topic Re: Router causing email problems in My Router

Router causing email problems

DSer — Fri, 27 May 2022 10:26:18 GMT

My ipad (which I've used for years) and iphone are experiencing email problems when trying to open an email when I connect via my Plusnet router.

If I use my mobile network instead to connet (with wifi disconnected) or connect via wifi using a different router (eg at my club) then I don't get an issue.

Although all my incoming emails arrive for many it takes about half a minute for them to open when clicked on. The emails affected seem to be those ones (such as MailChimp) where images are not incorporated in the email itself but are downloaded from a remote server as the email is opened.

The router is a plusnet one which I've used for several years. The ipad is an Ipad air 3 (with plenty of memory available).

The problem has been geting steadily worse over the last few months.

Does the router need some sort of firmware update or is it a case of getting a new router?

Re: Router causing email problems

bobpullen — Fri, 27 May 2022 15:18:50 GMT

Your router is on the latest firmware build.

When was the last time it was rebooted? Have you always had this problem and if not, when did it start?

I know that recent Apple devices have introduced a raft of privacy/tracking/private IP changes for their embedded email client, amongst other things. It's perhaps worth delving into some of those settings to see if toggling any of them off makes any difference.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Fri, 27 May 2022 16:49:04 GMT

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated

I rebooted the router a few days ago (left it overnight and switched back on in the morning).

The issue has been developing over about a month or two.

I've tried altering all the settings on the ipad I can think of and have even re-installed the plusnet settings a couple of times into the Mail app. Makes no difference.

It is affecting two ipads I have and an iphone13; all using the same apple id and same plusnet email account. I've had the ipads years and haven't changed any settings on them. It used to work without any problems.

One ipad has a sim card in it and if that is used and the ipad disconnected from the wifi then it works fine. if the wifi is on then we get the problem.

Taking the ipad to my bowls club and logging into their wifi also 'cures' the problem.

Issue seems to be therefore only if I use wifi with my home router. Wifi is good in my hosue with an app on the ipad giving about 60 -65 Mbps measurement.

I'm fortunate in that I 'run' a Mailchimp account and so can send myself the same mailchimp email twice and open one using mobile data and one using wifi.

I'm totally baffled with this.

Re: Router causing email problems

Townman — Sat, 28 May 2022 10:54:26 GMT

Interesting!

Which router?

Is there a VPN involved?

Does your Plusnet connection use the DNS safeguarding service?

You might not have changed the iDevice settings intentionally, but think about all of those iOS updates!!!

I would look to something simpler here - do the "problematic" emails have a large image content? Do you see any other connectivity issues? Is the phone line quiet? Dial 17070 option 2.

There is the possibility that poor performance of the connection could give rise to email server timeouts ... which might cause the observed experience.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sat, 28 May 2022 11:23:34 GMT

Again thank you for your reply. Very kind of you to take an interest.

The router is a Plusnet Hub One which I've had for a little while (about 2 years?).

I don't know if I use the DNS safeguarding service I'm afraid (is there a way to find out?)

The emails don't all have a large image content. The ones I do know about are the ones I can issue to myself from MailChimp. These have a small image but I understand it that MailChimp downloadeds such images from a remote server only when the email is opened. I've presumed that it is maybe this where the problem lays but that is my assumption. The MailChimp email does arrive in my Mail inbox but takes approx 30 seconds to load.

I've put both BlueMail and Outlook on my iphone13 and these MailChimp emails (and all others) load instantly in those apps. (can't get notifications to work for them but that's another story).

I do know if someone forwards to me one of the MailChimp emails (with images) then it arrives and loads instantly. To me this suggests file size is not an issue.

We're two oaps with no-one else in the house and using the internet mainly for browsing and emails, whatsapp etc. No heavy internet use! Download speed is measured over wifi on my phone at 60 -65 Mbps.

As my ealier posts said (I think) connecting to the wifi at my bowls club then everything opens instantly. Apple help is saying problem therefore must be at router/wifi end - even though issue only affects the Apple Mail app

I've read rumours that ios14 can cause these kinds of issues - don't know if that is true. My iphone and ipadsjust updated to 15.5 anyway.

