(SOLVED) thunderbird failed to connect to mail.comcast.net

[KrisM2]

Ubuntu problem...

thunderbird failed to connect to mail.comcast.net first time only, on TB startup only.

Just about every time I start TBird, I get the failed msg.
clicking Get Messages then gets both gmail and comcast.
subsequent auto access (every 5 min or so) work fine.
Ubuntu.
I believe this started when I shifted from 18.04.1 to 18.10 Ubuntu.
Only happens on that first access to comcast.
TB 60.2.1 64bit
POP account

[tanstaafl]

Try pinging that server from a console window to see if it loses any packets.

https://www.febooti.com/products/automa ... email.html explains how to ping a smtp server but you can do the same thing for a POP server.

[WaltS48]

thunderbird failed to connect to mail.comcast.net first time only, on TB startup only.

Just about every time I start TBird, I get the failed msg.
clicking Get Messages then gets both gmail and comcast.
subsequent auto access (every 5 min or so) work fine.
Ubuntu.
I believe this started when I shifted from 18.04.1 to 18.10 Ubuntu.
Only happens on that first access to comcast.
TB 60.2.1 64bit
POP account

Pinging mail.comcast.net gives this error "ping: mail.comcast.net: Name or service not known"

I'm pretty sure I tried clicking Get Messages, and it didn't work. I'll have to see if I have one version of Thunderbird that still has that server configured and try again. Nope didn't work.

Changing the Server Name to "imap.ge.xfinity.com", accepting the certificate exception, click Get Messages, enter your password works.

See: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... &t=3043891 and https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2406399 for other options.

EDIT: Bug report https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1805027

[KrisM2]

thunderbird failed to connect to mail.comcast.net first time only, on TB startup only.

Just about every time I start TBird, I get the failed msg.
clicking Get Messages then gets both gmail and comcast.
subsequent auto access (every 5 min or so) work fine.
Ubuntu.
I believe this started when I shifted from 18.04.1 to 18.10 Ubuntu.
Only happens on that first access to comcast.
TB 60.2.1 64bit
POP account

Pinging mail.comcast.net gives this error "ping: mail.comcast.net: Name or service not known"

I'm pretty sure I tried clicking Get Messages, and it didn't work. I'll have to see if I have one version of Thunderbird that still has that server configured and try again. Nope didn't work.

Changing the Server Name to "imap.ge.xfinity.com", accepting the certificate exception, click Get Messages, enter your password works.

See: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... &t=3043891 and https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2406399 for other options.

EDIT: Bug report https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1805027

Thanks! That gave me some vital info, like it started on Nov 19, which probably matches my experience. However, with them, they don't seem to be able to get it to work at all, whereas for me it only fails on the first access

I will mark this solved and ignore it.
Thanks!!!

[KrisM2]

edit - pinging it produces

Code: Select all

kris@kris-ThinkPad-T530:~$ ping mail.comcast.net
ping: mail.comcast.net: Temporary failure in name resolution
kris@kris-ThinkPad-T530:~$ ping mail.comcast.net
ping: mail.comcast.net: Temporary failure in name resolution
kris@kris-ThinkPad-T530:~$ 

so I was wrong - it is happening every time.
But I want to be pop, not imap...

[KrisM2]

HUGE thanks to all. I will wait for a bit and see if this gets fixed by comcast (Godot). I would hate like heck to change to imap, so I may just revert to using their web site. I only use it for my comcast bills.

Thanks!!!

[DanRaisch]

Unless it's something specific to the Linux version of Thunderbird, there doesn't seem to be any problem accessing Comcast's POP servers running Thunderbird 60.3.1 under Win10.

[KrisM2]

Unless it's something specific to the Linux version of Thunderbird, there doesn't seem to be any problem accessing Comcast's POP servers running Thunderbird 60.3.1 under Win10.

Thanks! correct - works fine on my win7. so let's close this here and I'll go ask on Ubuntu.
Thanks!!!

[WaltS48]

Unless it's something specific to the Linux version of Thunderbird, there doesn't seem to be any problem accessing Comcast's POP servers running Thunderbird 60.3.1 under Win10.

Thanks! correct - works fine on my win7. so let's close this here and I'll go ask on Ubuntu.
Thanks!!!

Found another solution that works while researching threads for a bug report.

Install libnss-resolve to your Linux system.

I did that and the Thunderbird Daily I still had configured for mail.comcast.net started working again.

I created a couple test profiles and was able to create new POP3 and IMAP accounts using the Account wizard, which I wasn't able to do when this problem first appeared for me back in November.

[KrisM2]

Thanks all for looking in.
This is an Ubuntu Prob. Apparently NOT release specific. I am on 18.10

"in TBird change mail.comcast.net to imap.ge.xfinity.com
it will ask about the certificate.
Say okay to save this exception.
On next read it will ask for password - just give it the same one you used before.
no renaming of files - easy.
You're still POP.
Ubuntu prob. Bypassed "
someone on one of the Ubuntu forums sorted it. I could look for a link to it if needed, but I just changed it and ignored it.
Thanks again!

[WaltS48]

So we have three solutions.

• Install libnss-resolve (The easiest and quickest solution) using "sudo apt install libnss-resolve"
  Change the server name, accept the certificate exception, get mail, enter password
  Stop and disable systemd-resolved and install unbound using these instructions.
  https://blobfolio.com/2017/05/fix-linux ... -resolved/

The first one was so much easier, unfortunately the last one to appear.

[KrisM2]

So are you saying this is a Linux-wide problem, not just an Ubuntu prob?

[WaltS48]

So are you saying this is a Linux-wide problem, not just an Ubuntu prob?

It was a Ubuntu problem for me.

I had heard of a user on Fedora 29 having a problem, but it turned out to be something with his two router setup.