Can't send e-mail, but can receive

Question

Level 2

276 points

Can't send e-mail, but can receive

Dear All,

I'm working on a Mac Pro with Lion 10.7.5. I'm able to connect to the internet and receive e-mail through Mac Mail, but for several days have not been able to send mail.

This has been an intermittent problem with AT&T high speed DSL, but has never lasted this long. The error message says incorrect password and login, but I know they are correct because I'm receiving mail, just can't send. AT&T techs seemed to solve the problem this morning, but my send capabilities lasted for one email and now will not work again.

Is this a problem with Lion and Mac Mail or AT&T. They said something about the firewall being a problem.

Thanks.

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Oct 8, 2012 10:30 AM

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Answer 1

Oct 8, 2012 11:37 AM in response to Barbara Smits

Hi Barbara...

Check the smtp settings in Mail. Maybe they changed the configuration.

Let us know 🙂

Greetings!

Francisco.

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Answer 2

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 8, 2012 2:46 PM in response to FOX-HOUND Zero

Dear Fox-Hound,

My settings are correct and up to date. It takes FOREVER to send an e-mail, but I was able to send another one this afternoon. Things are iffy at best and discouraging, to say the least. I'll continue to hang in there and see if the service improves. It has been good in the past, but occasionally goes in and out -- never this bad before.

Barbara

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Answer 3

mwearl

Level 1

24 points

Oct 8, 2012 3:19 PM in response to Barbara Smits

I posted on another thread but I'll repost FYI:

It IS a yahoo/AT&T problem. I called today and at first they said there was no problem. Then, believe it or not, they actually called back about 20 minutes later and said that after receiving additional phone calls, they were able to confirm that SMTP is not working with Mac mail, but it is a problem on there end. They claim it's been esculated and estimate 24 hours to be fixed.

I have a customer who has two iMacs and both simply stopped working end of last week. Doesn't matter which port, whether you our yahoo, outbound or even bellsouth settings. Its broken, however, I can subsitute my Gmail account settings in place of any AT&T settings and it works flawlessly. Thunderbird also works just fine when testing.

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Answer 4

Oct 8, 2012 3:34 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Hi guys!....

If there is a problem with SMTP you are stuck.

The only solution is to wait until your email provider fixes the issue.

If they told you that there is no problem with the accounts, just tell them that is not normal the time it takes to authenticate with the server so there is a problem.

Greetings!!!

Francisco

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Answer 5

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 8, 2012 3:58 PM in response to FOX-HOUND Zero

Dear All,

Thanks for your help and observations. I'll wait for AT&T to get the situation fixed and hope that puts an end to the delays for once and for all.

Barbara

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Answer 6

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 9, 2012 10:42 AM in response to Barbara Smits

Dear All,

It's now past the 24 hour fix period and nothing has changed -- still cannot send e-mail.

I thought I would mention that I am able to both send and receive e-mail on an older Mac G4 running Tiger 10.4, so it must be an issue with AT&T and Lion, not older Mac software. The tech I spoke to at AT&T mentioned that they were having trouble with Lion's firewall.

Hope this helps.

Barbara

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Answer 7

mwearl

Level 1

24 points

Oct 9, 2012 1:41 PM in response to Barbara Smits

I would like to add that I've seen the problems on both Lion and Mountain Lion, so it's interesting that the AT&T Tech says it's a firewall issue. However, it still doesn't explain why it suddenly stopped working unless AT&T/Yahoo changed something last Tuesday.

If the tech is correct, it begs the question as to what more could the smtp server need to communicate other than the username and password? I know Yahoo has been hacked and maybe there are trying to lock their servers down better, but Thunderbird on the same computer seems to communicate with AT&T/Yahoo's smtp fine, so is there any evidence that the firewall goes above and beyond for Mac Mail, than it does for Thunderbird. Doesn't sound logical.

Gmail's smtp continues to work fine in Mac Mail. In fact, I sent some AT&T email using my Gmail account's settings and credentials without any problem.

