Having trouble send email

[DWk]

Ok, here's the thing:
I got 2 computers in a network, using the same connection through the router.
Everything works fine.
However, I recently just purchased some hosting/domain with POP3 email support.

Here's the thing:
My computer, using Thunderbird 1.0, can send/receive messages just fine.
The other computer, however, using Outlook Express, gives me the "CONNECTED" to server message, but it just stalls there, till it timeouts (when sending a message). I tried T-bird to see what happened, but same thing.

It's not urgent, but the person using this computer is getting very obnoxious because the thing isn't working, so I''m getting quite a verbal beating

Thanks

 

[chmike]

I presume you've made sure the DNS/SMTP server/etc settings are identical between thetwo machines? It sounds like a configuration problem of some sort.

try telneting (from Command prompt window):

telnet servername 25

you should get an opening statement
then enter
EHLO test
you should get more stuff

QUIT will get you out. If this works, then your network connections are ok and you need to look at the email client config.

 

[DWk]

Email client config was alright.

I'm gonna try telnetting when I get home.

Any more ideas if these two things are ok?

 

[chmike]

It those are ok you might check to see if the SSL setting are ok (ie, or or off as needed). If you are doing SMTP AUTH then Outlook has some issues (ie, it won't use some methods). At this point I usually look at the server log file, but you might not have access to it.

 

[DWk]

Ok, I tried telnetting it..... I just got "connecting to servername...." and it stays there, no opening statement.

I tried pinging just in case, and it's just fine. This is on MY computer btw, not on the other one....

Next move?

 

[chmike]

Ok, I tried telnetting it..... I just got "connecting to servername...." and it stays there, no opening statement.

Sounds like your email server is either accepting email on different port (25 is the standard port), or something is blocking port 25 (often your ISP will do this to block various viruses that become spam-bots). If you can send email, then check the port in Thunderbird and try it with that port. (Edit/Proporties/Outgoing Server(SMTP))

Here's what you should have seen (you can try this one, too, it'll work from anywhere unless port 25 is blocked):

C:\>telnet smtp.ameritech.yahoo.com 25
Trying 66.163.171.137...
Connected to smtp-sbc-v1.mail.vip.sc5.yahoo.com.
Escape character is '^]'.
220 smtp812.mail.sc5.yahoo.com ESMTP
ehlo test
250-smtp812.mail.sc5.yahoo.com
250-AUTH LOGIN PLAIN
250-PIPELINING
250 8BITMIME
quit
221 smtp812.mail.sc5.yahoo.com
Connection closed by foreign host


The stuff in bold is what you need to type.

SBC DSL has been slowly bocking port 25 at the router level for serveral month; I spent about a week tracking down sporadic send problems before I figured it out.

 

[DWk]

Hmmm, ok when I type the first thing, it kinda just stays there.....trying to connect, although if I ping it, it pings just fine. This problem is also on my computer.

Any ideas?

 

[chmike]

Hmmm, ok when I type the first thing, it kinda just stays there.....trying to connect, although if I ping it, it pings just fine. This problem is also on my computer.

Port 25 is blocked by a firewall somewhere -- in your computer, in your router, or by your ISP.

If you can ping it all it means is that you can see the system (it also means your DNS is working ok, which is another problem that has the similar symptoms).

If you can send email from your computer, then it's likely using a different port.

 

[DWk]

You mean my computer or the other computer is using the different port?

Thx for the help btw

 

[chmike]

You mean my computer or the other computer is using the different port?

Both -- they need to 'talk' on the same 'channel' (ie, port). Look up a few messages and check your Thunderbird settings for outgoing SMTP on the computer you can send email from; If you can still send email ok I'd bet that it's using a different port than 25.

Doing the telnet test on port 25 is identical to sending an email (without any content or recipient), so if you can't get any response via telnet, you won't be able to send email.

 

[DWk]

Hmmm ok. But it shouldn't be blocked because we get internet on the same router.... although it could be blocked internally. I'm gonna check, but I'm probably gonna format this weekend...

 

[chmike]

if you can send email on one computer make sure it's using port 25 to send. If so, then the problem is with the other computer (especially if the telnet test fails on that computer). Look at the XP firewall. Or, make sure that computer is using the same port as the one that works. I'm pretty sure this is where your problem is.

 

[DWk]

Well I disabled the firewall, same thing