Outlook Email Problem - Can Not Send Email! :-(

[MarkPearson]

I have had outlook setup for weeks now and until the last few days it has been working fine.

But over the last few days it has been getting worse and worse with this failed error coming up more often and no emails being sent out or the emails being sent out would fail several times and maybe 1 hour later it would work and they all would send.

Incoming email is fine.

I was advised that the problem may be AOL so to change the outgoing mailserver to smtp.uk.aol.com which worked fine for a bit and now we have no go.

No outgoing emails for over 3 hours, this is now very URGENT!

This was original message

The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'mail.rosesbydesign.com', Server: 'mail.rosesbydesign.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

and now after the change..

The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'mail.rosesbydesign.com', Server: 'smtp.uk.aol.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error: 10061, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E

Can anyone help?

Anyone know whats the problem?

Is it AO HELL

[uksbc]

hi mark,

i can not be specific to your problem but i know in the past i have had cases where aol would not let you use your own pop3 email account to send mail. (they prefer you to use an @aol.co.uk email address)

what i personally would suggest is download Postcast Server

http://www.postcastserver.com/


it is free and turns your pc into its own smtp server but your pop3 works as normal. you will also find it useful if you use a laptop as it is irrelevant which isp you are connecting through ( i use it when abroad to save needing to change smtp settings in outlook)

it is easy enough to set up but i can help if you need it

hope this helps

Del
:D

[MarkPearson]

I have a strange feeling it is AOL that is causing this problem BUT they seem to not have a clue and their customer service is poo!

16:50:23SystemWelcome to AOL Live Help. How might I be of service to you?
16:50:37YouHello
16:50:56Doreen RyanThe basic setup for access to the AOL IMAP servers is fairly simple and is common to all the applications. For these particular details please go to http://channels.aolsvc.co.uk/help/article.adp?id=20040727095009990001

For help on setting up AOL email to be read through your favourite email application, go to http://channels.aolsvc.co.uk/help/article.adp?id=20040727094809990005
16:51:19Youit is not aol email
16:51:42Youit is my own business email mail.rosesbydesign.com
16:51:57Youmy business is www.rosesbydesign.com
16:52:23Youso I use outlook express to send and recieve my business emails ONLY
16:52:35Doreen RyanI cannot advise you unless its AOL
16:53:19Youbut it seems AOL is blocking the emails
16:53:40Doreen Ryanif your not trying to access AOL e-mails through outlook I cannot help
16:55:31Doreen RyanI would like to help you with this problem, but unfortunately it does not pertain to AOL directly and so, I do not have the relevant experience with this. We suggest you contact the vendor of that product for the information you are looking for.
16:56:04Youok
16:56:11Youhow can i get help?
16:56:31Youas it is AOL that is stopping the emails
16:56:42Youas a security measure
16:56:42Doreen RyanI suggest you contact the vendor of that product for the information you are looking for.
16:56:46Youto provent spam
16:57:00Youbut it is causing me MAJOR probloems
16:57:07You*problesm
16:57:41Doreen RyanAOL cannot block your e-mails in outlook express if you are not using an AOL e-mail address in outlook
17:00:13Doreen Ryanblocking spam is only in operation when it is AOL software being used to view AOL e -mails
17:02:21Doreen RyanYou have not been active in chat for over 5 minutes, I am afraid I am going to have to help other members now. If you still require further assistance please come back to AOL chat again.
17:02:33SystemDoreen Ryan has left this session!
17:02:33SystemThe session has ended!

[KM-Tiger]

Mark,

It looks like rosesbydesign.com is hosted with Netconnex, and your incoming mail goes to their server. If they are they providing email services, then you should be using their SMTP (outgoing) mailserver?

Do you collect your mail from mail.rosebydesign.com, or AOL?

AOL might well reject your outgoing mail if the Sender and/or Return Path are not in the AOL domain, which rosesbydesign is not. This is a crude but still-used anti-spam measure. Who advised you to change to the AOL SMTP server?

[MarkPearson]

Still not solved this and its a big problem now with large delays in the times between my emails being sent from my outbox (hours!!)

If anyone can help...

Please...

[bwglaw]

I had a similiar problem with BT and their support said the same thing as AOL. They simply do not support email aliases and you can only use their own domain.

I got round the problem by moving the site to a host that supports SMTP. Not that many though.

We now have our own dedicated server and a mail server without problems. ISP's do not interfere with our systems because we use our own settings i.e. mail.handsoninternet.co.uk.

If you want to host on our server just let me know and I can put you in touch with our IT team. We do not over-host sites in order to keep performance good.

Jonathan

[MarkPearson]

Hi Jonathan,

Would it mean moving my site completely to your hosting? server?

Maybe that is the only option.

I will see what the currrent host can do to help me get around this problem.

If not, it may be my only option.

[bwglaw]

Would it mean moving my site completely to your hosting? server?

Not necessarily. You can set your records for the site to stay with your current host provider and you can use our mail-server. We would recommend to any client to move the entire site unless they have access to IT support because we cannot support issues related to a site on another host server

I will see what the currrent host can do to help me get around this problem.

Try and get their mail settings and ask if they support email aliases and SMTP.

I also suspect that the AOL has its own 'firewall' and blocks other email clients as has been the case with some people I know.

Just PM me if you want to use our web and mailservers that are based in a Secure Data Centre in Milton Keynes.

Jonathan

[Tazuk]

I have had the same problem over the last few days and i am also an aol customer. Also aol decide what is unsolicited bulk mail and takes it upon themselve to stop some of my outgoing emails from my outlook using my company web address.
Again aol customer service cannot and will not provide a solution.
Time to change isp so if anyone has a good suggestion of a bb isp with unlimted download please let me know.

TAZ

[TWD-Tony]

The problem seems to be that AOL are blocking sending SMTP traffic on port 25 (the standard SMTP port) to any other SMTP server then their own.
There are several "work arounds" for this including using AOL's SMTP server for outgoing mail and your hosts POP service for recieving (not ideal) or ask your host to run another port for EXIM (the SMTP service) on another port (I use port 26 for clients having trouble). Using a different port *SHOULD* get around the SMTP blocking and allow you to use your hosts SMTP server.

Tony

[Rob Holmes]

Again aol customer service cannot and will not provide a solution.Time to change isp so if anyone has a good suggestion of a bb isp with unlimted download please let me know.


Exactly right Tazuk - I would recommend Plus.net - don't want to take this off topic - have a quick browse of the IT forums and you'll find threads recommending ISP's

Tonys solution is 100% correct Mark :)

Rob

[uksbc]

well i have learned something too!

i tried helping mark out last night by pm and phone and i was struggling trying to think of other quick fix short term options for the email. never even considered the changing the port though!

i have had the same issue in the past with clients struggling sending mail using aol but never a case as serious as the one mark was having. :shock:

it was even getting me frustrated into the early hours that my solutions had not worked and being unable to think of anything else

top marks on the port changing though - i can add that to my armoury for future use



:D

[Rob Holmes]

As a note: We offer port 587. It's in the RFCs as the "Authenticated Sender Port". So offering this will keep your mail compliant ;)

AOL does not block it :)

Rob

[MarkPearson]

Yes, thank you for your time Del.

A BIG, BIG thank you to Rob @ matrixxhosting.com for solving my aol outgoing business email problem.

With his new port now AOL can not block my emails and a massive stress has been lifted from my shoulders.

So anyone with the same or similar problem, get in touch with Rob for your new hosting now!