This topic

SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 22:18:03 GMT

I am a Premium Email customer but I cannot send mail via Outlook or Thunderbird. Apple Mail works OK. I predominately use Apple Mail on a Mac but my wife uses Outlook on a PC so she cannot send mail to anyone unless she uses WebMail which is very clunky and not really a sensible option. I tried installing Thunderbird but that has the same issue.

Mail is received OK but no sending. I sometimes wonder why I am paying for Premium Mail.

This applies to either POP3 or IMAP accounts although, of course, the SMTP server is the same for either.

Any ideas?

Re: SMTP server not working.

drifter — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:10:07 GMT

This is what I get from BT when I asked for similar help yesterday;

Thank you for sharing the issue. However, since we are from BT helpdesk, we don't have much training or access to check issue with a third party email client like Outlook. If your email is working fine on webmail, which is a BT platform, there is no issue with your email account.

Been with BT for decades and over recent years seen customer experience going downhill presumably to improve margins whist introcuing AI and so called ‘guides’ rather than a memeber of their customer technical support team like before these changes.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:19:08 GMT

@Jim_Tennet does your wife's email address work with Apple Mail on your Mac and conversely does your address work on your wife's PC with Outlook or Thunderbird,? That will determine if the problem is the address or the device.

At the moment you are comparing apples with oranges.

@drifter BT have never 'supported' third party email clients, there are too many variables for them to do so. They simply provide the necessary configuration details required.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 07:54:49 GMT

Hi, Thanks for the reply,

My Wife only uses a PC. I also have a PC so we can forget about the MAC for now, although it is my preference. I cannot get her emails to work on either my or her PCs. This is using both Microsoft 365/Outlook or Mozilla Thunderbird.

We can receive emails just fine but cannot send. Outlook constantly requests the password.

I've been in touch with BT Email Support (twice) but both people tell me that they can only help if webmail is not working. Webmail IS working but this is very clunky and not a workable option.

If I try a repair in outlook it fails saying the SMTP server dropped the connection.

I would be grateful for any help you can give but I will be out for the rest of the day.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:06:46 GMT

Sorry, that doesn't answer my question, we need to know if your wife's email account works on Apple mail and whether your email address works on the PC.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:12:06 GMT

Thanks for your reply Drifter,

This is indeed what I get from BT Email Support. Webmail is not an option for us as it is extremely clunky and requires logging in every time. Why pay for premium email when the service basically doesn't work.

I've moved my broadband away from BT but need to keep the email addresses. Upset to say the least.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:20:57 GMT

It is not a generic problem, SMTP is working just fine for me and no doubt countless others or the forum would be swamped.

The problem needs to be diagnosed.

Re: SMTP server not working.

drifter — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:28:03 GMT

BT have, in the past, been very helpful when I have had technical issue with either broadband or internet, but now experiencing a huge transformation in customer support since the planned corporate changes behind the conversion to EE brand. Afte 45 years of being a loyal customer, I think it time to consider a service provider I can trust and not as I am lately experiencing.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:35:13 GMT

Unfortunately, like all big organisations these days, the bean counters are in charge. To quote Oscar Wilde, they know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

Re: SMTP server not working.

gg30340 — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:33:08 GMT

@Jim_Tennet

Have you checked to see what your email account "type" is showing as in your "MyBT"?

Log onto your MyBT account then go to "Your Products" the "Email,manage" and check the type of account you have. It should show as either Premium, Standard or Basic.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:24:06 GMT

Good evening,

Logging into My BT and My Products it seems to show nothing except email under help which is not what we want.

However, I called BT and the lady told me that Premium Mail was active. She then passed me to email support who once again told me that if webmail is working they can do no more. Chocolate teapot came to mind.

So, I checked the server settings on my Mac Mail account. The SMTP Port was set as 587 which I have not seen in any BT documentation. Tried this in my Mac outlook account which has never sent mail and it worked. Not tried on my wife's pc yet but will do so this evening.

Watch this space .....

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:42:26 GMT

Tried it on my wife's computer and it didn't work. Symptom is as if I have basic email 😫

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:52:21 GMT

Can you please try adding your wife's address to Apple mail on your Mac as suggested this morning. That will verify if the problem is with her account or Outlook.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:56:30 GMT

OK Just setup an imap account in Apple Mail for my wife and it works. Just sent a message to myself.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:57:52 GMT

There you go, problem is with Outlook.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:01:46 GMT

What and Thunderbird?

What would you suggest she uses for a Pop or IMAP account? I'm not buying her a Mac.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:08:21 GMT

Thunderbird shouldn't be a problem.

I assume you are both using the same internet connection rather than separate.

Re: SMTP server not working.

Jim_Tennet — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:20:56 GMT

Oh yes. We have Sky Fibre to the home at 500Mb/s. I connect to it via Ethernet and she connects by Wi-Fi. Everything used to work just fine until a few weeks ago. Microsoft 365 may have done an update - I don't know. Could try installing office 2019 and see if outlook is better there. I do have licenses for 2016 and 2019 as these are what we used in the past.

Why is it that when I look at my Products I don't see any email account? I'll have to check my bank to see if I've been paying.

Re: SMTP server not working.

licquorice — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:44:22 GMT

Hmm, does seem strange the account works on one machine but not another.

Thunderbird is a bit strange with how it associates SMTP servers with accounts. Might be worth completely uninstalling it and starting again from scratch.

Re: SMTP server not working.

drifter — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 17:58:07 GMT

My concern/fear is that if I uninstall Outlook 365 (desktop) from my device I am going to lose any saved emails. Am I panicking unnecessarily?