Apple Mail account suddenly offline, smtp offline

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Level 1

9 points

Apple Mail account suddenly offline, smtp offline

iMac 27" (late 2009) updated to Mac OS X Yosemite 10.10 and Apple Mail 8.0 (1990.1) 17th October 2014.

Mail accounts in Apple Mail where working as years before until Yesterday, 3th November 2014. Suddenly 2 out of 3 accounts where offline showing the warning triangle icon on the right. Command "go online" and "syncronize" has no effect. Activity in Mail is showing no try to connect. Looking into the account config I see that the SMTP are "offline".

I checked everything and compared to the settings of the one account which is still normal working. Everything is identically set up. Only differences are the domain names, username and pwd. The domain names are on the same external virtual hosts and have same configs. The on the iMac faulty accounts are working on iPad and iPhone like ever and from the same internal network. My hardware firewall or the external mailserver can not be the reason.

I deleted 1) SMTP config, 2) whole mail account, 3) all corresponding keys in keychain and was setting up from new. No chance, they show SMTP offline and do not go online in IMAP. Next was trying to give account #1 the SMTP from the working #3. The SMTP #3 shows fine but near the inbox of account #1 i have again the warning triangle. No go online, no sync, no action in the activity window.

I go setting up Mail with these accounts in a new user. Mail was totally empty as I started config of two accounts. After doing all they where at the same point. No connection possible.

Why is this happend suddenly and after more than 2 weeks after Yosmite update? Why is one account working, two others not anymore?

iMac (27-inch Late 2009), OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Nov 4, 2014 10:54 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 6, 2017 11:22 AM in response to cabaumle

I had the same problem. After contacting tech service with internet provider and email provider(same), I was told problems was with Apple. After working with Apple for 5 days and still SMTP server off line. Contacted email provider again. Requested to talk with a tier 2 support after getting no help from initial support person. i was told that they knew what the problem was. About 5 days ago, the reset the IP on my modem.
As it turn out that IP number SMTP server connection had been disabled because the previous computer it was on had a virus and was sending bundles of bogus emails. I was told that it would take 3 business days before it could be turned back on. I ask why it was still in the rotation to be used by someone else. The answer was "we cannot delete an IP number from the rotation.

I am waiting completing the first day to see if the get this corrected or if I still have problems. I tried updating to High Seirra which did not help. I tried to install a back up to when email was working, that didn't help. I tried to set the account up on a windows machine using the same connection, that did not work. This told me that the problem was with the provider, not my Apple computer. Hope this helps someone else

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

685,257 points

Nov 4, 2014 12:36 PM in response to cabaumle

Troubleshooting Apple Mail

Troubleshooting sending and receiving email messages

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Answer 3

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 4, 2014 2:13 PM in response to Eric Root

Thank you Eric

But as I wrote I have one account working fine (let's say #3) and two accounts (#1 and #2) are not working anymore since Yesterday. They are absolutely same except of username, pwd and domain. Ports, checkboxes, everything the exact same. Quit, restart, user logout, complete reboot, trashing the saved things in keychain, trying in another user on the same iMac: no chance.

Now changing to another iMac still running Mavericks it takes me 50 seconds to config #1 or #2 account successfully.

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Answer 4

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 4, 2014 4:55 PM in response to cabaumle

Are these accounts secured with SSL? If not, do they use password authentication?

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Answer 5

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 4, 2014 5:06 PM in response to Linc Davis

All three accounts are on SSL for IMAP and SMTP. All are doing well via iPad and iPhone. #3 also on Yosemite + Mail 8.0 but #2 and #1 fail here.

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Answer 6

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 4, 2014 5:54 PM in response to cabaumle

From the Mail menu bar, select

Window ▹ Connection Doctor

Click the Show Detail button. A drawer opens. Click Check Again and post the text that appears.

Anonymize any private information before posting. That means names, email addresses, contents of messages, and anything else that you don't want to make public.

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Answer 7

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2014 5:18 AM in response to Linc Davis

Here we go. Numbers are showing the pairs of IMAP/SMTP configs.

All three are on the same external virtual host. #3 is working fine.

There is another point: If i give the #1 account the working SMTP #3 as "use only this server" there is no change. Account can not go online or synced.

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Answer 8

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2014 6:17 AM in response to cabaumle

Replying myself.

After trying and waiting now over two days a window appears telling about a certificate …

Yesterday I was deleting in the keychain everything matching the username for account #2. Maybe also certificates, maybe not.

Anyway, my virtual hosting runs for SSL a wildcard certificate like *.provider-domain.net which is not attached to my domain(s). I can accept as trustfully and it was working always fine. If the cert was for renewal Mavericks and prev OS X showed up to accept again. All without any problems.

