SMTP authentication error on plusnet webmail client

[#1]

Since email started working again Im getting the SMTP authentication error in the plusnet webmail client. Cant send emails.

I have reset my password this morning and that didnt make any difference

Im on a totalise email address

I can send email using the client on my Samsung android phone which is using plusnet IMAP.   

The webmail is not working

Can Any of the plusnet team help with this ?

thanks

[#2]

Hi @t72bogie 

When there is a notable issue, there is a real danger of presuming that must be the cause of all issues being encountered in the time time frame.  However in this case, the issue sounds as though it is something quite different.  Reading the very helpful details you've provided...

• This is NOT a *.plus.com email account but an old brand mail address
• That suggests the possibility that you are not connecting over a Plusnet ISP network connection
• You have reset the password, so presuming you changed the settings correctly, you do not have a password issue
• Sending from the phone works, so you have the account details correct (on at least that device) and the account is operative - not that is using SMTP to send (IMAP is the receiving side)
• Is that device connecting over the same network as the PC using webmail ... or is it connecting over 3/4/5G
• If over a different network, have you tried access webmail using a browser on the phone

To be totally clear when you say "webmail" do you mean using a web browser pointed at https://webmail.plus.net ?  Many people incorrectly use "webmail" to describe the mail service in general, even when accessing via a PC email client.  We've seen staff do that in the past!!!

If you can answer the above, it will clarify what to consider next.  This reads like a connectivity issue (not a password issue).  If you can connect to webmail to read emails, then you ought to be able to send, as the webmail to server connection is within Plusnet's data centres.

If however, you have used "webmail" to describe a PC client based connection and you are not using a Plusnet ISP connection ... then the issue points to your ISP's IP address being marked as suspect.  We can look at that after confirming the above understanding.

[#3]

Hi Townman

thanks for the response.  Some more information:

• I have a legacy *.totalise email address from 1999
• not connected via plusnet broadband, im on BT consumer broadband
• my phone email client is working and on the same residential wi-fi connection as my desktop PC
• oh my desktop PC I use https://webmail.plus.net/
• I just tried using plusnet webmail on my phone to send mail and get the same result "SMTP error 535:authentication failed"
• I can receive email on phone client and plusnet webmail, its just sending email via the plusnet web client that is not working

Thanks

[#4]

Still the same today,  cant send mail using the Plusnet webmail site on any platform; PC, phone, tablet.

Very strange, not a password issue as Ive changed that. Not a configuration issue on my side as you cant configure any server settings in the webmail client. 

Must be something internal in Plusnets mail server configs

[#5]

As of 10am today, Plusnet has reported that all problems are now resolved.  Can you please retest.

[#6]

thanks, I just retested sending mail from webmail at 10:27 and still the same "SMTP error 535: authentication error"

[#7]

Superuser escalation

This topic has been escalated by one of the Superusers; please allow time for Plusnet to respond before commenting further.

Escalation does not imply progressing this matter will be given priority, nor that a different outcome will result.

Reason for escalation:  Chase status

[#8]

I tried again this morning with webmail. It sent 1 mail and I thought the issue was fixed so tried again, and then the SMTP error came back and it hasnt worked since. Very strange. 

Tried logging out and back into webmail, no change, still the SMTP authentication error.

[#9]

Hi @t72bogie,

Do you know what time it was this morning when the first email went through? Was it straight away after sending the first email that you'd tried again only for the system to fail?

[#10]

Hi Alex

yes, first email of the day outbound was sent at 7:47 via plusnet webmail client on my desktop PC and then its failed to send any more since that time. 

My android phone email client is using imap.plus.net and mail.totalise.co.uk successfully.

thanks

[#11]

Thanks for getting back to us @t72bogie. Are you able to try setting up the mailbox via a mail client on the PC to see if this will also work?

[#12]

@TheMightyAJ 

I think that is issue here is that WEBMAIL appears to be bi-polar - it logs on to the IMAP server OK but throws a password error when attempting to send.  This really ought never to happen ... though we have seen this before**.  If the user can get their password right to logon to webmail and read their emails (IMAP server), the webmail should also be able to log on to the SMTP server to send emails.

If I have understood the user correctly, their device email clients work OK.  Whatever, trying on a different client is not going to fix webmail.

**There are hints of a pattern of legacy email accounts not being able to send email via webmail.  In other circumstances one might conclude that their accounts are not able to access the SMTP servers at all ... the comments from the user suggest that is not the case - works OK from the phone.

" Im on a totalise email address - I can send email using the client on my Samsung android phone which is using plusnet IMAP. [SMTP ?]"

[#13]

Ok some more tests this morning:

plusnet webmail from desktop PC on Win10 = SMTP authentication error

Samsung email client on android phone, using imap.plus.net and mail.totalise.co.uk = can send email

Outlook10 email client on laptop using mail.plust.net and mail.totalise.co.uk = can send mail

plusnet webmail from laptop on Win8 = SMTP authentication error

Seems like something to do with the webmail client and how its authenticating to the mail server ?

[#14]

---

@t72bogie wrote:

Samsung email client on android phone, using imap.plus.net and mail.totalise.co.uk = can send email

Outlook10 email client on laptop using mail.plust.net and mail.totalise.co.uk = can send mail

---

Need to get some clarification here...

imap.plus.net and mail.plus.net are not the same - they are IMAP and POP3 for both receiving.

mail.totalise.co.uk is a completely different brand - what are you using that for - the SMTP server?

When you log in to webmail, are you logging on with [username]@totalise.co.uk ?

@TheMightyAJ 

Which is the correct webmail drop down option for totalise - Plusnet?

[#15]

Hiya @t72bogie, I am sorry for the issues that you are having with sending mail from webmail.

I have refreshed the mail on your account so after about 30 minutes, can you please try again to send an email and let us know how this goes?