Contributor
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3 Messages
Email, cannot send from Thunderbird
I get this message:
"Sending of the message failed.
The message could not be sent because connecting to Outgoing server (SMTP) outbound.att.net failed. The server may be unavailable or is refusing SMTP connections. Please verify that your Outgoing server (SMTP) settings are correct and try again."
My outbound server is set as: outbound.att.net
_xyzzy_
Expert
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15K Messages
7 years ago
Did you try to resend the message? Yahoo has been screwing around with their servers affecting lots of people in one way or another. I also use TB and sometimes get a message about the smtp server timing out. That only started about a month ago and others have reported that as well. And indeed, when I read your message I sent a test message to myself and got that timeout error again. But a resend worked.
Yours is not a timeout but IMO the smtp server can't be trusted. At any rate was sending working before this? Did you change any settings? Recheck the settings to be sure, particularly the Outgoing server (smtp) settings; outbound.att.net, port 465, SSL/TLS security, password authentication, and the att.net (or whatever) user name.
It also wouldn't hurt to also go into TB's preferences, passwords, saved passwords and delete the smtp password. You would then be prompted for the password when you try the next send.
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junior-tinyd
Teacher
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17 Messages
7 years ago
I was able to resolve this identical issue by changing Thunderbird outbound email for ATT from outbound.att.net, Port 465 to smtp.mail.yahoo.com, Port 465. Hope this works for you, too!
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hidemand
Contributor
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3 Messages
7 years ago
I had not changed any settings and had been receiving the same error off and on over the past few weeks. A resend try or two was always successful until today when numerous resends produced the same error. So I posted for help. By the time I got back to the computer and saw your replies (by the way, I really appreciate both of you) it was working again. But I have taken the advice of junior-tinyd and changed the outbound server as suggested, on all of my email identities. Working so far.
Thanks for your quick replies and suggestions!
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Eugene50
Contributor
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2 Messages
7 years ago
I'm having the same problem. All of my settings are correct, so I have deleted all my passwords and put them in again, changed the smtp from outbound.att to smtp.mail.yahoo.com and still get the error of "timed out." I called ATT and was on the phone 1 hour and 45 minutes and was transferred 6 X They wouldn't help me because I had a free account because ATT is not available in my area. Any sugestions? I have no other place to turn. Thanks
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_xyzzy_
Expert
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15K Messages
7 years ago
When you got the timeout message did you try to send again? I've seen that timeout message (I also use TB) a few times (randomly) but repeated attempts to send eventually end up in success. I think its due to the "quality" (that's sarcasm) of Yahoo's smtp servers.
I should point out that you won't get any help from ATT CS for email problems because Yahoo is the email service provider for ATT. And you won't be able to find anyone at Yahoo either since, even if you could find someone, they will just point you back to ATT!
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Hmm, sorry about this essentially duplicate post. I didn't notice until after I posted this that I previously commented on this earlier in this thread. I wish there was a way to delete posts.
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hidemand
Contributor
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3 Messages
7 years ago
I still occasionally get the timed out error but it works after restarting TB.
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Eugene50
Contributor
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2 Messages
7 years ago
I usually hit "send" 4 times and then it sends out the email. It's frustrating because it is very time consuming to do do that for each email 4 times. If there are any other suggestions, please let me know. Thank you
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rogerlmartin
Tutor
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6 Messages
7 years ago
I finally chased down the problem by going thru ATT phone customer
service. If you remember, ATT used to have their own email service. Then
a few years ago, they switched everything over to Yahoo for email.
The rep told me that now ATT is switching everything BACK to ATT from Yahoo, &
they're in the process of doing so. Evidently in the process they are
having bugs. The rep told me ATT had told no one, not even their techs.
They learned about it thru costumer complaints. They have now known
about it since July 2017. No ETA on a fix. The only solution is to use
webmail for now. If you have problems there, try using att.net & log in.
It's strange that my email (the primary one) works fine. It's only my
wife's (alias) that's affected.
Modern technology's great when it works, right?
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_xyzzy_
Expert
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15K Messages
7 years ago
Few years ago? I've been with uverse for about 9 years now and it's always been using yahoo as their email service provider during that time. I do remember they had their own servers back in the 1990's, i.e., before the Bell's started gobbling up each other. So "a few years ago" must mean sometime in the 2000's.
At any rate, if all the posts in these forums are any measure, it appears the grandfathered email domains (e.g., sbcglobal.net, etc.) are having email "problems" since Verizon bought Yahoo.
When it comes to the Yahoo as an email service provider, I hardly call it "modern technology"!
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