Outlook Spark POP3/IMAP settings with Outlook

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johcar

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#280078 25-Nov-2020 12:26

I am trying to set up Xtra email for a friend's dad (in his nineties) on a new laptop using a spare copy of Outlook 2010 I have.

I have followed the POP3 and the IMAP instructions for Outlook on Sparks website, and even had two chats to try to resolve an authentication issue I am getting:

“Log onto incoming mail server (POP3): Your email server rejected your login. Verify your user name and password for this account in Account Settings. The Server responded: -ERR {AUTH] Authentication failed”

I know the username and password are correct, because I can log into the web portal, just fine.

I have also tried (using Spark's instructions) setting the same email account up on my own machine (with Office 365), and still get the same auth error

Does anyone have any ideas?

Side issue: Spark are now wanting me to use their paid services to resolve this issue for their customer (of many years) when their own instructions seem to be incorrect

Oblivian

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#2610448 25-Nov-2020 12:59

Double check the port settings.

And did you take note of this..

Confirm User Name field has Email address without @xtra.co.nz

From memory one of the settings requires full email, one does not.

The other gotcha is the SSL/TLS detail type (one won't send in the right format so reject) - it may have even been removed from 2010 and deemed a security risk so may not want to take.

Jase2985

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#2610484 25-Nov-2020 13:26

i would change the password and see if that works. someone on here had a similar issue to you and that fixed it

johcar

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#2610638 25-Nov-2020 16:45

The change of password seemed to do the trick, for whatever obscure reason that might be....

linw

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#2610656 25-Nov-2020 16:55

Weird. Is this black magic or is there a logical answer?

johcar

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#2610661 25-Nov-2020 17:10

When it comes to Spark, and specifically Xtra, black magic is the norm.

These days I try to get people off ISP addresses and onto the likes of Gmail - for the independence and the spam filtering/two-factor authentication etc.

However that might have been a bridge too far in this instance, with the user being 94 years old!!

linw

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#2610704 25-Nov-2020 17:16

Totally agree. I try to get people off xtra as well.

tdgeek

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#2610823 25-Nov-2020 20:54

linw:

Totally agree. I try to get people off xtra as well.

Maybe try Gmail like I did. Log in a few days later and full off spam. never even used it. Ive used Xtra for ages, it does what it does, works fine for me at least.

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lxsw20

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#2610861 26-Nov-2020 01:11

Gmail probably has one of the best spam filters out there. If you're stuck on an xtra account because it's always been used, then so be it.

For just for the sake of some portability if you want to change ISP I would not recommend any ISP mail service.

1101

3122 posts

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#2611002 26-Nov-2020 11:02

The xtra spam filter has had years of serious issues . Its still blocking legit emails , and letting spam through (for me)
bad enough to get an article in the NZ Herald
In fact , it cant even detect spam that claims to be from Xtra/spark admins (password stealing attempts) :-)

johcar

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#2611006 26-Nov-2020 11:11

Possibly the best thing that can be said about Xtra email these days is that there hasn't been a major hack since the current outsourcers have been in charge.

You could always rely on Yahoo for that....