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DSL-2750U router problems with POP Mail

I have just upgraded my router to a D-Link DSL-2750U.

As the installation CD would not run on the Mac, I used my Windows XP laptop to set up (successfully, by the way). I then disconnected the laptop and connected the Mac.

Surfing was fine, as was the wireless connection but I get an intermittent problem when using Mail. I often get the message from the connection doctor that

The server returned the error: The server “pop3.telkomsa.net” cannot be contacted on port 110.

SMTP works fine.

I can connect to the POP server successfully with Microsoft Outlook from my Windows XP laptop; the problem only occurs with the Mail program on the Mac.

Telkom not much help as they are only trained on Windows; D-Link do not think that it is the router and suggest the problem lies with the Mac.

My previous router, the Telkom ADSL 5102G worked with no problems - and still does, if I swap them.

What could be causing the problem?

iMac (27-inch Mid 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.4)

Posted on Jul 11, 2013 1:43 AM

35 replies

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 12, 2013 2:13 PM in response to travellerblogs

Do you consistently find that you can connect to the mail servers in safe mode, and not in normal mode? If so, I suggest you uninstall "BlackBerry Desktop Manager" according to the developer's instructions (not by dragging something to the Trash), then reboot and test. Back up all data before making any changes.

Jul 12, 2013 11:38 PM in response to Linc Davis

Hello Linc,

I dowloaded the Blackberry software and carried out the Uninstall.

I then re-started and carried out again your steps 1 - 5. I can still see references to RIM in the output. Shouldn't these have been removed? New data is as follows:

Step 1:

com.rim.driver.BlackBerryUSBDriverInt (0.0.68)

Step 2:

com.rim.BBDaemon

com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper

com.adobe.fpsaud

Step 3:

com.rim.BBLaunchAgent

com.oracle.java.Java-Updater

com.microsoft.SyncServicesAgent

com.google.keystone.user.agent

com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae

Step 4:

/Library/Components:

/Library/Extensions:

/Library/Frameworks:

AEProfiling.framework

AERegistration.framework

Adlm.framework

AudioMixEngine.framework

NyxAudioAnalysis.framework

PluginManager.framework

RimBlackBerryUSB.framework

TSLicense.framework

iLifeFaceRecognition.framework

iLifeKit.framework

iLifePageLayout.framework

iLifeSQLAccess.framework

iLifeSlideshow.framework

iTunesLibrary.framework

/Library/Input Methods:

/Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

AdobePDFViewer.plugin

AdobePDFViewerNPAPI.plugin

Flash Player.plugin

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin.plugin

Google Earth Web Plug-in.plugin

JavaAppletPlugin.plugin

Quartz Composer.webplugin

QuickTime Plugin.plugin

SharePointBrowserPlugin.plugin

SharePointWebKitPlugin.webplugin

Silverlight.plugin

flashplayer.xpt

iPhotoPhotocast.plugin

nsIQTScriptablePlugin.xpt

/Library/Keyboard Layouts:

/Library/LaunchAgents:

com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist

com.rim.BBLaunchAgent.plist

/Library/LaunchDaemons:

com.adobe.fpsaud.plist

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist

com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist

com.rim.BBDaemon.plist

/Library/PreferencePanes:

Flash Player.prefPane

Flip4Mac WMV.prefPane

JavaControlPanel.prefPane

Perian.prefPane

/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools:

com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper

/Library/QuickLook:

iBooksAuthor.qlgenerator

iWork.qlgenerator

/Library/QuickTime:

AC3MovieImport.component

AppleIntermediateCodec.component

AppleMPEG2Codec.component

Flip4Mac WMV Advanced.component

Flip4Mac WMV Export.component

Flip4Mac WMV Import.component

Perian.component

/Library/ScriptingAdditions:

/Library/Spotlight:

Microsoft Office.mdimporter

iBooksAuthor.mdimporter

iWork.mdimporter

/Library/StartupItems:

/etc/mach_init.d:

/etc/mach_init_per_login_session.d:

/etc/mach_init_per_user.d:

Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:

SkypeABDialer.bundle

SkypeABSMS.bundle

Library/Fonts:

Library/Input Methods:

.localized

Library/Internet Plug-Ins:

Library/Keyboard Layouts:

Library/LaunchAgents:

com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae.plist

com.apple.AddressBook.ScheduledSync.PHXCardDAVSource.ED035F64-0FDD-435F-8868-4F8 C38E70A9A.plist

com.apple.FolderActions.enabled.plist

com.apple.FolderActions.folders.plist

com.google.keystone.agent.plist

com.microsoft.LaunchAgent.SyncServicesAgent.plist

Library/PreferencePanes:

Library/Services:

ToastIt.service

Step 5:

iTunesHelper, Microsoft Database Daemon, AdobeResourceSynchronizer, Dropbox, BlackBerry Device Manager

Jul 13, 2013 12:08 AM in response to travellerblogs

Hello Linc,

I still have the problem!

Jul 13, 2013 3:01 AM in response to travellerblogs

I switched my computer to Safe Mode this morning and left it there. Initially, it was fine but now, after about 3 hours and even in Safe Mode, I have a problem retrieving mail from Gmail. I will stay in Safe Mode to see if Telkom gives a problem later and let you know.

Jul 13, 2013 4:21 AM in response to travellerblogs

Hello Linc,

At this moment, still in Safe Mode, I cannot send or receive on the Gmail or Telkomsa servers. I tried a test mesaage with my iPhone via the router and it went through and was received OK.

