cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

JohnMaltby
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎10-02-2013

Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

I'm new to Android this week. It's a Nexus 4.
Gmail is working fine.
I have some old free PlusNet email accounts, and I need to be able to use them from this phone.
I can receive my PlusNet emails just fine, using either POP or IMAP.
But I can't send any.
Using: smtp.plus.net, port 587, no security, no sign-in - the phone accepts this setup, but then sent email just sits in the outbox and never goes.
Using: ditto but Require sign-in, using my username+oneofmyaccounts, and its password, I get "Username or password incorrect (535 ...authentication rejected)".
Also tried just username and pwd, still fails.
From other posts on here I see replies from PlusNet that sign-in doesn't work on free accounts. Ok, so try without sign-in.
As I say, phone accepts, but mail never gets sent.
Should have said: This is the same over WiFi or phone.
Cry
Regards
John Maltby
10 REPLIES 10
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

The outgoing mail server you mentioned (smtp.plus.net) is not that documented (which is relay.plus.net) though it is aliased to the latter.
Are you able to send messages from those email accounts if you login using webmail?
David
JohnMaltby
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎10-02-2013

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

I use the accounts from my PC, and I should have said I can use them from
My old non-android sony-e phone, using relay.plus.net.
I tried relay from the android too.
I got the accounts free, years ago.
JohnMaltby
Newbie
Posts: 4
Registered: ‎10-02-2013

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Aha! I just changed the old phone to use port 587 and no authentication and then it can't send!
Change back to 25 and all is OK.
So the problem is android on nexus 4 won't let me use port 25.
So over now to the android forums...
grahamt
Rising Star
Posts: 599
Thanks: 37
Registered: ‎05-04-2008

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Don't know if this will help - I've got  a Nexus 7 and a normal Plusnet account (I don't know if the old free ones need anything different).
For my outgoing settings I'm using:
SMTP Server: relay.plus.net
Security type: none
Port: 587
Require sign-in: ticked
Username: my normal username *without* the .plus.com suffix
Password: my normal password
Graham
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Nexus 4 here working with the following settings:
SMTP Server: relay.plus.net
Security type: none
Port: 587
Require sign-in: ticked
Username: account-name+mailbox-name (e.g. jones+tom)
Password: my normal password
You should be able to log in to web mail with your username/password combination.
Bob
grahamt
Rising Star
Posts: 599
Thanks: 37
Registered: ‎05-04-2008

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Bob describes the settings that work for me - BUT I've since found that this is only true when I'm using my WiFi, which is connected via Plusnet. When I try to send a message using 3G (I've got a Nexus 7 with 3G as well as WifFi) I get a message saying 'can't communicate with server'. (I haven't tried to send messages using non-Plusnet WiFi.)
Any idea what I'd have to change in order to be able to send messages via my Plusnet account when I'm out and about using 3G? I tried changing the port to 25, but like John I found that Android on the Nexus won't allow me to change from 587.
I remember there was a message in the forums some time ago giving the settings needed to send messages when not connected via a Plusnet server, but I can't find it now. I thought I'd changed the settings on my netbook (Thunderbird/Ubuntu Linux) to comply with what that message said, but when I looked just now I couldn't see anything that's different from the settings I have on the Nexus.
I can send messages when using 3g if I use my Gmail account. On the Nexus, though, I can't even see what the equivalent settings are - I guess Google has them locked down. However, on my netbook the Gmail settings are port 465 and SSL/TLS security, so I don't think that's compatible with the Plusnet SMTP server. Obviously, I could also send messages using Plusnet webmail, but that's not so convenient.
Graham
[Edit] Ooh - I might have cracked it. I checked the Plusnet support pages and the Android setup once more. The server settings were the same as I already had, but below them some other account settings are listed, among them: "Send email from this account by default.". This is unticked in the support guide, but I'd had it ticked. After I unticked it, I could send messages from Plusnet via my 3g connection. I then wondered if messages were really being sent via Gmail but from a look at the full headers this doesn't seem to be the case.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Strange, my settings work both on wi-fi and 3G and I have "Send email from this account by default" ticked.
Anyway, glad you got it working.
Bob.
Edit - I wonder if it's something to do with your carrier, I'm with T-Mobile.
grahamt
Rising Star
Posts: 599
Thanks: 37
Registered: ‎05-04-2008

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Maybe it is carrier-related, though I'm not sure why it should be. I'm with 3 (at least until midnight tonight when my 3-month starter pack expires, mostly unused).
Graham
PeeGee
Pro
Posts: 1,217
Thanks: 84
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎05-04-2009

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Embarrassed answered a non-existent question - must read the whole thread first, next time Embarrassed
Plusnet FTTC (Sep 2014), Essentials (Feb 2013); ADSL (Apr 2009); Customer since Jan 2004 (on 28kb dial-up)
Using a TP-Link Archer VR600 modem-router.
bobboulby
Grafter
Posts: 1,139
Thanks: 4
Registered: ‎20-07-2007

Re: Android 4.2.1 Email app can't send email - smtp problem

Quote from: grahamt
I'm with 3.

Graham, my T-Mobile contract is about to expire and I was thinking of moving to 3 (their 200 minutes, 5000 texts, 500MB for £6.90 plan). Would you recommend them?
Bob