This is becoming an annoying problem. For about a month now Apple Mail on my iMac periodically fails to connect and reports a Port 143 timed out error message. I have not changed anything on the mail settings and have checked the ISP settings; they are all correct and in line with the advice from my ISP. What appears to be happening is that Apple Mail seems to fail to reconnect to the mail server when the iMac is left idle for a short while. If I return to the Mac after half an hour, Apple Mail has exclamation marks on all of my IMAP accounts and if I use Connection Doctor, it runs and tells me that Port 143 has timed out and that the password/ user names are incorrect - they are not. It will not connect until I restart Apple Mail. The settings she me that it is offline, but nothing appears to work if I try and get the accounts online. As soon as the App is restarted, it functions correctly until the Port 143 message appears again and Mail is stuck again.
Things I have tried: 1. switched off the router overnight, no help 2. changed the outgoing port from 25 to 587, no help 3. checked the settings are the same as those on my iPads and MacBook Air, they are, no help 4. rebooted the Mac, helps for a short while until it fails to stay online. 5. ran the Disk Utility diagnosis, no change. 6. Switched off Bitdefender, no change. 7. Clicked the exclamation mark against each of the failed accounts (I get a message telling me that 'Port 143 timed out, try again') - nothing happens.
I have not yet asked my ISP to investigate. I have noticed that when the error occurs both iPads display errors on the email accounts. This could lead to a router error?
Interestingly, (or not), my two iCloud accounts are working ok and do not have an exclamation mark against them.
Should I rebuild each and every mail account on the iMac to see if this cures it, or could it be something else?
Your help would be much appreciated.
Chris
Things I have tried: 1. switched off the router overnight, no help 2. changed the outgoing port from 25 to 587, no help 3. checked the settings are the same as those on my iPads and MacBook Air, they are, no help 4. rebooted the Mac, helps for a short while until it fails to stay online. 5. ran the Disk Utility diagnosis, no change. 6. Switched off Bitdefender, no change. 7. Clicked the exclamation mark against each of the failed accounts (I get a message telling me that 'Port 143 timed out, try again') - nothing happens.
I have not yet asked my ISP to investigate. I have noticed that when the error occurs both iPads display errors on the email accounts. This could lead to a router error?
Interestingly, (or not), my two iCloud accounts are working ok and do not have an exclamation mark against them.
Should I rebuild each and every mail account on the iMac to see if this cures it, or could it be something else?
Your help would be much appreciated.
Chris
Last edited: