Can't send email when away from home!

Question

Level 1

24 points

Can't send email when away from home!

Hello...

This is driving my nuts and I wonder if anyone can help...

I can receive emails fine when home but as soon as I leave the house and (like right now) try and use friends wifi, I can't send anything. I get emails fine but sending just throws up an error message. The weirdest thing is, my wife also has a MacBook Pro, is also using the same version of Mozilla Thunderbird, and her settings are the same - and hers sends emails fine!

This is making me think it's not a Mozilla problem, or an ISP problem but some other setting that is particular to my MacBook but might be different in hers... Any ideas??

The error message I get is "An error occurred sending mail: SMTP server error. The server responded: EHLO requires valid address Contact your mail administrator for assistance."

And I've checked all the server settings, changed the ports, etc etc. And like I said, my wife's are the same and it works fine so...

HELP!

MacBook Pro, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Aug 22, 2014 3:44 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 22, 2014 3:48 AM in response to beanwalls

The ISP at your friends home will be blocking access to the SMTP server that you use. It is quite common for ISP's to do this as it prevent someone using their emails servers as a relay.

just use web mail when out and about.

you will find that some ISP's block but not all.

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Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Aug 22, 2014 3:49 AM in response to beanwalls

Do you have an email address provided by your ISP (e.g.: Comcast)

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Answer 3

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 4:28 AM in response to rack0 tack0

I thought that too but my wife is using the exact same settings and it works for her at my friends house but not me. We are both here now and she can send emails, I can't.

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Answer 4

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 4:31 AM in response to Csound1

Yes, I have an email address provided by my ISP. I use two in fact. I'm in the UK and it's PlusNet.

I don't think the ISP or Thunderbird are the problem though. How can they be when the same settings on my wife's MacBook allow her to send emails?

The only thing I can think is something else, some software or something that is just on my machine but not hers, is getting in the way. I have no idea what though. And I don't really know what I'm talking about, this is just a guess!

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Answer 5

Aug 22, 2014 4:33 AM in response to beanwalls

Well there must be something that is different, I take it your wife as a separate email account to you but it is from the same provider as yours?

you could check the settings for your outgoing mail SMTP server is the same as hers apart from your account details and password.

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Answer 6

Aug 22, 2014 4:37 AM in response to beanwalls

This is Plusnet help page http://www.plus.net/support/email/troubleshooting.shtml

Read the help with common problems near the bottom of the page, your problem is the first one listed.

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Answer 7

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 4:41 AM in response to rack0 tack0

They are the same... except that I use two email addresses from the ISP and she uses one... and the outgoing username is different for each...

Otherwise, all exactly the same... I've had the computers side by side all morning, going through every bit of the email settings to check. I was sure I'd find something different and that would fix it! I don't get it.

I tried setting up via my Apple Mail too. And it gives the same error. Incoming all fine. Outgoing can't connect to server.

I've also got a third email address for work. A gmail account. It is set up through Thunderbird too. And that sends fine!

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Answer 8

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 4:44 AM in response to rack0 tack0

Thanks but I've been through all those. Checked all the settings. I've even spoken with PlusNet.

I don't have virus software or a firewall (I don't think), if that's what you meant...

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Answer 9

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Aug 22, 2014 4:52 AM in response to beanwalls

Send plusnet email from any connection: Mac Mail

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Answer 10

Aug 22, 2014 4:55 AM in response to beanwalls

is your email address in the setup in the form

Your first Plusnet email address can be anything you like, made up of lowercase characters (a-z), numbers (0-9), underscores, hyphens and full stops. It'll look like yourchosename@youraccount.plus.com.

other than that try another email client as Csound suggests

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Answer 11

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 5:03 AM in response to rack0 tack0

Yes, my original email address is part of the settings.... Could there be something else conflicting with this? Other email programs I've tried in the past and still have settings lingering??

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Answer 12

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Aug 22, 2014 5:05 AM in response to beanwalls

Did you read the link I provided, and did you follow the directions to set up an authenticated connection for when you are on a different network?

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Answer 13

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 5:05 AM in response to Csound1

Thanks but I tried that already and the same problem occurs...

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Answer 14

beanwalls Author

Level 1

24 points

Aug 22, 2014 5:07 AM in response to Csound1

Yes! I'd already tried that this morning via Thunderbird (it was already set up but I double checked the settings, and then tried deleting them and starting over) and then I tried it from scratch using Apple Mail. Same error both times...

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Answer 15

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Aug 22, 2014 5:07 AM in response to beanwalls

Have you tried any other clients in comparison, try Mail.

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