topic Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird in Tech Help - Software/Hardware etc

Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:06:18 GMT

Hi there,

Newcomer here and barely IT competent I'm afraid. I have just arrived on holiday in Spain and have found that whilst I can use Mozilla Thunderbird to receive emails I cannot send any - I get "log in to server relay.plus.org with user name < my user name.plus.com> failed".

I contacted Plusnet support but after investigating and trying altering the outgoing server settings they decided they could not help.

They suggested trying this forum.

HELP!!!

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

jab1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:22:30 GMT

@davidjatkin As you are not using the Plusnet network while away from home, you will not be able to send email via the PN mail servers unless you authenticate.

It is that long since I did this, I can't remember how you do it, but hopefully, someone will be along (probably tomorrow morning now) who can point you in the correct direction.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

Mav — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:23:34 GMT

Hi @davidjatkin

And welcome to the fora.

As per https://www.plus.net/help/email-guides/how-to-set-up-plusnet-email/ you need to set SMTP Authentication to yes when using a non-Plusnet connection.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

jab1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:27:39 GMT

@Mav - the TB link on that page returns a 404, so is not going to help.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

Mav — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:31:41 GMT

Not sure what a TB link is but the page opens without issue using the latest FF and Chrome browsers.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

jab1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:37:14 GMT

The PN guide page opens, as you say, but if you click the link for help with Thunderbird setup, it just comes up with 'page not found'. I suspect Thunderbird have modified the link, but PN haven't updated their link, so it will not open as you would expect.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

Mav — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:40:04 GMT

@jab1

Aha, I see now. I didn't get that far I simply clicked on "What other settings do I need?" assuming the OP already knows how to set up Thunderbird.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

jab1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:45:26 GMT

Understood, @Mav . As you say, you need to set authentication, but as I said, I can't remember how you do it - must have been nearly 20 years ago I did it on my TB setup. 😀

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

jab1 — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:00:29 GMT

@davidjatkin - see message #5 in this link: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=1656265

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 16:09:37 GMT

many thanks John.

I have just returned to find your message amongst a few others, and am doing my best to try out your suggestions.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 16:11:19 GMT

Many thanks for replying May

I am attempting to try a few of these ideas

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 16:59:46 GMT

I now have the following details for the selected outgoing server:

description <not specified>

name relay.plus.net

username [Removed]

authentication method normal password

connection security SSL/TLS

Unfortunately this still won't let me send emails (though I am receiving them OK as normal). Instead it gives an "outgoing server (SMTP) relay.plus.net timed out" error message.

Moderators Note: Personal information removed

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

MisterW — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 16:26:49 GMT

@davidjatkin you should be using port 587 with security as STARTTLS.

Although from your error message, I suspect its not an authentication problem, its likely an 'IP reputation' problem.

Are you using a public Wifi system or a mobile network ?

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 18:09:48 GMT

Thank you so much for this. I have changed to the settings you suggested. This time when I tried to send an email it asked me to confirm my password. However it then failed to send (the "progress" bar kept "scrolling through" for ages but there was no error message.

I suspect you may well be right about it being some other issue. I am using the wifi of the villa we have rented. It is not a public one. We stayed at the same place last year and I think it was the same wifi then (and I had no problems). If there is a problem now with this wifi, what options do I have please?

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

MisterW — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 18:33:05 GMT

If it is an IP reputation problem then it should clear in 24bhrs or so. Meanwhile you could save the email in drafts, login to webmail and send it from thete. That should send without a problem

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 19:33:36 GMT

Thank you again MrW. I will wait and try again tomorrow.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

shutter — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 10:41:19 GMT

@MisterW & @davidjatkin

I have the same problem, and I think MisterW has the answer... it is because of your i.p.

I use a 4G LTE router on a Mobile Phone Sim only monthly contract for my internet connection... ( permanent arrangement) . I can send and receive emails from my @gmail. addresses.. but can only receive to my pn address.. cannot send from it..

If you are going away regularly, it may be an idea to set up an alternative @gmail address to send and receive emails on "forren" internet connections.

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

MisterW — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 11:07:35 GMT

The problem is that most mobile networks use CGNAT, this means that the 'real' public IP is shared between many users. It only takes one bad player and the shared IP gets a poor reputation.

I used to go to Portugal in the winter for a few weeks and many of the rentals used mobile broadband. I would often hit the problem of not being able to send for a day or two. Latterly the villa we rented changed to a cable connection and the problem no longer existed.

The SMTP protocol does return an error code which identifies the cause, however most email clients don't expose it, rather they just return an error of 'failed to send' often with a username/password reason

Re: Sending emails using Mozilla Thunderbird

davidjatkin — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 15:13:44 GMT

Many thanks. Reassuring to know I am not the only one,

I will look at the gmail route.