Obviously under Yosemite I ran into a hidden conflict with that shows a msg window after days of troubles.

After checking the "Always trust …" and Connect all accounts where fine.

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Answer 9

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2014 7:14 AM in response to cabaumle

Me again. After rebooting my iMac and starting Mail same issues as before. That's terrible! I don't know how further.

Next, I took SSL out of the account settings. Restart Mail. No connection!

Is there something cached? Why was the certificate alert window coming after two days problems? Assumed that the issue is the certificate thing, why is it still on error without SSL checked?

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Answer 10

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 5, 2014 8:30 AM in response to cabaumle

You haven't posted the information I asked for. Please review the instructions and try again.

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Answer 11

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2014 8:45 AM in response to Linc Davis

Sorry, just found the details. Here we go:

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.922 host:domain1.net -- port:587 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x61000086c3c0

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.922 host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.922 host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x610000665180

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.922 host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x608000862e40

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.923 host:domain1.net -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x610000665f00

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.923 host:domain1.net -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x608000863f40

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.923 host:domain1.net -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.924 host:domain1.net -- port:587 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x61000026d240

INITIATING CONNECTION Nov 05 17:36:48.940 host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x0 -- thread:0x600000266300

CONNECTED Nov 05 17:36:48.950 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

CONNECTED Nov 05 17:36:48.956 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x610000665180

READ Nov 05 17:36:48.956 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x610000665180

* OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE IDLE AUTH=CRAM-MD5 AUTH=DIGEST-MD5 AUTH=PLAIN AUTH=LOGIN] Dovecot ready.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:48.957 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x610000665f00

1.88 ID ("name" "Mac OS X Mail" "version" "8.0 (1990.1)" "os" "Mac OS X" "os-version" "10.10 (14A389)" "vendor" "Apple Inc.")

READ Nov 05 17:36:48.958 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x610000665f00

* ID ("name" "Dovecot" "version" "2.2.5")

1.88 OK ID completed.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:48.960 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x608000863f40

2.88 AUTHENTICATE PLAIN (*** 68 bytes hidden ***)

READ Nov 05 17:36:48.984 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

220 exthost.han-solo.net ESMTP

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:48.993 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

EHLO [192.168.1.11]

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.016 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

250-exthost.han-solo.net Hello 151.2.150.83.ftth.as8758.net [83.150.2.151], pleased to meet you

250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES

250-PIPELINING

250-8BITMIME

250-SIZE 50000000

250-DSN

250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN

250-STARTTLS

250-DELIVERBY

250 HELP

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.016 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

STARTTLS

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.039 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

220 2.0.0 Ready to start TLS

CONNECTED Nov 05 17:36:49.104 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x608000862e40

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.126 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x608000862e40

* OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE AUTH=PLAIN AUTH=LOGIN] com server ready.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.127 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000026d240

1.89 ID ("name" "Mac OS X Mail" "version" "8.0 (1990.1)" "os" "Mac OS X" "os-version" "10.10 (14A389)" "vendor" "Apple Inc.")

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.150 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000026d240

* ID NIL

1.89 OK ID completed.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.151 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

2.89 AUTHENTICATE PLAIN (*** 44 bytes hidden ***)

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.162 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x608000863f40

2.88 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE IDLE SORT SORT=DISPLAY THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=REFS THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT MULTIAPPEND URL-PARTIAL CATENATE UNSELECT CHILDREN NAMESPACE UIDPLUS LIST-EXTENDED I18NLEVEL=1 CONDSTORE QRESYNC ESEARCH ESORT SEARCHRES WITHIN CONTEXT=SEARCH LIST-STATUS SPECIAL-USE BINARY MOVE SEARCH=FUZZY URLAUTH URLAUTH=BINARY COMPRESS=DEFLATE QUOTA ACL RIGHTS=texk] Logged in

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.163 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x61000026d240

3.88 LIST "" ""

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.164 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x61000026d240

* LIST (\Noselect) "." ""

3.88 OK List completed.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.164 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6180002b77c0 -- thread:0x610000665f00

4.88 LOGOUT

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.197 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

2.89 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE SORT SORT=DISPLAY THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=REFS MULTIAPPEND UNSELECT IDLE CHILDREN NAMESPACE UIDPLUS LIST-EXTENDED I18NLEVEL=1 CONDSTORE QRESYNC ESEARCH ESORT SEARCHRES WITHIN CONTEXT=SEARCH LIST-STATUS QUOTA] Logged in

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.198 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

3.89 LIST "" ""

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.204 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

EHLO [192.168.1.11]

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.221 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

