Mail Server Settings

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Level 1

20 points

Mail Server Settings

Suddenly lost ability to send or receive emails on 2 MBPs w/same OS 10.13.6. simultaneously lost ability to use Safari also on most URLs. Some went through. WiFi indicated a connection to router and router was connected to ISP as verified by using iPhone and iPad on same wifi with connections to Mail server and web Social Media. My prior mail server settings recommended by Apple Support Mail Server Settings were APOP and SMTPAUTH. I checked again and the recommendations now said use IMAP settings which were different. However neither set work! Connection Doctor NEVER connects. Safari NEVER connects on almost all URLs.!

I can only assume that I have been targeted by malicious malware in some way. I connect with WiFi ONLY when I'm on the computer working. When I quit I also turn off the wifi before going to standby. I was hacked by some one using my name on FB who commented "unfavorably" on iMessage (FB). Friends asked what I was doing. Of course, nothing. He flew a South African banner on his "smirk".

I have restarted many times and each time preceded it with an application of "First Aid". I seem to have gotten my Safari browser to work correctly now but NOT Mail. I can go straight to Earthlink Mail and see all my emails, but I can't download them or use my Mail Client to send messages. When checking my server settings, it tries to verify but never can. My user name & PW are the same as what I'm using successfully on my smart devices that do get through! I don't know what else to try.

MacBook Pro

Posted on Sep 12, 2019 9:27 PM

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Answer 1

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 13, 2019 6:39 AM in response to bdphourde

Hello,

Make a New Location, Using network locations in Mac OS X ...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2712

 System Preferences>Network, top of window>Locations>Edit Locations, little plus icon, give it a name.

System Preferences>Network, click on the little gear at the bottom next to the + & - icons, (unlock lock first if locked), choose Set Service Order.

The interface that connects to the Internet should be dragged to the top of the list.

 If using Wifi, instead of joining your Network from the list, click the WiFi icon at the top, and click join other network. Fill in everything as needed.

System Preferences>Network, unlock the lock if need be, highlight the Interface you use to connect to Internet, click on the advanced button, click on the DNS tab, click on the little plus icon, then add these numbers...

8.8.8.8

8.8.4.4

Apply.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 16, 2019 9:51 AM in response to bdphourde

Webmail is different than both. :)

What are the IMAP settings?

EarthLink Customers can use the following IMAP settings:

Incoming Mail Server: imap.earthlink.net
Incoming Port Number: 143
Outgoing Mail Server:smtpauth.earthlink.net
Outgoing Port Number: 587

MindSpring Domain Customers can use the following IMAP settings: (Note: The EarthLink settings will work for MindSpring domain names as well.)

Incoming Mail Server: imap.mindspring.com
Incoming Port Number: 143
Outgoing Mail Server:smtpauth.earthlink.net
Outgoing Port Number: 587

PeoplePC Customers can use the following IMAP settings

Incoming Mail Server: imap.peoplepc.com
Incoming Port Number: 143
Outgoing Mail Server:smtpauth.peoplepc.com
Outgoing Port Number: 587

Top

Can I edit my POP settings and change them to IMAP settings in my email client or do I have to create a new email setup in my software?

If you are currently using POP, most programs will require you to treat IMAP like a new email. We recommend you add IMAP to your email program as a new setup rather than trying to edit an existing POP setup. POP works differently from IMAP and trying to edit settings could result in lost or missing email.

In order to fully take advantage of IMAP, you need to make sure you are not checking your email with the same or another device using POP settings. As POP removes emails from the server, by default, it is counter productive to run POP and IMAP at the same time.

Make sure you make a backup of any email you have on your computer that you downloaded using POP before you remove your POP settings. If you do want to run POP and IMAP at the same time, make sure your POP settings are set to Leave a Copy of your email on the server.

https://www.support.earthlink.net/articles/email/imap-email.php

http://smtpimap.email/earthlink.net-smtp-imap-email-settings.html

Create an On My Mac mailbox, copy the e-mails to it, and then delete the account.

If when setting up IMAP isn't offered for Earthlink...

