Mail Outgoing Server almost ALWAYS offline (ATT internet)

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Mail Outgoing Server almost ALWAYS offline (ATT internet)

I realize this is a common issue (Google efforts were made before posting this), but solutions seem to be elusive. I have ATT internet (Uverse), and my Mail 4.5 outgoing emails won't go. They "spin" in the outbox for up to an hour before something clicks and they go.

ATT outgoing port is supported to be 995 with SSL. That's what I have set. Incoming port is supposed to be 465, but that's irrelevant here (because mail arrives fine, it's sending that's an issue, and because Mail allows you to specify the outgoing server port, but has no comparable entry for incoming server port anyways).

I can send mail is I use ATT webmail; it's Mail 4.5 that fails. Right-clickng on the ATT server in Mail shows that Mail regards that server as "offline."

Emails I want to send will, as previously stated, eventually go through if I let them sit for an hour in the outbox. That's no good for time-sensitive business, of course, and Apple's glitch with offline outgoing mail servers is quite famous.

Ideas? Fixes?

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 11, 2011 9:46 AM

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Answer 1

Akicita Author

Level 1

0 points

Apr 11, 2011 9:48 AM in response to Akicita

I meant to add this: one "fix" proposed on some websites is to delete the server account entirely and then add it again. Since deleting a server account carries with it the penalty of also permanently deleting all the messages that reside in that account's inbox, that's a lousy solution--it's Pyrrhic, with no guaranteed success. Google searches about "outgoing Mac Mail server offline" indicate that this is a widespread problem, not specific to one's ISP, and therefore is likely an Apple bug, not user or ISP error.

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Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Apr 11, 2011 10:21 AM in response to Akicita

Backup Mail prior to removing the account.

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Answer 3

Apr 11, 2011 10:28 AM in response to Akicita

Akicita wrote:
I realize this is a common issue (Google efforts were made before posting this), but solutions seem to be elusive. I have ATT internet (Uverse), and my Mail 4.5 outgoing emails won't go. They "spin" in the outbox for up to an hour before something clicks and they go.

ATT outgoing port is supported to be 995 with SSL. That's what I have set. Incoming port is supposed to be 465, but that's irrelevant here (because mail arrives fine, it's sending that's an issue, and because Mail allows you to specify the outgoing server port, but has no comparable entry for incoming server port anyways).

I can send mail is I use ATT webmail; it's Mail 4.5 that fails. Right-clickng on the ATT server in Mail shows that Mail regards that server as "offline."

Emails I want to send will, as previously stated, eventually go through if I let them sit for an hour in the outbox. That's no good for time-sensitive business, of course, and Apple's glitch with offline outgoing mail servers is quite famous.

Ideas? Fixes?

I think you got the incoming and outgoing ports reversed. I think incoming is 995 and outgoing is 465.

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=803&title=Whatare+my+email+server+settings+%28i.e.%2C+POP+andSMTP%29%3F#fbid=pu-ninn1tqW

Message was edited by: BobTheFisherman

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Answer 4

Apr 11, 2011 10:40 AM in response to Akicita

This behavior is reported in more than one recent topic. Despite ATT's protest, it seems to very much be their problem, as the behavior is reported not only for the current version of Mail, but for Entourage and earlier versions of Mail as well. See:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=13334718&#13334718

Ernie

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Answer 5

R.Crooke

Level 1

9 points

Apr 11, 2011 1:32 PM in response to Akicita

Here's a simpler work-around instead of 'deleting the account' mentioned earlier.
If you're connected to the net via airport then turn airport off for 60 seconds or so, via the airport icon and then restart it. When you reconnect try sending the mail that's now in the outbox. It generally goes without problem.
The worst that I've seen is that I need to do this 2-3 more times, but I end up with the mail out of the door within 5 minutes.
Some days I have no problem at all; on other days I have to do this 'trick' repeatedly to send mail. Very odd. Today was a bad day and I was on here looking for a permanent solution - so far no luck.

{^_^}

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Answer 6

Apr 13, 2011 8:19 AM in response to R.Crooke

I have the same issue but strangely enough it just started in the past few months. The first six months of use were completely uneventful. My work around is when the send gets stuck in the outbox, quit mail then power down the unit then power back on. I have Mail in my startup list so as soon as the machine reboots, it pulls up mail and then the message(s) send. This has only failed once and that was when I was sending a message with multiple large attachments. For that one I had the break the email into four messages with only two attachments each.

I made an appointment at the local Genius Bar and the tech told me this is an issue Apple Mail and ATT Yahoo mail. He said ATT will not fix it. When I called ATT for technical support they say it Apple's problem. Lets stop pointing the finger and just fix the issue. BTW, ATT suggest using web mail and bypassing Apple Mail all together.