Don't have a phone on my landline so can't test that - sorry.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sat, 28 May 2022 12:11:18 GMT

Further to my earlier reply just found an old landline phone. BT's quiet line line was completely silent to my ears.

Re: Router causing email problems

Townman — Sat, 28 May 2022 12:31:31 GMT

That suggests that the issue is constrained to the combination of the iOS mail application and the Plusnet Hub One. Bob mentioned the various iOS network mail “security” features…

Under mail settings check privacy protection - that messes with the IP address when downloading email content … sounds akin to your problem, try turning it off.

Under the network settings, on WiFi click the i logo next to the WiFi network name - turn off private WiFi address.

Though these settings might not be idea, if the change your experience, that will give the support staff something to focus on.

Re: Router causing email problems

Champnet — Sat, 28 May 2022 12:33:11 GMT

@DSer Don’t dismiss those small images from Mailchimp, when the images are downloads information about yourself is sent to their servers.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sat, 28 May 2022 12:37:11 GMT

Thanks for those suggestions.

Have made them but it made no difference.

I think in the end I may have to use Outlook as my main email app and try to get Apple support to get the notifications and badges working on it.

Re: Router causing email problems

edwh — Sat, 28 May 2022 21:07:37 GMT

The problem could be this:

https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/IPhone-iPad-Mac-The-network-is-blocking-encrypted-DNS-traffic/m-p/1846737

Re: Router causing email problems

Townman — Sat, 28 May 2022 21:37:02 GMT

Good call!!

Note therein the reference to the Plusnet Safeguarding service.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sat, 28 May 2022 22:28:11 GMT

Good idea, but I don't have plusnet safeguarding switched on

Re: Router causing email problems

edwh — Sun, 29 May 2022 08:33:44 GMT

What happens when you turn off Mail Privacy Protection and Private Relay on your devices?

Settings > Mail > Privacy Protection > Protect Mail Activity
Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Private Relay (Beta)

Do things start working again?

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sun, 29 May 2022 08:36:13 GMT

No, makes no difference

Re: Router causing email problems

edwh — Sun, 29 May 2022 09:25:02 GMT

Can I suggest leaving them off for a bit longer, maybe a day? Do a device restart while the settings are off for good measure. It may take a little longer than a couple of minutes for the change of settings to take effect

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sun, 29 May 2022 09:39:48 GMT

I've already left them off for over a day and I always do a shutdown (power off) whenever I make any changes.

Happy to try again however and I will

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Sun, 29 May 2022 10:17:52 GMT

I should also add that occasionally I get a 'normal' email that also takes a while to load (about 15 seconds) - although they are usually a bit quicker than the 'mailchimp' type (about 30 seconds).

For example this morning I received a 4 line email with attached word file (4.4mb). This loaded slowly but when loaded showed the 'icon' for the attachment which says 'tap to download'. When tapped the file downladaed very quickly (1 sec).

The 'privacy' settings for Mail on my ipad have been off for a few days now.

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Tue, 31 May 2022 13:09:57 GMT

Just tried switching out the PlusNet Hub One router and using the tp-link router I had in place before.

Everything appears to be working fine on first try with the tp-link router.

I'll give it a few days and if stable then see if Plusnet will replace their router.

Re: Router causing email problems

Acorn11 — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:39:48 GMT

I’ve had exactly the same problem with one of our two Outlook email accounts, i.e. slow loading of mail on iOS devices (both iPad and iPhone) only on Wi-Fi, and not solved by any of the remedial advice in this post. So, no problem via data mode or using Wi-Fi on a friends non-Plusnet router. So can Plusnet help solve this problem that seems linked to the Plusnet hub and a specific Outlook account?

Re: Router causing email problems

DSer — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 14:31:18 GMT

Update: I've had no more problems (of this nature) since I switched to my own TP-link router.

However I have had other problems (mainly) with emails not being delivered. Got nowhere initially with Plusnet help but on going back to them their answer was that Plusnet's own email system was the problem and that it was likely to be discontinued soon. News to me but a google search seemed to support this.

The Plusnet help chap advised not using it anymore and switching to gmail or outlook or really anything else.

So switched to Outlook and have had no problems since.

Does make me think whether it is worth staying with them when renewal time comes!!