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7010618?answerId=28197687022#28197687022

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Answer 3

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 13, 2019 10:10 PM in response to bdphourde

Are you running any Anti-Virus or Cleaning Apps on your Mac?

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 13, 2019 2:59 PM in response to bdphourde

Well partially fixed, what ports & Authentication are you using?

The receiving email ports are:

IMAP is port 143

IMAP-SSL is port 993

POP is port 110

POP-SSL is port 995

Outgoing ports are...

SMTP and SMTP-SSL is on ports 25, 587 and 465. Port 587 has to be SSL, and port 465 is enforced TLS-wrapped and is generally used by Outlook users.

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Answer 5

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 15, 2019 1:42 PM in response to bdphourde

OK, can you log into your Earthlink POP account on a Web Browser?

Do you have 2 different Earthlink accounts, or is the POP sever entry a holdover from POP to IMAP conversion?

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Answer 6

BDAqua

Level 10

250,253 points

Sep 16, 2019 8:02 PM in response to bdphourde

Interesting, glad I could help a bit but let us know how it goes please. :)

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Answer 7

bdphourde Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 13, 2019 11:47 AM in response to BDAqua

In performing the steps for this intended fix, I DID notice that the WiFi read "No IP address". After going through ALL your steps, that notice went away, and listed the wifi "connection" AND what the IP address was! But when I went to mail, there was NO change at all. Connection Doctor gave all reds! The problem ONLY prevents me from picking up mail from my Earthlink account. Gmail is NOT affected! However when I try to verify the settings the Mail Lookup function provides that I enter into my settings, it won't verify Gmail either although those messages are received in Mail!

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Answer 8

bdphourde Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 15, 2019 12:02 PM in response to BDAqua

All settings were as required by the Mail Server Settings Lookup.

Here they are as set:

****

And this is the result:

****

And once again, the PW is the same as the one used successfully on my smart devices. I have the same proof for my Gmail account settings including the "Unable to verify..." for the Gmail account, and it DOES receive email through my "Mail" client.

[Personal Information Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 9

bdphourde Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 15, 2019 7:19 PM in response to BDAqua

Yes, I have logged on to my Web-based Earthlink Account. To my knowledge I have only one Earthlink account and it used to be a POP account. But the latest request from apple mail settings said that I should switch it to an IMAP account. I was under the impression that the IMAP account was what was used when I used the WebMail form and the POP was when I used the Mail client. I have tried the settings for both forms and neither work.

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Answer 10

bdphourde Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 16, 2019 7:57 PM in response to BDAqua

Thank you for the informational pages on IMAP. I didn't even know Earthlink had a website with information. Before going through your new procedures, I felt maybe I would try the original Mail Server Settings for the POP account for the incoming Earthlink mail because they were the last ones to work for me, even though I had been trying them previously with no luck. With the SMPT settings left on IMAP since they had started working I changed back to the POP settings. To my utter astonishment, I got a green in Connection Doctor and and verification of connection! I can't explain it, but I'm going to leave it alone for a few days and then try to change everything again by adding an additional Earthlink account as an IMAP. I read the reasoning for it and agree it is better, but I have always managed my mail such that the emails remained on the server for 2 weeks which always gave me enough time to go back and upload mail from all my devices. Then periodically I would go to WebMail and delete the older messages.

Thank you for your diligence in talking me through this. If all that I have now read on this is true, then I suspect Apple is at least partially at fault here by retrieving the Mail Server Settings for my POP account as an IMAP account with no guidance to change things in a NEW account rather than altering the POP account, which doesn't seem to work well.

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Answer 11

bdphourde Author

Level 1

20 points

Sep 15, 2019 11:27 AM in response to BDAqua

Yes, "First Aid" from the Disk Utility. I also downloaded 'Mac Clean Up' & 'Mac Mechanic' but I haven't used them since their download site was listed as not being on the list of accepted sites. Admittedly, sometimes I feel like the best way to introduce malware is through a program that claims to get rid of them! So I haven't used them since I've never heard of them.

Today I tried checking all my mail problems again and have new results. My Gmail account checks "in the green" now as well as still sending/receiving email. My Earthlink account now has the SMTP "in the green"! The Earthlink POP is still red. A test message verified every case.

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