Problems sending emails

[#1]

I contacted support before because I wasn't getting my emails until the day after they were sent.  I was told it was a problem with the app I was using.  I was using Windows 10 mail.  I was told to read my emails on the website.  I tried that but when I replied to emails on the website they didn't give a proper return address so people who replied to me had their emails returned.  Then I downloaded Thunderbird which brings the emails in promptly but has difficulty sending them.  Occasionally they arrive but most of the time they don't.  It has a green line saying sending which lasts all day until I switch the computer off.  My son is an IT expert and says it looks as if it is a problem with the Plusnet server.  I can't get through on the phone now.

[#2]

More likely a problem with your Thunderbird send/ receive settings; don't let T'Bird try & guess your e mail settings (which is the default), but input them manually.

See
https://www.plus.net/help/archive/email/thunderbird-setup/?supportarchive

[#3]

Hi @Veronicawood 

A warm welcome to the forums.

Have you resolved this issue yet?  Which email program were you using?  I have seen something which sounds exactly like your description.

If I recall correctly that person was using Windows Live Mail (but in principle the exact program does not matter).  They had their inbox display "grouped" by period received...

• Today
• Yesterday
• Last week
• Last month
• etc

as seems to be the default in some email applications - e.g. WLM and Outlook.  What she had not noticed was that the "Today" group was collapsed and therefore she did not see the emails until the following day within the not "collapsed" group "Yesterday".

"I tried that but when I replied to emails on the website they didn't give a proper return address so people who replied to me had their emails returned."

Did you set up your identity (email address) correctly in webmail?  This needs to be done the first time you use webmail ... and the default setting pre-populated in the form are NOT CORRECT!

[#4]

Thanks but I have checked my settings and they are right.  I would point out that Windows mail has exactly the same problem so I think it must be a problem with Plusnet.  I would love to know if anyone else has this problem.  I can use Thunderbird for incoming mail but to send anything I have resorted to using gmail.

[#5]

I can use Thunderbird for incoming mail but to send anything I have resorted to using gmail.

In which case, your settings are not right.  Did you examine the link @Gel provided?

[#6]

Yes I examined the link and my settings are right.  As Windows Mail has the same problem it must be a problem with the Plusnet server.

[#7]

No there’s nothing wrong with the Plusnet server.

Are you a new customer? New customers cannot send emails until their broadband service is connected. Have you set up authentication on the SMTP server?

[#8]

@Townman Don't think the OP is a new customer - this topic was started 22/05/20.

Despite the insistence that their settings are correct, they obviously aren't, and if they have only just installed Thunderbird, the PN setup details are wrong - I understand, but haven't experienced it myself, that TB 'autoconfigures' a lot of settings, but not correctly for a number of ISP mail servers. It is a case of manually altering quite a few of them before pressing 'Finish'.

[#9]

@Veronicawood Your outgoing server settings should look something very much like this:

[#10]

@jab1 

Indeed John!!

As the instructions referred to by @Gel  clearly state...

Now Thunderbird will try and detect your mail settings. This won't work so you'll need to enter them yourself (see below the screenshot if you need help with this).

The user needs to correct assumptions made by Thunderbird ... though as you hint, there are some tweaks to that advice now that encryption is available.

• IMAP should use port 993 with SSL/TLS
• SMTP should use port 587 with STARTTLS

Setting aside the availability of encryption, those instructions are quite acceptable.

[#11]

Ooops, sorry @Townman I didn't realise they had been updated since I set up my Installation of TB - on W95 if I remember correctly.

[#12]

Hi John,

You have nothing to be sorry about here!  You were quite correct - Thunderbird 'guesses' and makes a hash of it (which the Plusnet instructions clearly state) ... but the Plusnet instructions could do with an update to advise of the correct settings for encrypted connections.

[#13]

The settings are correct and how do you explain that Windows mail has the same problem?

[#14]

Can you log in and send email via webmail?

You’ve not clearly described the failure, just “it does not work” does not help anyone to aid you.

[#15]

When I send an email the email doesn't arrive at the intended recipient.  I can receive, but not return or send at all, meaning that I can send but they don't arrive.  When I send on Thunderbird it shows a green strip which says 'sending' but that goes on all day until I turn my computer off.  My son who is an IT expert say the fact that the green strip stays on all day means Thunderbird is having problems accessing the Plusnet server.