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Answer 7

Apr 13, 2011 7:32 PM in response to GWC Soundman

Keep in mind that we have reports indicating the same behavior with Entourage, so it is not simply Apple Mail.

Ernie

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Answer 8

Apr 13, 2011 8:13 PM in response to Akicita

Mine does this also. Intermittently, which leads me to believe it's at least in part on the ATT end. Especially since I've had ATT DSL for over a year now, and the problem just cropped up recently.

It was nearly unusable Monday, was fine Tuesday and most of today until about an hour ago.

Mail sits in the Outbox for an eternity with no warning at all (that's a flaw in Mail.app), which is troubling as I use this computer for work, much of which is time-sensitive. Or, sometimes I get an Unable to deliver message. I choose Try Again Later, open the message in the outbox, hit the Send button again, and it goes. If not, repeat until it does. Sometimes I'll quit and relaunch Mail and do the Send trick.

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Answer 9

Apr 14, 2011 8:21 AM in response to Carl Perkins

It is not a flaw, if after the initial warning it cannot be sent, it sets in the Outbox until it can be -- this is how it has worked (and should work) in all versions of Mail, since the beginning of OSX. If never showing any message of not being able to send, then we need more info, please.

Ernie

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Answer 10

Apr 14, 2011 11:36 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Behavior is as described. Will hit Send, mail sits in Outbox with no warning of any kind. Activity Viewer shows something like "Connecting to smpt server," with progress stuck at 0%. It stays that way until I interrupt it; to me that appears to be a bug in Mail.

At that point I can click the stop sign icon, open the msg from the outbox, hit Send, and about half the time it will be sent.

Other times I get a warning box "Cannot send message using the server smpt.att.yahoo.com:[my address]@att.net," with options to edit message, try later, try another server. This I wound tend to blame ATT.

I'm using ATT DSL service, using several different @att.net addresses. Mail servers are configured per ATT's instructions.

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Answer 11

Apr 14, 2011 11:41 AM in response to Carl Perkins

As stated earlier, ATT has some problems. There is no bug involved with the message remaining in the Outbox.

Ernie

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Answer 12

Apr 14, 2011 12:01 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

When the user hits Send, Mail.app should either perform that action, or provide a warning that the action failed. More than once I've sent an important message, then returned to other tasks, only to discover later that the message is sitting there, stalled, with no warning whatsoever, and nothing else impeding its progress in the Outbox.

To work around this limitation or nuance or feature or whatever we might call it, I've taken to watching the progress bar and the Outbox to verify that the message is sent. It's a tedious process.

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Answer 13

Apr 14, 2011 12:18 PM in response to Carl Perkins

I do not claim it to be a "feature" -- rather it is the only action that Mail can take without the server having given a direct communication that connection has failed. It is very similar to what would happen if you lost connection to the internet entirely.

I have a test account with ATT, and it is behaving the same way, whether using Mail 4.5 or Mail 2.1.3 in Tiger. It is very unpredictable as to when it will work, or will not. Most of the time I have had a warning message when it fails, and I share your expectation of that. But I am simply saying that keeping the message in the Outbox is not a bug. For example, if you quit Mail, and relaunched, it would be in a position to immediately be sent.

It is ATT's problem, but your distress.

Ernie

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Answer 14

Apr 14, 2011 12:40 PM in response to Carl Perkins

Carl

I had similar issues with trying to send mail with it locking up and spin for a long time or stay in the outbox. I would suggest you edit your settings on SMTP and change from the default port to custom and use 465 w/SSL.

Also, delete all passwords for mail in keychain. You will have to re input them when you first receive and send.

It didn't fix the intermittent problem of sending, but it did stop mine from getting the delays. Now, if it doesn't send, I know almost immediately.

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Answer 15

Apr 14, 2011 1:10 PM in response to Carl Perkins

Carl Perkins wrote:
Behavior is as described. Will hit Send, mail sits in Outbox with no warning of any kind. Activity Viewer shows something like "Connecting to smpt server," with progress stuck at 0%. It stays that way until I interrupt it; to me that appears to be a bug in Mail.

At that point I can click the stop sign icon, open the msg from the outbox, hit Send, and about half the time it will be sent.

Other times I get a warning box "Cannot send message using the server smpt.att.yahoo.com:[my address]@att.net," with options to edit message, try later, try another server. This I wound tend to blame ATT.

I'm using ATT DSL service, using several different @att.net addresses. Mail servers are configured per ATT's instructions.

If that's the error message you are getting, you have not set up your server information correctly. Your error message says "smpt" instead it should be "smtp".

See these instructions:
http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=803&title=Whatare+my+email+server+settings+%28i.e.%2C+POP+andSMTP%29%3F#fbid=pu-ninn1tqW

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