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Answer 8

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 11, 2012 6:37 AM in response to mwearl

Dear All,

Still can't send mail with LION as of Thursday morning, 10/11/12. Are we ALL still having the same problem?

Barbara

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Answer 9

mwearl

Level 1

24 points

Oct 12, 2012 3:47 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Yes, still having problem. Waiting for someone to post long term positive results.

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Answer 10

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Oct 12, 2012 5:07 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Barbara Smits wrote:

Dear All,

It's now past the 24 hour fix period and nothing has changed -- still cannot send e-mail.

I thought I would mention that I am able to both send and receive e-mail on an older Mac G4 running Tiger 10.4, so it must be an issue with AT&T and Lion, not older Mac software. The tech I spoke to at AT&T mentioned that they were having trouble with Lion's firewall.

That sounds like BS but test it, turn your firewall off, send and receive a few mails, problem solved? (I suspect not) turn your firewall back on (even though you don't need it)

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Answer 11

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 12, 2012 5:55 PM in response to Csound1

Dear All,

Thought that I'd report in. My firewall is not on, so that can't be the problem.

I went into my mail settings and re-entered passwords, account info, unselected SSL, then selected it again, entered custom ports, etc., etc., and was able to get mail to send, but no information seems to be stored and there doesn't seem to be any way to save any changes that are made. There was always a box that came up and asked if you wanted to save changes, but I can't find it now. If you shut mail down and start it up again, the same old problem occurs.

I also have two smtp servers and it seems that if one is working, the other doesn't. If outbound.att.net is working and shows green, then smtp.att.yahoo.com is red. If smtp.att.yahoo.com is green, then outbound.att.net is red. Occasionally they will both be green, but neither one sends any mail. Strange!

Also, Connection Doctor shows a red light for no connection when my mail just swooshed out of the mailbox! It really is working, but Connection Doctor doesn't show a connection. And, when the light is green and a connection is made, the mail still doesn't leave the box.

It still takes a long time to send anything, but I was able to send about five test messages tonight. I'm still waiting for a fix from Apple.

Barbara

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Answer 12

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Oct 12, 2012 6:05 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Do you have 1 accurate collection of settings for your account, these should be unequivocal and you should get them from your email provider, ports/security/login credentials etc are decided at the provider end, you just need to adhere to them. Ask your provider to provide (there's a thought) the correct settings to you.

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Answer 13

Barbara Smits Author

Level 2

276 points

Oct 12, 2012 6:14 PM in response to Csound1

Dear Csound:

Thanks for asking, but you've got to be kidding! I've been through these settings so many times with AT&T that my head is spinning. In fact, they're the ones who told me to enter the new smtp settings in addition to the outbound.net. I was only using the outbound.net, but that one didn't work, so they told me to enter the other one. Yes, my settings are correct and that is definitely not the problem. Something with deleting and re-entering them must jog something on the other end, because suddenly things come to life and then die out again. We'll just keep trying.

Barbara

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Answer 14

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Oct 12, 2012 6:20 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Barbara Smits wrote:

Dear Csound:

Thanks for asking, but you've got to be kidding! I've been through these settings so many times with AT&T that my head is spinning. In fact, they're the ones who told me to enter the new smtp settings in addition to the outbound.net. I was only using the outbound.net, but that one didn't work, so they told me to enter the other one. Yes, my settings are correct and that is definitely not the problem. Something with deleting and re-entering them must jog something on the other end, because suddenly things come to life and then die out again. We'll just keep trying.

Barbara

Good luck, but I would (and did) deal with this by getting a different email provider, this forum is full of ATT woes, they are a never ending issue.

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Answer 15

Oct 12, 2012 6:22 PM in response to Barbara Smits

Hi Barb!

Just to know... Do you have access to a webmail using your account?

If you do, try sending an email trough there.

If you success, try installing another software like Thunderbird or Outlook.

If you have success by using another application, then you can tell the guys at AT&T that they are filtering traffic or something.

Let me know :)

Greetings!

Francisco

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