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Can't setup POP3 E-mail on mail client on my MacBook Pro

So this problem is getting really out of hand and I'm not sure what options I have left. So here are the details:

I'm trying to set up my work e-mail (the site host is Network Solutions) with Mail. There seem to be no problems with the online client. I can sign on without any troubles so password and username are correct. I'm using Mail 4.4. I first enter my name, e-mail, and password with no problems. Then for the incoming mail server I do the same, choosing POP, and I get the following message:

"The POP server "mail.companysite.com" (with the proper domain inserted) is not responding. Try checking the network connection, and that the server name is correct. Otherwise, the server might be temporarily unavailable. If you continue, you might not be able to receive messages."

i get this regardless if i put my username as just username or username@companyname.com and my network connection is fine as my other e-mail accounts (2 gmails set up as IMAP) work just fine. I've tried using different ports other than the default 110. Still the same problem.

An interesting little quirk is that at one point it actually did work, then suddenly without any changes to anything that I could tell, it stopped. When it was working, I had it set up on my iPod touch and even when it stopped on my computer it kept working on my iPod. But that also didn't last as now I can no longer connect or even set it up.

But wait! There's more. I've tried all the different debugging methods I can come up with, including trying to set it up on different e-mail clients, Entourage and Thunderbird, with the same result. Then I eventually tried it on another computer, on a PC running Windows XP, and wouldn't you know it, it set up without a hitch! so this means that my account is properly set up for this. Furthermore, I know it is possible to use an e-mail client on a mac with this domain as one of my coworkers has set it up on Entourage and Mail as well as his iPhone. I have no firewall settings currently on so nothing should be blocking and i've tried it using several different internet connections in different countries (seemingly then it's not a router or modem issue)

Anyone have any ideas? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated! Let me know if there's any more info you would need me to provide.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.5)

Posted on Dec 21, 2010 12:53 AM

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22 replies

Dec 27, 2010 4:18 PM in response to Bukco

I don't know wether mail 4.4 supports a POP 3 mail server anymore, my daughter tried setting up a 2nd Gmail address and the only way we could get it to work was to enable imap under settings in Gmail account, and disbale POP 3, her original Gmail address is a POP 3 though as is the same with mine.

Although it really doesn't make any sense, as I have a ISP email address and it's POP3 and works fine it's got to be a setting in Gmail we have wrong. Sorry not much help I guess

Dec 27, 2010 5:06 PM in response to Bukco

Thanks for all the responses.

First, as far as I know there shouldn't be any problems with POP3 and Mail 4.4. As I pointed out, my coworker has his set up with the same mail server. Second, I can assure I went through the instructions given by Network Solutions for how to set up the mail server with Mail. Third, here's the connection doctor report:

Incoming: Could not connect to this POP server. Check your network connection and that you entered the correct information in the Account preferences.

Outgoing: Could not connect to this SMTP server. Check your network connection and that you entered the correct information in the Account preferences.

Dec 27, 2010 5:29 PM in response to Bukco

Create a New User Account, and as that New User try to set up this one account -- as it is POP, set to leave messages on the server after download. If not familiar with setting up a New User Account, see:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8235.html

This will be a useful test, and is not meant to suggest a permanent switch to the New User Account, but rather a test of the Mail application outside of your normal User Account.

Also in System Preferences/Networks click on Advanced, then Proxies and make sure no proxy selections have been checked.

Ernie

Message was edited by: Ernie Stamper

Dec 27, 2010 5:55 PM in response to Bukco

Alright, went through all the steps and got the same result. However, when I went to check the proxy settings, there was one option checked, Auto Proxy Discovery, but it was all grayed out so I couldn't uncheck it. Don't know if this would have an effect on anything but I often connect to the internet using a VPN (I'm currently in China), however when I was back in the States, not using any VPN, I still had the same problem.

Can't setup POP3 E-mail on mail client on my MacBook Pro

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