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Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

FIXED
Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Have been having problems with your outgoing servers. I was told to change password last week, and have been able to receive but not send emails via free-online on my laptop.

I have now updated the password on my desktop machine for the email client (Mac mail) and am being told that my username and password aren't verified, though I can still get into webmail. Please help!

8 REPLIES 8
Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Mail now coming in. Will have to check if it sends…

Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Still having problems with mail on this desk top computer. Please advise – I need help from staff!

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Fix

Hi,

Which ISP are your with?  Are you trying to connect over a VPN?  If you can receive emails but send them, then this is not a password issue, but either a configuration matter or a security preservation matter.  You might need to do some digging.

Are your sure that your email SMTP configuration is set to use authentication?

It is possible that the IP address currently assigned to you has acquired a poor reputation and is being blocked by the SMTP servers.  Unfortunately most email clients cannot discern the difference between a connection being rejected for bad credentials with other reasons for rejection ... so they just squeal "password is wrong".

You could try noting your present external IP address, restart the router to see if you acquire a new address and try again.  You might need to power off the router for 90 minutes to get a new address.

You could try the diagnostic below, just use the SMTP server address for free-online in place of relay.plus.net below.

Test SMTP authentication

Email programs often report username / password error for issues not actually related to those being wrong, but for other connectivity issues. Such can be very frustrating when you are convinced that they are correct. Testing SMTP authentication through a command line interface can deliver a more precise error message. The following describes how to do this using TELNET.

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

  1. TELNET - this might need installing as an additional option, for Windows see enabling TELNET.
  2. A code64 encoder / decoder such as this.

You can use TELNET to communicate direct with the SMTP server as follows...

Open the code64 encoder in a web browser and leave ready for use in the following steps.

Launch a windows command line window (DOS window) - press windows-key+R - type CMD into the run box - click OK

Enter...

telnet relay.plus.net 587

Press enter. Note if you use one of the other brand email services, use the appropriate SMTP server name for that brand. In response to SMTP server I'm here message, say 'HELLO'...

EHLO relay.plus.net

The SMTP server will then report what it can do after which tell the server you wish to authenticate...

AUTH login

The server should return the following, which is a base64 encoded string that requires your username:

334 VXNlcm5hbWU6

Use the code64 encoder to encode your username and paste it into the telnet window and press enter. For example:

bXl1c2VybmFtZQ==

The server should return the following, which is a base64 encoded string that requires your password:

334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6

Paste the base64 encoded password for the username. For example:

bXlwYXNzd29yZA==

The server will then report success or failure, any failure message should clearly indicate the reason for the failure. If the reason for the failure is not clear, please report back the message.

Close the SMTP / TELNET session by entering

quit

The session should look something similar to the below wherein your input is in bold...

220 avasout03 smtp relay.plus.net
EHLO relay.plus.net
250-avasout03 hello [your IP address], pleased to meet you
250-HELP
250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN
250-SIZE 104857600
250-PIPELINING
250-8BITMIME
250-STARTTLS
250 OK
AUTH LOGIN
334 VXNlcm5hbWU6
bXl1c2VybmFtZQ==
334 UGFzc3dvcmQ6
bXlwYXNzd29yZA==
235 ... authentication succeeded
quit
221 avasout03 smtp closing connection
Connection to host lost.

Here are some examples of failure responses...

535 ...authentication rejected [as username / password is wrong]
535 ...authentication rejected as source IP has a poor reputation

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Many thanks. Wait and see probably best approach. I don't have access to server or router: using WiFi which is communal to the flats where I live. I use free-online. I used to have my own plusnet package when I lived in Scotland, but a) current flat has no landline access and b) is in Hull, which is not part of BT.

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Ah Hull, my home town which I left many decades ago!

You do not need to access anything in the shared services space to do the above.  The server being accessed by the TELNET test is Plusnet's SMTP server.  All you need is to be connected to the internet with a device which will run telnet.

If it is proven that the IP address has been compromised, getting a new one will be difficult in your set up, for (a) your will not be able to restart the router and (b) there is a possibility that the service is on a fixed IP address from Kcom.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Seems to be sending normally now (touch wood!)

Townman
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 22,919
Thanks: 9,536
Fixes: 156
Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Yes poor reputation IP status does reset after 24 or so hours, however if someone in the complex is generating spam there is some risk that restrictions will be reimposed.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Silverwhistle
Grafter
Posts: 41
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎10-09-2020

Re: Username & password not being recognised when log on via mail client

Yup, my free-online seems to be working OK now; it's the Yahoo account that's now playing up!