Can't send email with mail.app or MozT-Bird

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Can't send email with mail.app or MozT-Bird

This has been an ongoing issue for several months now. I have been back and forth with my ISP, and my webhost. In the beginning each blamed the other for my inability to send email. From there, they both moved to my router, until I pointed out that I can send email on a Win98 and WinXP box using the same settings, same ISP and webhost. They now admit that they do not know why I cannot send email with my iBook. So I am forced to believe that some odd setting somewhere on my iBook is preventing me from sending email.

Things that we have tried thus far;
Changing server port number.
Trying to use the ISP to send email.
Resetting the router.
Trying a different router port.
Bypassing the router.
Running traceroute (I never reach either the webhost or ISP for sending email).
Permissions fix.
Tried AppleJack, Onyx, etc. Nadda.
Firewall on, and firewall off.
Trying a different email program (thus I now know mail.app and MozT-Bird don't work).
Tried a new user, again nadda.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things we've tried over the past few months, but you get the idea.

I'm now at my wits end. I really need to send email. I really want to dump the Windows boxes. But I can't until I get this issue resolved.
Please, please help me.

iBook G3, Mac OS X (10.4.4)

Posted on Jan 30, 2006 8:57 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 30, 2006 9:03 AM in response to F1_error

Hello, and welcome to the Discussions.

Who is your ISP, and what is a good link for me to check for how they recommend to Authenticate their SMTP. Individual ISP can be very different in how they say to authenticate, and some do not understand how it make take place with Mail, and probably Thunderbird, as well.

Are you at your home or office venue where you receive service from this ISP?

More info, please. I feel we can find a resolution.

Ernie

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Answer 2

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 9:12 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

My ISP is a local one PaulBunyan.net. As I have said, I've been dealing with this for several months. And I have been working with both my ISP and webhost to try and resolve this. I had forgot to say that prior to this, I had been able to send email just fine. My first question to both my ISP and webhost was; have you changed anything?

I'll be at home where I recieve service. On rare occasions, it will be the office. But it's the same ISP and webhost there as well. And I cannot send mail from there either.

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Answer 3

Jan 30, 2006 9:27 AM in response to F1_error

With the Network Utility, there is a 100% packet loss, when Pinging the server smtp.paulbunyan.net, which I found by Google search. Is this the name you have been given, and are attempting to use? This is not the outcome one would expect from Pinging a valid server.

I cannot find how they say to authenticate the server, however.

When able to send previously, was anything different about your OSX, configuration or connection on your end?

Ernie

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Answer 4

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 9:42 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Yes that is my ISPs SMTP server, but that is not the mail server I wish to use.

I've just gone back through my record of everthing I've installed, and when I began this journey to fix my email issue. This all began back on May 5, 2005 (I hadn't realized it has been so long) when I installed Tiger. I did an archive and install.
However since then many things have been installed and uninstalled.

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Answer 5

Jan 30, 2006 9:46 AM in response to F1_error

Any SMTP server you wish to use will have to relay to that of your ISP, so it is important to first know that theirs will work.

The use of the SMTP of the ISP, when it works, as the Outgoing server for your account with your domain derived email address is not easily noticed by any recipient, however.

Have you an email account set up with your ISP? With certain types of authentication, you must first have setup and authenticated with the Incoming mail server of your ISP -- have you done this?

Ernie

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Answer 6

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 9:53 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

Yes I have an email account set up with my ISP. But as I stated orginally, I can send email using a Win98 and a WinXP box using the same settings, same ISP, same router, same webhost. Basically everything identical. I just can't send email with my iBook.

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Answer 7

Jan 30, 2006 10:15 AM in response to F1_error

What mail applications are you using on the Windows boxes? I will later review the authentication screens used by that mail client, and compare for subtle differences.

What are the server settings for the outgoing server when trying to use the ISP's SMTP with Mail?

Ernie

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Answer 8

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 10:23 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

I've been using both Eudora and MozT-Biird.

smtp.paulbunyan.net port:25

It used to ask for both username&password when I first set this up (before Tiger). After the first time asking, it did not ask again, unless OSX was updated.

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Answer 9

Jan 30, 2006 11:48 AM in response to F1_error

What do you mean by "ask for"? At what point?

In Mail, is your Username appended to the name of the SMTP, or not?

Ernie

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Answer 10

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 11:55 AM in response to Ernie Stamper

You know, get the prompt.
Remember the first time you set up your mail program?

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Answer 11

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 12:06 PM in response to F1_error

Perhaps I am not being clear enough.

Things we can eliminate;
ISP
Webhost
router
mail.app
MozT-Bird

This leaves something else, within OSX, that is preventing me from sending email (and possibly other things I am not aware of).

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Answer 12

Jan 30, 2006 12:17 PM in response to F1_error

No, we cannot eliminate all those things, not by a long shot!

A very important question I asked was: In Mail, is your Username appended to the name of the SMTP, or not? Please answer. You should also ask your ISP if the form of Authentication for their SMTP will result in the name of the SMTP being appended with your Username. Have you found any support pages that show this for any other mail client, on any other computer platform?

It does not matter what you do with regard to any other SMTP server, until you determine how to make the one with the ISP work with Mail, or with Th'bird, because any third party SMTP must relay to that of the ISP, and if it does work the one for your Webhost will also not work!

Ernie

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Answer 13

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 12:37 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

You should also ask your ISP if the form of Authentication for their SMTP will result in the name of the SMTP being appended with your Username.

Nope.

It does not matter what you do with regard to any
other SMTP server, until you determine how to make
the one with the ISP work with Mail, or with Th'bird,
because any third party SMTP must relay to that of
the ISP, and if it does work the one for your Webhost
will also not work!

I promise you it's not an issue with the SMTP server. It's an issue with something in OSX.

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Answer 14

Jan 30, 2006 12:51 PM in response to F1_error

I can almost promise you that it is not a general issue with OSX. If it were to be a problem of that nature, it would be with the mail client, and not OSX, assuming the attempt to connect is being made via the same connection you are using to receive.

If your ISP tells you that the name of the SMTP will NOT have your Username appended, thereto, then in the Server Settings for the Outgoing server, the authentication should be set to None, and no password entered -- is this how you have it now in Mail Preferences/Accounts/Account Information and further clicking on the Server Settings below Outgoing Server?

Ernie

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Answer 15

F1_error Author

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Jan 30, 2006 12:58 PM in response to Ernie Stamper

I just tried it that way (again) and it didn't work. I simply cannot send an email. I'm being blocked, here, on the iBook.

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