Apple Mail - SMTP issues

[Ardua]

Since upgrading to Mountain Lion 10.8.2 this morning, I am getting smtp errors when trying to send emails via IDNet. I am using POP. Could someone please remind me of the advanced smtp settings?  I am currently set up as Port 995; Use SSL 'ticked' and Authentication - PASSWORD. It all worked fine until this morning.

[Simon]

Mine are:

smtp.idnet.com
SSL: Off
Authentication: Password
Server Port: 587

Those work on my IDNet WiFi, and on 3G away from home.

[Steve]

At home with the MBP, smtp server for idnet.com is using the default ports, (not 995) SSL is on. Authentication is PASSWORD.

[Ardua]

Nothing seems to be working. I can send mail via ICloud and receive mail via IDNet but smtp just doesn't seem to want to know.

[Ardua]

Now I am confused. IDNet say that I should be using Port 25!  There are also discussions on various sites about this problem which has arisen since the introduction of Mountain Lion.

[Ardua]

I am not a happy teddy. After 2 hours playing around with e-mail port and account settings on one of my 4 apple devices, I noticed that the other 3 devices were also experiencing similar e-mail connectivity problems with IDNet. On further investigation, with wifi turned off, my IPhone would receive emails normally via 3G. On IDNet's advice, I even carried out a factory re-set of my router. This achieved absolutely nothing other than a lot of work to set up the router WLAN and DECT connections. Finally, I then put the Mail account settings back to port 995 SSL ticked (the settings that I have used for the past 7 years) only to find that when I ran Connection Doctor none of my email accounts would connect with IDNet POP. The e-mail connection to ICLoud was though instantaneous. I have just been out to clear my head and on my return everything appears to be back to normal on all 4 devices. 

[Steve]

Frustrating to say the least.

[Ardua]

I am trying not to blame IDNet as all 4 devices have had some big software upgrades overnight. That said, I even sent a 'Push' email test from my router which avoids all Apple firmware and this came back with a strange response in the GUI that there was a 'failure at the recipient': meaning that it wasn't accepted by the IDNet e-mail server. When I spoke to Support they said that there was no trace of me sending any 'test' emails which appeared to me to go correctly via ICloud but never to return. Some have now come through: albeit, belatedly. My guess is that IDNet does have some issues but these are not showing up on their monitoring systems.

[Simon]

The Magical Fixit Fairy strikes again!

[Ardua]

Just to close this one down. The problem re-appeared this morning. My router system log gave a hint as to the problem when it failed to send a PUSH router information message:


   E-mail delivery failed. SMTP server reports: "554 5.7.1 Service unavailable; Client host [91.xxx.1.xxx] blocked using hostkarma.junkemailfilter.com=127.0.0.2; Black listed at hostkarma http://ipadmin.junkemailfilter.com/remove.php?ip=91.xxx.1.xxx".

Nothing was showing up in Apple Connection Doctor other than a failed smtp connection.

On advice from IDNet, I have now actioned the link and removed my IP from the blacklist. A spyware scan of my Windows shows one dodgy e-mail which I have isolated. I am not sure how to scan the Mac OS as it has never been necessary.

[Glenn]

http://mac.appstorm.net/reviews/security/scan-your-mac-for-malware-with-bitdefender/ It might help.

[Simon]

You might want to be aware though, that in my experience, Bitdefender can find lots of false positives.

[Ardua]

Thanks both. I will give it a run and see what I get.

[terry_nyorks]

Hello

Links to discuss the same problem with BT/Yahoo as EmailServiceProvider.

https://discussions.apple.com/message/19875202#19875202
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os-x-operating-system/285994-e-mail-failing-sends-smtp-server.html

(Macbook 6.61; Intel core 2 duo 2.26 Mhz;  Mac OS X 10.6.8 / Mac Mail 4.6(1085) / Firefox 15.0.1)

[Ardua]

Interesting - thank you. I have had no further issues since I unblocked my IP address. That said, I am still not sure what caused the problem in the first place.

[Steve]

  Terry