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Can't log in to my email account

I can't log in to my Suddenlink email account on this computer that I use everyday. This problem just started a couple of days ago. I keep getting a message that says my username or password is incorrect. That's not correct because I have tried several times, and I have the info written down. I can access it on a different computer which doesn't make sense. Suddenlink tells me it isn't a Suddenlink issue since I can log in on a different computer. Please help! Thank you! My MacBook Pro is running macOS Mojave version 10.14.6

MacBook

Posted on Oct 31, 2020 2:32 PM

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Posted on Nov 2, 2020 9:25 PM

Hey again! Yes it sounds like you’ve entered Keychain Access, well I’d make sure your computer is backed up, and if you use iCloud Keychain on this and other devices, it should be fine to delete those entries. You may need to re enter your account passwords on this Mac, but just as a one time thing, so just make sure you know the password for your mail account, and any other accounts that use your email address, (Such as your Apple ID, or Facebook etc). Once deleted, restart and try logging into Mail again, cheers.


If you need to also, can give Apple a call as well:

Contacting Apple:

https://www.apple.com/contact/


More Ways to Get Help:


Otherwise happy to help if I can, as many here, thanks!

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 2, 2020 9:25 PM in response to Shan64Shon67

Hey again! Yes it sounds like you’ve entered Keychain Access, well I’d make sure your computer is backed up, and if you use iCloud Keychain on this and other devices, it should be fine to delete those entries. You may need to re enter your account passwords on this Mac, but just as a one time thing, so just make sure you know the password for your mail account, and any other accounts that use your email address, (Such as your Apple ID, or Facebook etc). Once deleted, restart and try logging into Mail again, cheers.


If you need to also, can give Apple a call as well:

Contacting Apple:

https://www.apple.com/contact/


More Ways to Get Help:


Otherwise happy to help if I can, as many here, thanks!

Oct 31, 2020 11:25 PM in response to Shan64Shon67

Hey there!


I’m thinking a few reasons/solutions:


One:

If the security of your email account has upgraded, some different Mail clients/programs, depending on the OS, may require that you generate an app-specific password to allow use of the email on that device/OS. Was this other a computer also a Mac on the same OS?


Also, sometimes the old keychain entries need to be removed (Though not often) in order for the new password to authenticate. However there isn’t enough details.


Is this account already added, and just requesting the password? Or are you trying to add it?


Do other accounts on your Mac (If there) do the same?


I’ve also seen recent (unintentionally downloaded) malware cause this problem, usually not but can be the case.


Also, were you able to get the account server settings from your email provider? Many times, some email accounts need to be entered in manually to work, in fact this may be more likely than not.


Settings you may need:

If IMAP or POP

If it uses SSL/TLS

Incoming and outgoing servers

Incoming and outgoing ports


Lately, as you may know many mail providers have been merging and tweaking their settings making it more difficult to keep up, so this may be the cause, but also may not be.


Let me know if you can those answers and I’m, or anyone else are happy to help out!


Cheers.

Nov 1, 2020 6:05 PM in response to DiZoE

The other computer that the login works on is a MacBook Pro OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6.


This is an existing account and it's just requesting the username and password that I always use. I'm not adding anything.


No other accounts.


How would I know if malware has downloaded? Not that I know of.


I'm not sure about the settings. Where would you go to enter these if I can get the settings information? Suddenlink is very difficult to work with. Unfortunately, we don't have any other options where we live.


Thank you for trying to help me. I am an old woman and just a bit computer illiterate.

Nov 1, 2020 9:03 PM in response to Shan64Shon67

Hi again! Thanks for the info. First, I doubt you are computer illiterate, you seem to know what you are doing, and there is always more to learn, even for the most experienced users. That said, I’m sure you have talents I can only dream of having!


Well, the first thing I would try, is to click on the top menu, Mail > Accounts, click on your mail account, then to the right, the far right tab, click on Server Settings.


If the username (Usually the email address) or password is blank, I’d enter it there.


Once done, you might see a “Save” option on the bottom right of that window, click that. (If no Save option, you can close that window.


Once done, on the top menu, click Mailbox > Take All Accounts Online (If its selectable), and year by sending an email.


If that doesn’t work:


To hopefully spare you some time, I’d likely bet on a keychain issue, so, since you know the password, (Make sure you also know the passwords to any other accounts that use that email if so, (Such as your Apple ID, etc.).


Quit the Mail app.


Open Finder > Applications > Utilities > Keychain Access, (You can also click the magnifying glass (Spotlight Search) and search for it).


In there, it usually defaults to “Login Keychain” and “All Items”, which is what we want.


On the top right of the window, you’ll see the search option.


In there, type in your email address, from the results below, you can delete any that say “Application Password” in one of the columns, or, as long as you know all your passwords just delete all.


(You can select the items, then select from the top menu, Edit > Delete).


Once done, I would restart the computer for good measure, then, instead of opening Mail, open System Preferences > Internet Accounts, and click on your email account.


If it asks for the password, you can enter it there, If not, you can open Mail, and once prompted, enter the password for the account.

Nov 2, 2020 1:49 PM in response to DiZoE

I must be dumb as a rock! I wasn't able to find mail in the top menu or server Settings anywhere, but I went to the apple icon at top and then chose system preferences-internet accounts-Suddenlink mail-password. I found the keychains and the All Items, I typed in my email address, and there are the kind, the Date Modified, the Name, Expires and Keychain in the top bar. Under the Kind is Application, and there are all kinds of choices under the Name, but the word Password is not there. There are four choices under Name that say Apple ID glyn...suddenlink.net.key. Under Kind the top one says Private and the other three say public. I am scared that I will mess my computer up. Am I even in the right place? Thanks for your patience!

Can't log in to my email account

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