I then quit Mail on the Mac and re-started it and all servers could be contacted and mail came in.

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 13, 2013 6:54 AM in response to travellerblogs

You've stated that you only have the problem when connected wirelessly to the router, not when connected with Ethernet. If that's true, then you should troubleshoot the wireless connection.

Back up all data before making any changes.

Step 1

Take all the applicable steps in this support article.

Step 2

If you're running OS X 10.8.4 or later, run Wireless Diagnostics and take the remedial steps suggested in the summary that appears, if any. The program also generates a large file of information about your system, which would be used by Apple Engineering in case of a support incident. Don't post the contents here.

Step 3

If you're not using a wireless keyboard or trackpad, disable Bluetooth by selecting Turn Bluetooth Off from the menu with the Bluetooth icon. If you don't have that menu, open the Bluetooth preference pane in System Preferences and check the box marked Show Bluetooth in menu bar. Test. Continue if you find that Wi-Fi is faster with Bluetooth disabled.

From that same menu, select Open Bluetooth Preferences. If the box labeled Discoverable is checked, uncheck it. Click the Advanced button, and in the sheet that opens, uncheck the top three boxes, if any are checked. Click OK. Enable Bluetooth and test again.

If the application called "Bluetooth Setup Assistant" is running, quit it.

Step 4

This step will erase all your settings in the Network preference pane. Make a note of them before you begin, and recreate them afterwards. It may be helpful to take screenshots of the preference pane.

Triple-click the line below on this page to select it:

/Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration

Right-click or control-click the highlighted line and select

Services ▹ Reveal

from the contextual menu.* A folder should open with an item named "SystemConfiguration" selected. Move the selected item to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator password.

*If you don't see the contextual menu item, copy the selected text to the Clipboard (command-C). In the Finder, select

Go ▹ Go to Folder...

from the menu bar, paste into the box that opens (command-V). You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.

Reset the System Management Controller.

Jul 13, 2013 7:06 AM in response to Linc Davis

Hello Linc,

There must be a misunderstanding. I am connected via Ethernet but the same happens with the wireless connection. My iPhone is connected by wireless to the same router.

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 13, 2013 7:21 AM in response to travellerblogs

What I would do in your place is to create a new installation of OS X on an external hard drive and boot from it. Set up a user account, log in, and set up Mail. If you have the same problem, then the cause is not to be found in your computer, at least not in anything you can change. If you don't have the problem, reinstall OS X on the internal drive.

Jul 13, 2013 7:37 AM in response to Linc Davis

I have just a few questions as I am very familiar with Windows but have never booted from an external device with Apple:

1. Can I download the OS X from the net and should it be version 10.8.4?

2. How do I boot from the external drive?

3. How do I re-install the OS X and, if I re-install it on the Mac, will I lose my current mail and other files?

4. For your info, I use Time machine.

Sorry if I sound a bit stupid!

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 13, 2013 9:09 AM in response to travellerblogs

1. Download it from the App Store. It's in your list of purchases. When you run the installer, change the install location to the external drive. Since the installer deletes itself automatically, you should save a copy so you don't have to download it again.

2. That will happen automatically after the installation. Later you'll need to reset the default startup volume in the Startup Disk preference pane.

3. Run the installer again, but don't change the location. You won't lose any data unless something goes wrong.

Jul 15, 2013 12:23 AM in response to Linc Davis

Good morning Linc,

I installed it on a separate drive and it seemed to work OK but I think I did not give it long enough.

I then installed it on the internal drive of the Mac and still got the problem.

The energy saver on my Mac has always been set at "10 minutes" for Computer Sleep. Last night, I set this to "Never" and, when I came back to the computer this morning, all was OK. To confirm this, I reset it to "10 minutes" and after 15 minutes, I went back to the computer and the problem was there again.

I thought that this may have solved it so I put it back to "Never". Sadly, after a few minutes use, the problem re-occurred 😟.

Unless you can think of anything else, I will switch back to my old router, the ADSL 5102G, which gives no problem.

I really do not understand how a change of router can cause so much problem with the POP and IMAP servers, especially when the servers communicate with my iPhone on the same settings and works perfectly with Microsoft Outlook on my laptop.

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 15, 2013 7:17 AM in response to travellerblogs

I don't have any other suggestions.

Jul 15, 2013 8:00 AM in response to Linc Davis

For your info, I have left the hard drive on all day and I have had no problems with the servers. Maybe something goes on between the Mac and the router when powering down and/or powering up.

Thanks, anyway, for all your help. I must admit that your instructions were very clear and I learnt a lot. I will drop you a line in about a week and let you know how things have gone.

Jul 20, 2013 12:25 AM in response to travellerblogs

Hello Linc,

For the past week, I have not allowed the Mac to sleep. The power saving for the drive is set to "never" and I shut down when not using the Mac; a bit inconvenient.

I know that, in an earlier post, I said that putting the energy saving to "Never" did not help but I think that this was an error on my part.

If the hard drive stays on, I get no problem at all and maintain connectivity to the POP server. If I allow the drive to switch off to power save, I lose connectivity when powering back up.

As I had no problem with my previous router, I have taken the issue up with D-Link, suspecting the new router. They cannot understand how this could happen but will escalate higher. I am waiting for their response.

Thanks again for your help.

Oct 8, 2013 11:09 PM in response to travellerblogs

Hi Travellerblogs,

Did you ever manage to resolve this? I am having the exact same problem with the exact same router and mac mail dropping out intermittently. Any solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Damien.

DSL-2750U router problems with POP Mail