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User profile for user: deano_H
deano_H Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mail won't connect to server?

Mail running on 10.5.8.


For some reason Mail receives but no longer send emails using BTinternet IMAP account.

This worked before my dad took this laptop on holiday and used it in conjunction with his iPhone as a modem / tethered hotspot.


I have tried deleting the email account from Mail and resetting it up again, but this fails.

When trying to set it up now, I am unable to even get past the initial screen so that Mail fully loads and allows me a manual setup via preferences.


The Mail setup wizard just cycles on connecting to mail server.

It seems OK on the incoming side of things but wont handshake with the outgoing server, they are both mail.btinternet.com


I'm posting here as I am not sure where to go re this issue!

Any ideas where I can start with this?


Many thanks for any assistance.

Posted on Oct 18, 2015 5:38 AM

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15 replies
User profile for user: ChitlinsCC
ChitlinsCC
User level: Level 7
20,924 points

Oct 18, 2015 8:15 AM in response to deano_H

eMail providers are notorious for 'changing stuff' on their end without fanfare - go figger.


Call BTInternet techies and explain your issue. It is quite possible that a 1st responder may be unaware of what the folks 'behind the curtain' have done, so insist on elevating to someone senior if they cannot fix this right away.


best luck

ÇÇÇ

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User profile for user: deano_H
deano_H Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 18, 2015 8:34 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

Thanks for that info.

I will 'reach out' to the bt tech support (wish me luck 😢).

In the meantime, perhaps I should have also mentioned that there are several other

apple client devices under the same wifi network at this property that access the same

IMAP email account with no such issues which made me wonder if the age of the PBG4

and the MACOS it runs could be the problem!?

Could it be that 10.5.8 has recently been retired by btinternet and is now not approved by their

mail servers?

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User profile for user: ChitlinsCC
ChitlinsCC
User level: Level 7
20,924 points

Oct 18, 2015 9:27 AM in response to deano_H

I doubt it. I have a PB Pismo / OS X 10.4.11 running MS Entourage 2008 and have no issues with my IMAP accounts. The OS version (or platform for that matter) is not relevant to how email protocols work.


All your "Story" about your isolated issue and the "non-issue" are relevant only in that they have the router in common. A "mail client" (what App? Apple Mail?) is a "Mail Client" - they all operate using the same settings (for decades now)

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User profile for user: deano_H
deano_H Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 25, 2015 3:35 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

Thanks for the reply.

Only just had time to address this issue again, hence the delay!


I have just been in touch by phone with BT tech support about this problem and, as I feared, apart from finding it very difficult to understand the tech's accent (as usual) I am advised that since this issue occurs with just this device (PBG4) then it is device centric and I should contact Apple as BT are not trained on these devices to advise about settings!


They said: If the problem was regarding the BT server then my email service (across all devices) would be inoperational!


I have also tried taking the laptop to another address, under a different wifi network, to see if that might be a solution, without success!


On the PBG4 I am able to set up and access my email using POP but not IMAP! It just gets stuck in an infinite loop when trying to contact the SMTP serve when I try to manually setup through Mail for Mac!


Is there something else I should manually change regarding default ports as BT did mention something about recent changes to their servers that may not have been addressed on this old machine!???


I hate being beat and am determined to solve this... with a certain amount of help :-)

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User profile for user: deano_H
deano_H Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 25, 2015 9:58 AM in response to deano_H

Right, tried both of those - no joy 😟


• Safe mode. Existing admin. Reset up of Mail with existing email settings: same handshake problems.

• Safe mode. New admin account. Login to Mail with existing email settings: same handshake problems.

• Safe mode. Recently created admin account. Login to Mail with email settings for a separate BT A/C I have: same handshake problems.


This has to be something to do with this device and modified BT protocols... ports??

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User profile for user: ChitlinsCC
ChitlinsCC
User level: Level 7
20,924 points

Oct 25, 2015 10:59 AM in response to deano_H

👿 didn't say you had company (though you may) - only that I know someone who is a Mail Maven ➕

BTW, the Lone Ranger was not based on a Texas Ranger, but rather Bass Reeves, a Black Deputy U.S. Marshall and Sheriff in the Oklahoma Territory that once had to arrest his own son for murder of the son's wife. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_Reeves

ℹ a little reading material will give you something to do!

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User profile for user: ChitlinsCC
ChitlinsCC
User level: Level 7
20,924 points

Oct 25, 2015 11:50 AM in response to deano_H

deano_H wrote:


I meant the only one not baffled 😉

I used the Hi Ho silver as I couldn't quite figure how to reference the call in this medium!

With 3 kids... I have plenty to do!

😎 just the two us here so far, it seems there must be more folks 'taking a peek' though with 70 views

⚠ "Ssshhh... be vewy vewy quiet... I'm out hewe hunting wabbits...."

😍 gotta love 'em!

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User profile for user: dianeoforegon
dianeoforegon
User level: Level 5
7,287 points

Oct 25, 2015 1:27 PM in response to deano_H

I don't have an iPhone so I can't say for sure, but I suspect when you selected to use your iPhone as hotspot, this changed some network setting in System Preferences that is now either corrupt or needs to be reset. See this link to be sure you have turned it off properly.


Share your Internet connection with Personal Hotspot - Apple Support


OS X 10.5.8 is ancient. It does not have the proper security settings that are now required. Your iPhone is running a newer OS with the required security.

If at all possible upgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6.8.


Requirements for OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard'


http://support.apple.com/kb/SP575


Choose About this Mac from the Apple menu and check the processor.


Upgrading to Snow Leopard, OS X 10.6.x is not available as a free download. It is a paid upgrade.


Purchase a Snow Leopard Install Disc...


http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

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User profile for user: deano_H
deano_H Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 25, 2015 11:27 PM in response to dianeoforegon

That sounds like the potential culprit!

This machine is my dad's and I'm trying to resolve this issue for him.

So, I don't fully know what he did with it when he took it away with him and tethered it to his iPhone!


Thanks for the guidance and useful info.

There must be a preference file associated with network settings... Do you think locating and deleting that would be the best way to get the system to reset to default and 'lose' any conflictions that it picked up from the iPhone?

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User profile for user: dianeoforegon
dianeoforegon
User level: Level 5
7,287 points

Oct 26, 2015 11:26 AM in response to deano_H

Normally, you look in your User's Library for a corrupt preference, but I suspect the network file could be at the root level.


Macintosh HD Root folders

Applications

Library <---this is the root Library

System > Library (best to stay out of this Library)

Users > Library <-----this is your User's Library


Testing in a new User will quickly tell you if the problem is system wide or if it's your User's folder that contains the problem.


CREATE A NEW USER

Go to System Preferences --> Create a New User in Users & Groups.

Switch to the New User by logging out under the Apple in the Menu bar

Log into new User


Do you still see the issue?


If yes, then the problem is with your base files.

If no, then the problem is in your User's folder.


If the problem is in your User's folder, try deleting com.apple.systempreferences in your User's Library.


If the problem is at the base level try deleting files in the root Library/Preferences folder with networkextension in the name. I have three. Not sure what files are created in 10.5.


/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.cache.plist

Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.necp.plist

/Preferences/com.apple.networkextension.plist


Hope this helps!

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Mail won't connect to server?

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