Unable to send gmail or hotmail emails from Apple Mail.

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bedford4x4

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#77363 15-Feb-2011 13:48

Hi everyone,

Last year I set up Apple Mail so I could read and send emails from various gmail and hotmail accounts. It has worked well for over a year but this week I can no longer send emails via Mail. If I go directly to my gmail or hotmail accounts using my web browser (Firefox), I can send the emails from there.

I've rung Slingshot and they don't think there is any problem. Funnily enough, my father who uses telecom as his ISP has been having the same trouble. He lives a few blocks away so I wonder if it's a problem on the local exchange?

I've rebooted my modem and wireless router, but that has made no difference. Internet connections seem fine. I've tried the Connection Doctor in Mail, and that shows me that I can access all accounts, yet I still can't send anything.

Any clues?

Thanks,

Harry

gehenna

8499 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#439807 15-Feb-2011 13:50

You should probably head to the Webmail pages for each, and check the settings to see if anything has changed. They may require outgoing authorisation or SSL to be enabled now, whereas they may not have in the past.

Won't be an ISP issue, or a problem with the router.

Ragnor

8219 posts

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#439820 15-Feb-2011 14:23

Which version of Apple Mail.. 2, 3 or 4?

Anyway for each mail account you need to double check the outgoing mail server settings.

For gmail accounts:

Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.gmail.com
Use Authentication: Yes
Username: xyz@gmail.com (replace xyz@gmail.com with the address of the account)
Password: [yourpassword]
Outgoing Mail Sercurity: Use SSL
Authentication Type: Password
Server port: either 587 or 465

It will vary depending on the version but will look something like this

bedford4x4

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#439836 15-Feb-2011 14:54

Thanks guys,

I've checked gmail's settings and nothing has changed as far as I can see. Both pop and imap are enabled in the gmail settings page. I normally don't bother to access either gmail or hotmail via web browser, I just use Apple Mail, so it's not as if I've been fiddling around with the accounts.

Yes, I've been through Mail's outgoing mail server settings. They are set up as described but I still can't send any email from either gmail or hotmail.

Apple Mail is version 4.4. I wonder if the latest update has caused this?

Thx,

Harry

bedford4x4

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#439865 15-Feb-2011 15:46

Well, it seems to be something to do with ports. I've set custom ports for outgoing mail and it is sending okay on 1 account, but not on the other. I'll crack it sooner or later. Both have identical settings, so not sure what the trouble is.

Harry

bedford4x4

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#439890 15-Feb-2011 16:34

And narrowed it down even further. If I don't send an email for a while (say 5 minutes), all smtp servers go offline. If I open the Connection Doctor, it logs into the accounts. Then I can send emails.

Anyone know of a way to delay, or stop, smtp servers from going offline through inactivity?

Thanks, Harry

Ragnor

8219 posts

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#440183 16-Feb-2011 11:14

Your email client should connect to the the smtp server, send mail then disconnect.. only when it needs to send email.

If when you create and send and email it's not automatically doing the above there's probably something wrong with the mail applicaiton or settings.

Can you try with a different email client like Thunderbird:
http://www.mozillamessaging.com/