Cannot Send Messages

[john bull]

I have used Thunderbird for over 12 years with no problems

I had recently need to re-install Windows 10 using the Microsoft recovery procedure.
I have successfully recovered almost all of my programs and files, including bookmarks, passwords and some personal files.
Obviously i had to reinstall Thunderbird - I lost my personally created local folders.
All I recovered was the INBOX with all my 13,000 + mails going back years.

BUT I cannot SEND emails. I have checked the server details and they look OK, but I am sure my outgoing mail previously was POP3 - now it is IMAP.
Changing it to POP3 and even incoming mail fails. I also have to enter my password when Thunderbird opens.

PLEASE can somebody tell me how to get the SEND going as this email is used for business reasons. AND how can I get rid of this password request panel

[DanRaisch]

BUT I cannot SEND emails. I have checked the server details and they look OK, but I am sure my outgoing mail previously was POP3 -

No, it wasn't. Both POP and IMAP are inbound server protocols, not used for sending messages. The outbound protocol for either POP or IMAP type accounts is SMTP.

Who is your email provider?
* Without posting your full email address, what settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings Server Settings:
Server name:
Port # :
User name : (Is it your full name or just the bit before the @ symbol)
Connection Security:
Authentication Method:

What settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings->Outgoing Server (SMTP)->click on the account name at the upper right of the dialogue:
Server name:
Port # :
User name : (Just tell us if it is your full email address or just the bit before the @ symbol)
Authentication Method:
Connection Security:

[john bull]

BUT I cannot SEND emails. I have checked the server details and they look OK, but I am sure my outgoing mail previously was POP3 -

No, it wasn't. Both POP and IMAP are inbound server protocols, not used for sending messages. The outbound protocol for either POP or IMAP type accounts is SMTP.

Who is your email provider?
* Without posting your full email address, what settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings Server Settings:
Server name:
Port # :
User name : (Is it your full name or just the bit before the @ symbol)
Connection Security:
Authentication Method:

What settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings->Outgoing Server (SMTP)->click on the account name at the upper right of the dialogue:
Server name:
Port # :
User name : (Just tell us if it is your full email address or just the bit before the @ symbol)
Authentication Method:
Connection Security:

Thanks Dan - be back with my details ASAP

[john bull]

@DanRaisch

Who is your email provider? = Virginmedia
* Without posting your full email address, what settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings Server Settings:
Server name: =.imap.virginmedia.com
Port # = 993
User name : (Is it your full name or just the bit before the @ symbol) = user name = x.xxxxxx17@ntlworld.com
Connection Security = SSL/TLS
Authentication Method = Normal Password

What settings do you have under menu path Tools->Account Settings->Outgoing Server (SMTP)->click on the account name at the upper right of the dialogue:
Server name = VirginMedia mail - smtp.virginmedia.com (Default)
Port # = 465
User name : (Just tell us if it is your full email address or just the bit before the @ symbol) = user name = x.xxxxxx17@ntlworld.com
Authentication Method = Normal Password
Connection Security = STARTTLS

Is that OK Dan ?

[DanRaisch]

Try changing the server name for that SMTP server to smtp.ntlworld.com

[john bull]

Try changing the server name for that SMTP server to smtp.ntlworld.com

Did not work Dan, same result as before, cannot seem to connect to SMTP server.

[tanstaafl]

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin ... il-clients has instructions for Thunderbird. For sending it claims you should use smtp.virginmedia.com on port 465 with ssl/tls enabled, the username is the complete email address, and for authentication to use "normal password"

The thunderbird settings section omits several of the important settings from the thunderbird setup section.

The settings vary depending upon what domain your email address uses. They appear to have @virginmedia.com, @blueyonder.co.uk, @ntlworld.com, and @virgin.net domains. If you're not using @virginmedia.com then I suspect you need to either find another setup page, or experiment with replacing the domain for each server with the domain used in your email address.

I did find https://www.postbox-inc.com/setup/email ... -imap-smtp for ntlworld. Those settings are from the pobox email client, which is based on modifications to Thunderbird.

If you're using this account regularly for business I suggest you think about someday paying for a inexpensive email account somewhere. Depending upon what you want that could be $12 to $75/year. You'll get more storage, more features, better spam prevention, and real customer support. ISPs are poor email providers, they view it as just a cost center.

[john bull]

When I try to send a mail, these panels pop-up -

First panel, never stops and has to be cancelled -


Second panel -

[tanstaafl]

See if you can ping smtp.virginmedia.com (from a console window). I can, with 0% packet loss..

https://www.howtogeek.com/355664/how-to ... r-network/

[john bull]

See if you can ping smtp.virginmedia.com (from a console window). I can, with 0% packet loss..

https://www.howtogeek.com/355664/how-to ... r-network/

Here is my ping - i have not a clue what it means - help

[tanstaafl]

It says it had no problem connecting to your smtp server, didn't lose any packets when it tested the connection, and responded pretty quickly. I'm on the east coast of the USA and I got 118ms delays while you got 17ms delays (smaller number is better).

Basically the opposite of what the timeout error message implied.

[john bull]

It says it had no problem connecting to your smtp server, didn't lose any packets when it tested the connection, and responded pretty quickly. I'm on the east coast of the USA and I got 118ms delays while you got 17ms delays (smaller number is better).

Basically the opposite of what the timeout error message implied.

We have checked the server details - OK and the ping is OK. My password seems to be OK.
Good news ? Where do I go now Dan ? I would be over-the-moon to be able to send mail. It is so frustrating.

The prospect of reinstalling is frightful - cannot afford to lose my emails etc.

[tanstaafl]

"We have checked the server details - OK"

I disagree. I think you are supposed to use SSL/TLS for the SMTP server, not StartTLS.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin ... l-settings documents using imap.virginmedia.com and smtp.virginmedia.com with a ntlworld.com email address. It uses port 465 and SSL/TLS for the latter.

Those instructions were written for somebody using the mail client provided with iOS but the settings they describe should work with any operating system & email client. They're just input differently.

[john bull]

"We have checked the server details - OK"

I disagree. I think you are supposed to use SSL/TLS for the SMTP server, not StartTLS.

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin ... l-settings documents using imap.virginmedia.com and smtp.virginmedia.com with a ntlworld.com email address. It uses port 465 and SSL/TLS for the latter.

Those instructions were written for somebody using the mail client built provided with iOS but the settings they describe should work with any operating system & email client. They're just input differently.

Well in supplying the data I was asked for and the replies I have received the problem is now solved.
I changed STARTTLS to SSL/TLS for the SMTP server and MY SEND NOW WORKS !!

A million thanks to you tanstaafl for giving me back my SEND and a fully working Thunderbird, just one simple change did the trick - unbelievable.
It just takes those who know to spot the error.

Just one slight hiccup - Thunderbird now sends to Gmail and Yahoo OK, but fails to send to Outlook.com