Email Problems

[vinyl68]

I figured I'd contact Microsoft after talking with you guys.

For security software I have Zone Alarm Pro and AVG Anti-Virus (Free Edition).

Anti Spyware programs:

Aluria's Spyware
Spybot
Ad-Aware
No Adware
Spyhunter

[Rob Pomeroy]

The problem is trying to send photos, PDF files and WAV files attachments.  Up until the last few months, I've been able to do this.  Now there have been problems for people to open them.

I did a test yesterday in sending a photo to myself.  The attachment came back as a DAT file, and was opened through a totally different program.  I deleted the program from my computer and tested again, but the result was the same.

This problem is caused partly by a recent security update to Outlook Express, and partly by the non-standard way Outlook/Outlook Express handle email attachments.  Solution: use some other email program.

That smtp server outgoing.verizon.net is correct.  It's listening on port 25, so I don't think that any special port settings would be required.  Port 25 being open implies that a secure connection is not required to send email.

Test this yourself at a command prompt: telnet outgoing.verizon.net 25

You should get a message along the lines of "220 vms040pub.verizon.net -- Server ESMTP..."

[vinyl68]

Followed your instruction and got the message.  Then I opened Thunderbird and tried sending a test message to myself.  Still got the error message.

I'll go and contact Microsoft and try to get this problem resolved.

Thanks.

[Raptor]

What error message did you receive?

[vinyl68]

"Sending of message failed.  Message could not be sent because connecting to SMTP server outgoing.verizon.net failed.  The server may be unavailable, or is refusing SMTP connections.  Please verify that your SMTP server setting is correct and try again, or else contact your network administrator."

Regarding the email attachment problem, I contacted Microsoft.  Turns out, stupid me, that I had the "Break apart messages larger than 120 KB" checked on in the server whereas it should have been unchecked.  Then I sent several attachments to myself and Microsoft and received the photos.  Problem solved for $35.00.

But I still don't know what's going on with Thunderbird.  I might have to stick with OE in the long run.  

[Raptor]

Can you make a screenshot of your Thunderbird SMTP settings?

[vinyl68]

Can't make a screenshot, but here's what it says:

description: <not specified>
Server Name: outgoing.verizon.net
Port: 25
User Name <not specified>
Secure Connection: none

[Raptor]

Fill in your username. It will ask for a password once it's connected.

[vinyl68]

Okay...I filled in my username and put in the password as instructed, and now not only am I able to send and receive email, but I can also send attachments.  

I thank you all for your help and patience.

However, now I have a new problem.  I have 2 email addresses for my small business.  The first I was able to receive email okay, but it's a different story with the second; yet they're both set on the same server with the exact password.

Here's the setting for the second address:

description: <not specified>
Server Name: smpt.secureserver.net
Port: 25
User Name: [email protected]
Secure Connection: none

[Raptor]

You only need to use one SMTP adress when using Thunderbird, but you can add another one the same way you added your Verizon adress.

You can choose what SMTP server to use by clicking on the account name and then choosing an SMTP server from the drop down box.

However, if the problem lies only in receiving E-mail something may have gone wrong when filling out the POP3 settings. Can you tell me how you configured your account for POP access? It should be under the "Server settings" section of the corresponding account.

[vinyl68]

The settings are:

1. Mail server: POP3
    Incoming mail: mail.B-W-enterprises.com
    Outgoing mail: smptout.secureserver.net

    Account name: [email protected]
    

The second is the same except the account name is cartoon@...

[Raptor]

Look at the following example;

Are both E-mail adresses hosted by the same company?

[vinyl68]

Yes they are.  I'll have to contact Verizon to get this mess straighten out (password problems being one of them, as I somehow managed to screw it up trying to transfer files from OE to Thunderbird).

[Raptor]

Password errors are different, but if you hosted both domain names at the same provider, the POP settings should be the same.

Are you sure you can't make a screenshot for us to check?

[vinyl68]

Sorry...I don't know how.  Not that techno-savvy.