topic Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK in Everything else

Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Auric — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:34:37 GMT

Context:

I’m travelling. For the first time I have today used my MS Outlook client. I was In the UK on Monday Outlook worked as normal. Plusnet web mail operates normally.

Outlook setup:

In Outlook: [File][Account and Social Network Settings] [Account Settings] Plusnet

POP and IMAP Account Settings

Outgoing mail server (SMTP): relay.plus.net

Issue:

No problem with receiving email to my Outlook folders.

I cannot send email. I have travelled abroad before and not experienced this fault.

Outlook reports, send error with message:

Task 'PlusNet_My_user_name - Sending' reported error (0x80042109) : 'Outlook cannot connect to your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP).'

Has anyone in the community experienced this issue when travelling?

Is there an explanation for the why, of this issue, and a fix?

Many thanks.

Edit: Apologies if I have posted this to the wrong topic.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Dan_the_Van — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:46:51 GMT

@Auric

the issue you encounter is because you are sending email off plusnet network, your answer is here

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Frustrations-of-Getting-Plusnet-Emails-via-Outlook/m-p/1902070#M41581

Thanks to @Townman

HTH

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Browni — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:23:10 GMT

For off Plusnet network use you also need outgoing server authentication

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Auric — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:27:24 GMT

@Townman

Thank you for your reply. I’ve reviewed your post:

“the issue you encounter is because you are sending email off plusnet network”

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Frustrations-of-Getting-Plusnet-Emails-via-Outlook/m-p/1902070#M41581

For email downloads I’m using POP3, and receive of emails is fine.

On the image you have posted the Outgoing mail server (SMTP) is relay.plus.net, (also sending email off the plusnet network), as indeed it is on my Outlook set-up. I’m not understanding what you are suggesting I try.

TIA

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Dan_the_Van — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:33:31 GMT

@Auric

Hopefully this might explain more, you need this

Outgoing - relay.plus.net port 587 encryption STARTTLS

Outgoing server should use authentication - same login details as the inbound server.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Auric — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:35:11 GMT

@Browni

Thank you for your post.

I have tried your suggestion of changing the authentication set-up for the outgoing server and I get the same result; same error message,

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Auric — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 17:56:59 GMT

@Dan_the_Van

@Browni

A personal thank you to both. Your inputs have my email transmit up and running.

When did this new requirement come into force; I ask as the last time I was abroad I did not experience issues.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

jab1 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:02:33 GMT

@Auric I find your final comment confusing - it has always been the case, even if you were off the Plusnet network when sending, as it is on all networks.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Auric — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:17:35 GMT

@jab1

I can only speak from my experience. I did not travel in 2020 & 21. Prior to that I have been in the USA and in continental Europe. Never changed Outlook client settings till today, on advice from this community,

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

jab1 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:20:25 GMT

Well, the requirement has existed for at least 20 years, to my knowledge, as I found out when I first tried sending from a (then) Tiscali account whilst away - in this country.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Dan_the_Van — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:53:31 GMT

@jab1

I recall many years ago encryption was not used for plusnet, force9 or free-online email clients, I got caught out a couple of years back on my smart phone, I did not set outgoing mail to use STARTTLS and I was unable to send emails using mobile data.

I believe it still possible on network not to use any encryption.

Dan.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Secure-Email-TSL-SSL-Encryption/td-p/1021802

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

jab1 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 19:05:07 GMT

@Dan_the_Van I don't send emails by phone - even at home, but I am talking sending through a desktop/laptop client when off the PN network.

My email is not encrypted, anyway.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

MisterW — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 20:55:46 GMT

As far as Im aware , encryption is not a requirement for off network sending and never has been. Its obviously a good idea though, since you are transmitting your credentials open without it.

Nb just tried setting encryption to none using port 587 and sending with authentication via mobile network still works

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

jab1 — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 20:56:02 GMT

Thanks, @MisterW .

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Mav — Wed, 14 Dec 2022 22:11:16 GMT

Moderator's note(s):

Thread moved from Broadband to Everything Else.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Townman — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 00:44:47 GMT

@Dan_the_Van wrote:

@jab1

I recall many years ago encryption was not used for plusnet, force9 or free-online email clients, I got caught out a couple of years back on my smart phone, I did not set outgoing mail to use STARTTLS and I was unable to send emails using mobile data.

I believe it still possible on network not to use any encryption.

Dan.

https://community.plus.net/t5/Email/Secure-Email-TSL-SSL-Encryption/td-p/1021802

Dan,

This could lead to confusion...

Authentication (use of user name and password) has always been required on the outbound server unless connected on the Plusnet network - why Plusnet's documentation even considers configuring the outbound server to be not authenticated dumfounds me - it simply leads to issues such as this - it works there - it does not work somewhere else...
Encryption (STARTTLS) is a comparatively new thing with Plusnet's mail services

In the distant past, I doubt that it was the absence of encryption which caused the inability to send mail when connected to a mobile network. Not being authenticated most certainly would have been a blocker.

Yes on network one can connect without authentication ... but why bother?

On or off the network, encryption is optional ... but again why bother not using encryption?

In passing the use of port 25 works (but that is the wrong port for mail message submission) - certainly on network, but some networks will block outbound connections on port 25 ... so again why bother documenting it as an option?

The lack of clarity in Plusnet's email configuration pages has been raised several times...

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Dan_the_Van — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:12:42 GMT

@Townman

Thank you for your informative post.

With reflection and the mists of time my reconciliation of what I actually did has become conflated.

After first encountering the issue off network I have always used these setting which you have previously posted. I never use POP3 as I use more than one email client app on different platforms.

Incoming - imap.plus.net port 993 encryption TLS/SSL
Outgoing - relay.plus.net port 587 encryption STARTTLS
Outgoing server should use authentication - same login details as the inbound server.

These are the settings recommended plusnet.

Where available I would always use encryption for any application.

Dan.

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Champnet — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 08:54:58 GMT

Looking back over docs from the end of the last Century :

Common client settings were:

Username & Password

Incoming : mail.wherever

Outgoing : smtp.wherever

Simple, no encryption, no ports.................

Re: Outlook client: Send error message while out of the UK

Townman — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 10:52:44 GMT

@Champnet

Indeed in the days before hackers and others, seeking to steal information, life was simpler.

Encryption brought about security, so that fixed one issue, but brought about the need for additional ports and options on encryption methods and standards.

People seeking to cause mischief have in many quarters brought about complications for all of us.