* LIST (\Noselect) "." ""

3.89 OK List completed.

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.221 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100004a4e60 -- thread:0x61000086bcc0

4.89 LOGOUT

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.227 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

250-exthost.han-solo.net Hello 151.2.150.83.ftth.as8758.net [83.150.2.151], pleased to meet you

250-ENHANCEDSTATUSCODES

250-PIPELINING

250-8BITMIME

250-SIZE 50000000

250-DSN

250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN

250-DELIVERBY

250 HELP

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.228 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

AUTH PLAIN (*** 44 bytes hidden ***)

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.253 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

235 2.0.0 OK Authenticated

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.253 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000002b85a0 -- thread:0x61000027a000

QUIT

CONNECTED Nov 05 17:36:49.542 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x600000266300

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.651 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x600000266300

* OK [CAPABILITY st11p09mm-iscream007 14G XAPPLEPUSHSERVICE IMAP4 IMAP4rev1 SASL-IR AUTH=ATOKEN AUTH=PLAIN] iSCREAM ready to rumble (14G:30156) st11p09mm-iscream007 [18:7146:16:36:49:09]

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.651 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x61000027a000

1.100 AUTHENTICATE ATOKEN (*** 80 bytes hidden ***)

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.777 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x61000027a000

1.100 OK [CAPABILITY XAPPLEPUSHSERVICE IMAP4 IMAP4rev1 ACL QUOTA LITERAL+ NAMESPACE UIDPLUS CHILDREN BINARY UNSELECT SORT CATENATE URLAUTH LANGUAGE ESEARCH ESORT THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT THREAD=REFERENCES CONDSTORE ENABLE CONTEXT=SEARCH CONTEXT=SORT WITHIN SASL-IR SEARCHRES XSENDER X-NETSCAPE XSERVERINFO X-SUN-SORT ANNOTATE-EXPERIMENT-1 X-UNAUTHENTICATE X-SUN-IMAP X-ANNOTATEMORE XUM1 ID IDLE] User cabaumle logged in

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.778 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x61000027a000

2.100 ID ("name" "Mac OS X Mail" "version" "8.0 (1990.1)" "os" "Mac OS X" "os-version" "10.10 (14A389)" "vendor" "Apple Inc.")

READ Nov 05 17:36:49.889 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x61000027a000

* ID NIL

2.100 OK Completed

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:49.890 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x610000665f00

3.100 LIST "" ""

READ Nov 05 17:36:50.000 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x610000665f00

* LIST (\Noselect) "/" ""

3.100 OK Completed

WROTE Nov 05 17:36:50.001 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:p09-imap.mail.me.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6000002ba220 -- thread:0x610000665f00

4.100 LOGOUT

READ Nov 05 17:37:07.812 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:internalserver.local -- port:993 -- socket:0x6080002b4ca0 -- thread:0x600000266300

* OK Still here

READ Nov 05 17:37:11.012 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelTLSv1_0] -- host:domain2.com -- port:993 -- socket:0x6100002ae700 -- thread:0x61000026d240

* OK Still here

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Answer 12

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 5, 2014 9:00 AM in response to cabaumle

According to that, "domain2" is OK. "domain1" seems to have an invalid certificate. That issue has to be addressed. You can't sweep it under the rug by changing the trust settings on the client. You might have been able to get away with that in older versions of OS X, but not in Yosemite.

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Answer 13

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2014 9:47 AM in response to Linc Davis

Should that be solved if I take all accounts (IMAP and SMTP) off SSL?

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Answer 14

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,739 points

Nov 5, 2014 11:46 AM in response to cabaumle

I don't know. I haven't tested this myself, but it seems that Mail 8.0 may not allow insecure password logins to a mail server because that's ridiculously unsafe.

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Answer 15

cabaumle Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 6, 2014 8:56 AM in response to Linc Davis

Just for the record.

Today I was trying again and again. Going to open a virgin Guest-User, starting Mail, setting up mail account #1 without any success.

Afternoon, Mail was open and the #1 and #2 inboxes with warning triangle and no connection and #3 to another domain name but on the same hosting was fine. After a while not at the iMac and coming back all three accounts where online! I did nothing before for about 20 minutes, really. Cleaning my inbox, restarting Mail, all fine. Changing the settings to SSL and restarting Mail again, all fine. Writing and sending some answers successfully. Then rebootet the iMac and again #1 and #2 mail accounts where off and #3 account was still working.

My hosting partner has no idea. The same wildcard certificate comes for all two domains with total three accounts, including the working #3 account.

Deleting this wildcard certificate in Keychain results that I have to accept it again when Mail is connecting. No problems with account #3.

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