Freenetname email frozen/intermittent

[#1]

Damn, I spoke to soon.

Emails coming in now great, BUT I now cant send emails.

Says login failed...

🙄

[#2]

@jhollin 

I wonder... - I am working on the development of a full set of server connection diagnostic tools: their publication is on hold whilst I clarify the correct credentials for the various brands.  I have some test account for some brands, but not FNN.  I wonder if you might run a couple of tests for FNN please.

Brand: Freenetname - encryption supported: No

• IMAP: mail.freenetname.co.uk port: 143
• POP3: mail.freenetname.co.uk port: 110
• SMTP: smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk port: 587

curl.exe -v " imap://mail.freenetname.co.uk -u userID
curl.exe -v " pop3://mail.freenetname.co.uk -u userID
curl.exe -v smtp://smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk:587 -u userID

The above cURL commands should be copied and pasted into a POWERSHELL window, replacing 'userID' with either the email address or the account name.  Enter the password when prompted - it is NOT echoed back to the console.  You are looking for the following success markers...

• IMAP A0002 OK
• POP3 +OK logged in
• SMTP <*235 (if SMPT fails you will get a <*535 diagnostic reason)

DO NOT post the whole of the response, as it certainly will include the accounts credentials in plain text or Base64 which is easy to decrypt.  Your IP address might also be exposed.

I am wondering if SMPT is refusing to accept the email address as the credentials.

Finally ... "Are you connected on the Plusnetnet network of [or] some other YES" - which one please?  (Bad question!!).  Given that you are unable to logon to the SMTP server, I suspect that you are NOT connecting via the Plusnet network.

[#3]

Hi,

We think we are not on the Plus net network with think we are through BT.

The problem is, this is getting well beyond our capabilities. The suggestions you made, are over my head....I dont know what a powershell window is, let alone paste into it....😟

I will keep trying...

[#4]

Fair point, which is covered in the not-yet-published guide!!

This process is not difficult, but you will need the following resources which might be unfamiliar...

• Windows: POWERSHELL window (NOT CMD / DOS window) - right click on the Windows Start button and select TERMINAL (not Admin) from the context menu
• macOS: TERMINAL window - open through Spotlight (cmd +space) or navigate in Finder to '/Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app'
• Linux: You might need to update curl

[#5]

---

@Townman wrote:

@Hughesler  / @Fulltopuk  / @jhollin 

It would help to clarify / confirm the following...

• You are all Freenetname users (not one of the other brands) Freenetname
• Is it the primary (main / default) or secondary email address which gives rise to the issue Secondary
• Does the email address have a "." is it, as in forename.surname@... no dot
• Are you connected on the Plusnetnet network of some other No
• What are you using for authentication - the email address or something else email address

---

Hi - Thanks for message - here are my answers.  Thanks

[#6]

I got it to do something, and it did ask for the password. But, It would not let me type...

[#7]

From post #17

Enter the password when prompted - it is NOT echoed back to the console.

Then press enter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This does though help polish the guidance notes - updated as below...

... When prompted type your password, note that this is NOT echoed back to the screen, remember to press enter. Note the results.

[#8]

Oh oh - I spoke too soon.

I'm suddenly getting repeated "Login to server mail.freenetname.co.uk with username ***.******* failed.", together with three box options - Retry, Enter New Password, Cancel.

Obviously tied in with my preset message checking interval (and no new emails in since 1125 this morning - which is when I last entered a message here!).

[#9]

An you please run the diagnostic lines?

[#10]

Hi @Townman 

I've run the diagnostic lines as requested (I assumed I needed to add my email address after -u) with absolutely no answer and no request for a password.

Should I have seen:

Brand: Freenetname - encryption supported: No

• IMAP: mail.freenetname.co.uk port: 143
• POP3: mail.freenetname.co.uk port: 110
• SMTP: smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk port: 587

(because I didn't either).

I'm a bit out of my comfort zone here - I've also been asked to install the latest version of Powershell, but I have left that alone for the time being.

Thunderbird is still asking for my password every ten minutes, even though the one shown in its own password manager is correct, although I have found that webmail.plus.net has accepted it quite happily and is downloading mail normally

[#11]

I've tried again, and the only response I had was from the imap line, which, after asking for my password, essentially told me the URL was rejected: malformed input to a URL function, but further down I got

'A002 NO [AUTHENTICATIONFAILED] Authentication failed. Login denied.

POP 3 and smtp lines did not respond.

Shackman

[#12]

smtp line now responding - connects OK but finishes with:

500 5.5.2 Error: command not recognized

Command failed: 500

Shutting down connection #0

curl: (8) Command failed: 500

[#13]

Just to confirm the command is ...

curl.exe -v  smtp://smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk:587 -u userID

Replace userID with your email address; at the password prompt, type your password - it is NOT echoed back to the console.  Press enter.

The end of the output (after the connection negotiation) should report...

< 235 2.0.0 OK
> HELP
< 214-This is smtp ESMTP service help
214-This is smtp ESMTP service help
< 214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.
214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.
< 214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.
214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.
< 214 end of HELP info
214 end of HELP info
* Connection #0 to host smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk left intact

I conclude that you are not connected to the Plusnet network?

[#14]

I have just rerun curl.exe -v  smtp://smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk:587 -u, and this time I have a match with your print out.

I agree that Thunderbird is not connecting to plusnet webmail (which it did up to midday on 29th, then stopped for no apparent reason), but I am reading my recent emails through the webmail.plus.net.

I'm now totally confused, but still trying to reconnect Thunderbird to pick up the Freenetname mail service again.

[#15]

Two key questions…

Are you on or off the Plusnet network?

Do you have your own domain name associated with FNN?