

FWIW, this same issue frequently occurs when querying Comcast's POP servers. 😟

In that case, I think it's a server backend issue, as it will generally resolve itself within a few hours with no further action from me aside from having to "Take all accounts online."