smtp settings work in Apple Mail but not Thunderbird-time out problem
Retired engineer client switched from Win7 to Mojave. Loves the experience. He is used to Thunderbird so he is evaluating Mail but also Thunderbird. He is a Spectrum(aka Time Warner Communications) customer
In early December this worked fine but last week his ability to send mail from Thunderbird times out.
Go to Safari and enter his Spectrum address and intentionally generate a new password. Verify via the browser experience that he can send and receive email with these credentials.
Go to Thunderbird and delete the Spectrum account.
Go to "add account" and enter credentials. Thunderbird setup points to the wrong SMTP server (mobile.mail.twc.com) I verify all settings with this provided by Spectrum(see below)
Account is populated but send mail times out.
Not so with Apple Mail or browser email
Spectrum help pages show no comments on setting up Thunderbird. Just Apple Mail, iOS, Android.
Have I missed something? Should I ditch the Thunderbird application and reload?
Personally i would like him to move to Apple Mail but this should not be the issue.
Thanks
Username: Your full Spectrum email address
Password: Your Spectrum email password
SSL: On
Protocol: IMAP
Incoming Email Server: mail.twc.com
Port: 993
Outgoing Email Server: mail.twc.com
Port: 587
Requires Authentication: Yes, or checked
All Replies (9)
n order for us to better investigate this problem, we need more information.
Can you do the following:
- Open the menu '
>? (Help)> Troubleshooting information ', then click {button Copy text to clipboard}
- Go to https://pastebin.com and paste the information from your troubleshooting information page, then copy the resulting URL.
- Open a reply to this message and paste the link to your troubleshooting information.
Next, we need you to provide the answers to the following questions:
- Does Thunderbird work in Thunderbird Safe Mode?
- Do you use antivirus and firewall? In which version?
- Who is the email provider (for example, Gmail)?
- Who is the Internet service provider (for example, Orange)?
- What is the exact error message?
- What actions did you take just before what happened?
n order for us to better investigate this problem, we need more information.
Can you do the following:
- Open the menu '>? (Help)> Troubleshooting information ', then click {button Copy text to clipboard}
- Go to https://pastebin.com and paste the information from your troubleshooting information page, then copy the resulting URL.
- Open a reply to this message and paste the link to your troubleshooting information.
Next, we need you to provide the answers to the following questions:
- Does Thunderbird work in Thunderbird Safe Mode?
- Do you use antivirus and firewall? In which version?
- Who is the email provider (for example, Gmail)?
- Who is the Internet service provider (for example, Orange)?
- What is the exact error message?
- What actions did you take just before what happened?
n order for us to better investigate this problem, we need more information.
Can you do the following:
- Open the menu '>? (Help)> Troubleshooting information ', then click {button Copy text to clipboard}
- Go to https://pastebin.com and paste the information from your troubleshooting information page, then copy the resulting URL.
- Open a reply to this message and paste the link to your troubleshooting information.
Next, we need you to provide the answers to the following questions:
- Does Thunderbird work in Thunderbird Safe Mode?
- Do you use antivirus and firewall? In which version?
- Who is the email provider (for example, Gmail)?
- Who is the Internet service provider (for example, Orange)?
- What is the exact error message?
- What actions did you take just before what happened?
Regards & staying at your disposal, Marco MONNE, helper
Thank you for this information. I will need to connect to his computer to complete things you suggested but here are a few items that I know...
Mojave version 14.6-latest iteration
Will try Safe Mode
Avast is on board. Version 14.3. This is a new computer/ installation as of December3. All has worked until last week.
Spectrum is the email provider-aka Time Warner Communications. He has three accounts(his, wife, son) all receive but cannot send.
Spectrum is the Internet Service Provider
Time out error message to the effect the account cannot communicate with the server.
Launched Safari and logged into his account to validate username/password and send and receive ability. Both were sucessful.
Opened Mail and validated that I could send and receive.
Just to confirm your settings: the security should be SSL/TLS for the incoming on port 993 and port 465 or 587 for the outgoing.
https://www.roadrunneremail-rr.com/time-warner-cable-twc-imap-pop3-smtp-email-settings
Timeouts are often caused by antivirus. Exclude the TB profile folder from Avast scanning, and also disable secure (SSL) connection scanning in Avast if it's on.
Here is the report https://pastebin.com/rBVkgsWu <https://pastebin.com/rBVkgsWu>
Tried Safe Mode-gmail account(1) works, 3 Time Warner Communications(twc) accounts receive but cannot send.
In Apple Mail all 4 accounts work as expected.
Avast on board version v 14.3, definitions up to date. Basic free home user version. No exceptions or rules. No files found quarantined.
Spectrum also know as Time Warner Commutations is both the email provider and internet/cable provider.
Here is the error message screen shot-both normal and safe mode
If the report and this information does not hint on what is the issue I can fully unload Thunderbird, fetch a new download and reload the accounts.
Thank You for your insight…
I will investigate the Avast settings. The default is scan secure connections under the email segment.
I am a beginner with this application. I believe the location is ~/Library/Thunderbird/Profiles Correct? Thanks
Your TWC settings look OK, but they offer all kinds of choices. Settings with no connection security have worked in the past with TB, and this is what they recommend at the top of this page.
Your current settings are shown under 'Manual Setup for TWC Email on Android Phones', where they also offer secure (SSL/TLS) access on port 465 for the outgoing server. I can't see why the secure settings, for the same server, would only work on phones but not a desktop client, but they also recommend the non-secure settings under 'Manual Setup for TWC Email on Apple Mac Mail'.
Sending on Spectrum/TWC/roadrunner is a common problem.
TB profile folder: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird#Mac_OS_X
Help/Troubleshooting, Show in Finder, will open the profile folder. Also, profile locations are shown in Help/Troubleshooting, about:profiles. On the same tab, you can create profiles for testing etc.
Thanks for the links. While I suspect something is amiss with the Spectrum/aka Time Warner servers I am going to ditch the profiles and see what develops.
The fact that the Thunderbird Application has no issue with his gmail account helps point where the choke point might be.
Ditto with Apple Mail and all 4 accounts...
I will report back tomorrow...Thanks
Probably for good reasons I could not speak to Spectrum on behalf of my client. He started in the billing department which got him to tech support. They (finally) acknowledge they have an issue that they are working on with no solution date yet anticipated. Gave him a credit on the monthly charge.
Another Spectrum user contacted them and received a similar reply:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1277523#answer-1282864