Strange Mac Mail SMTP problem

[tmcneer]

My wife's MacBook has suddenly lost the ability to send mail through Mac Mail. Everything worked fine until today. Now, the Activity window shows a connection to the outgoing server, but Mail returns a "could not send" message with its options to switch servers, etc.

This is not the common problem with an ISP blocking the port. Let me explain the testing I've gone through:

I have set up an SMTP server in Mail for my ISP (Comcast) with all their specified settings. I have also set up a connection to my own SMTP server, through a very uncommon, unblocked port. Using Mail on the MacBook, none of these work.

However -- the same SMTP settings work on another Mac on the same network. The same SMTP setting work properly from a PC on the same network.

And to make it completely weird, I can fire up VMWare Fusion on the first MacBook and send mail through Outlook Express. So from the same machine, mail can be sent from Win/Outlook Express, but not from Mac Mail, using exactly the same account settings, servers, and ports.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this? I haven't.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Tom

 

[Pomeroy]

I have had the same problem off and on for a couple of months... Mail will send sometimes and the next time no luck.. I can wait awhile and try again and it may sent then again it may not... I keep Thunderbird handy just to send what won't go in Mail. It always sends perfect, even with the same settings.. I've seen several people on here with the same problem but the only solution ever offered is to redo the settings, I've done that more times than I can count, never helps, waiting seems to work just as fast. I don't care for Thunderbird, but when mail acts up I just copy and paste into Thunderbird and BAM it's sent in seconds..

 

[tmcneer]

Thanks

Thanks, Pomeroy.

On one hand, I was afraid the answer would be just that inconclusive.

On the other hand, it started working again.

Oh, well.


Tom

 

[Pomeroy]

Thanks, Pomeroy.

On one hand, I was afraid the answer would be just that inconclusive.

On the other hand, it started working again.

Oh, well.


Tom

Glad it's working again for you. Hopefully it won't be an ongoing problem. It happened only once (so far) on a new Alum Macbook here, but on this early 08 Macbook I never know what will happen. I keep Tbird handy just to send email when Mail acts up.