Mail shows my SMTP is "offline": How do I get my SMTP "online"?

Hi,

I had two gmail accounts whose SMTP servers were "offline". I had to do a little something different than Barbara Nelson because, in my Google Account Settings (not in my Mac Mail setttings), I have double authentication required.

To fix this and bring them online (so I could send email from them), I updated my Google Application Specific passwords for the two SMTP servers.

https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/185833

After I created the application-specific password *for each account* that was offline, I added that new password to Mac Mail. I added the password in:

1. Preferences >>

2. Accounts >>

3. Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) >>

4. Click on the drop down >>

5. Select "Edit SMTP Server List" >>

6. Click the SMTP Server that is offline >>

7. On the bottom half of the window you are on, select the Advanced tab >>

8. Click on the drop down >>

9. Set "Authentication" to Password >>

10. Paste your new Google Application-specific password here.

This worked for me. But my requirements were a little different than Barbara Nelson's. Her instructions may work for you, too.

I was having this problem for several months too with Apple Mail and tried everything in this forum, even contacting my web hosting provider.

But then I realized this could be a wifi problem, specifically with Verizon Fios. I checked to see if the outgoing mail was being blocked via:

http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup/

They block port 25 which explained why I was able to receive mail but not send any. Then I changed my SMTP with the following instructions below provided by Verizon (which is outdated):

Configure Entourage (Mac Mail) to use port 465 for sending email

In order to change your port 25 settings to port 465 in Entourage (Mac Mail), you must do the following:

1. Open Entourage, select the Tools menu and from the bottom of the drop-down list selectAccounts.
2. On the Accounts window under the Mail tab, click on your Verizon email account to highlight and then select Edit.
3. The Edit Accounts window should appear opened to the Account Settings tab. At the bottom of the window under Sending mail, ensure your SMTP server is set to: smtp.verizon.net. From here, select Click here for advanced sending options.
4. In the Override default SMTP port: field enter 465, then select OK.
5. Make sure SSL encryption is enabled for the incoming and outgoing mail server.

After you have completed the above steps for Entourage (Mac Mail), you will be configured to use port 465 to send email with much greater safety and protection from spam and viruses.

In addition to the above instructions, for Authentication, choose Password and enter your Verizon Fios account username and password (since you're using their outgoing SMTP server). And it worked for me.

Hope this helps.

This worked for me up to step 9 where I just changed authentication to 'none' and suddenly it all started working again...

Don't know why this is so messed up, iPhone works fine. I even got Postbox but then that started having the same problems. Shouldn't apple be easy to figure out?

1. Preferences >>

2. Accounts >>

3. Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP) >>

4. Click on the drop down >>

5. Select "Edit SMTP Server List" >>

6. Click the SMTP Server that is offline >>

7. On the bottom half of the window you are on, select the Advanced tab >>

8. Click on the drop down >>

9. Set "Authentication" to Password >>

10. Paste your new Google Application-specific password here.

Thanks people, but I automatically check the address and checking the account set-up. As for force quiting (why not just quit?) and reastating, I can't see what that will do and it's quite a faff....If you don't have this problem you're lucky. Check other support issues or ngoogle the issue and you'll see lots of people suffering this problem.

So far this seems to have alleviated the most annoying problem.... I cloud always reverting to "off line".

Amazing what I found in my keychain! Thanks, and if it continues to have solved the problem, I'll be back to confirm!

DJKirkster wrote:

Had the same problem just after installing Mountain Lion. Incoming mail was fine. Couldn't send outgoing mail and kept getting the message saying SMTP server offline. Tried loads of the above suggestions and the only thing that worked for me was changing the port settings for the SMTP server from the default ports (25,465,587) to custom ports and entering 25 in the custom port settings.

This prompted me to save the changes and now can send mail again.

Has to be a fault with the Mountain Lion version of Mail. None of my settings or passwords had been changed from Snow Leopard. Apple really need to get this sorted.

As you never mention what mail provider you use this information is of little value, please note that choosing port 25 is a bad idea, it's the favorite of hackers and is often blocked by the ISP for the same reason. Did you at least turn SSL on or is your mail out there for all to read, unsecured?

Hi,

I'm going to take a stab and presume you're using Google mail. If so, do you have 2-step verification activated for your Google mail?

I recently activated 2-step verification and I had to generate an application specific password for my Apple Mail account. I did this successfully for incoming (IMAP) mail, but forgot to do the same for outgoing (SMTP) and for the past week, my mail was not sending from my Apple mail client.

You need to create an application specific entry for both. I discovered this just today by analyzing the auth trace in the Apple Mail connection log:

READ Jul 26 14:58:21.890 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1SSLv3] -- host:smtp.gmail.com -- port:25 -- socket:0x7fb5660909a0 -- thread:0x7fb5640433a0

534-5.7.9 Application-specific password required. Learn more at

534 5.7.9 http://support.google.com/accounts/bin/answer.py?answer=185833 bp12sm5737785pac.1 - gsmtp

Hope this helps you!

Bernard.

Thank you, DJ Kirkster! 😍 I have tried every single suggestion and work around on this thread; re-enter mail account details in preferences (multiple times), re-ener and and re-start computer; delete and reinstall mail account - and restart; delete and re-enter passwords via the keychain access route; the 'new message' workaround etc. etc. Nothing worked until I did as you suggested. Port 25 may be the hacker's wet dream but this is the only thing that gets my SMTP online and Mac Mail working. (I installed Mountain Lion two days ago. This is the first time I have had to spend hours trying to get my computer to work as well as it did before! Up 'til now, I'd been loving it!)

im running 10.8.4 and have same problem, my website and email is through bt. All work computers work fine, my laptop did until i went away recently and logged into a wifi service, since returning and logging back into to bt wifi i cannot send mail from any of my accounts, the only one that works is cloud. My laptop is sat next to my computer with the exact setttings and also my iphone, so there must be a setting on the laptop that is preventing it from working. As my laptop contains so much information and programs i really dont want to have to do a reinstall, so if someone has a genuine answer to this original post please share

Found the problem, tried 1 and it worked, this was a post from a bt employee may help some of you even if not on bt

This is quite a strange issue, only affects mail on apple and only on the new hub. It seems to be the way mail searches for the dns.

There's three ways to fix this:

1) Specify dns on the mac: Click the finder icon - apple - system preferences - network - (select either wireless or ethernet) - click advanced - click dns - click the plus - enter two dns servers, i.e. 62.6.40.162 and 194.72.9.34

2) Change the hostname on the router: Open safari - type in the address bar 192.168.1.254 - click settings - enter your password, click advanced settings - continue to advanced settings - business network and rename your mac in the network to something with one word and no puntuation, i.e rename unknown45:ae:01:ee to "Mac" or "laptop".

3) Change the name of the mac:

Open a Terminal window and enter the following command "scutil --set HostName newhostname" replace newhostname with whatever you wish to call the Mac. Use the following requirements, it must begin with a letter and can contain letters and numbers. Try to keep it under 64 characters as well.
• Click on the Apple icon, then System Preferences. In there, should be an option called Sharing. If not there will be a show all button at the top, click this, then click Sharing.
• In the window this brings up click Edit
• In the window this brings set the Local Hostname field to contain the exact same thing you set the hostname to in the terminal
• Back into the System Preferences page and click on Network
• Select the Location option at the top and in the menu that pops up click Edit Locations
• Click the plus button and give the new location any name.
• Once this is done the computer may loose all connectivity. If using Wi-Fi click on the Wifi option on the left of the network pane and it should reconnect to the network without having to re-enter security keys or anything.
• If using Ethernet, it might just work, make sure Ethernets selected on the left and check through the advanced options, try doing DHCP release and renew etc.

T Dog wrote:

The solution presented by DJKirkster actually worked for me - thanks DJ! Csound1, this is a help forum so please stay on the high road. We do appreciate your advice regarding security.

As the mail system is clearly not Apple, and I stand to lose nothing from other peoples unsecured and unidentified mail systems being penetrated I am not perturbed.

Good luck with open email.

It's obvoiusly Apples Mail client that I'm using (Version 6.5 (1508) - that is the whole point of this thread.

I tried every piece of advice on here and it was the only way I could get outgoing mail to work. The problem only presents itself after upgrading from Snow Leopoard to Mountain Lion and that's without making any changes whatsoever to mail settings. Incoming mail is not affected.

If you have any alternative suggestions on how to resolve the problem I'd be glad to try them. For me it was either change the settings to use port 25 or be unable to send any outgoing email.

DJKirkster wrote:

It's obvoiusly Apples Mail client that I'm using (Version 6.5 (1508) - that is the whole point of this thread.

But it is is not what I asked. Who is the email provider? That Mail is the client is, as you say, obvious. And it is also obvious that you are not using an Apple email account as iCloud does not use port 25. If you need to keep your email providers identity secret I understand (?) but wihout knowing who it is I am unable to help.

DJKirkster wrote:

Exactly the same ISP as I was using before with no problems. This is affecting many different people with many different ISPs - how is this relevant to settings within Mac Mail?

If you don't understand why knowing what server it is matters I am unable to help you, especially as I would be guessing. Carry on your way.

I was ready to throw my MBA to the wall and then found the problem.....

Along with my MBA also runninng an imac. MBA on wifi & imac on ethernet. imac SMTP worked fine MBA wifi SMTP off line just could not get it on..

Looked at the wifi router which is a Time capsule checked settings and router mode which was on bridge setting changed setting to DHCP & NAT & bingo!

All good - hope it helps...