Failed delivery: Error reading SMTP packet;response to DATA command expected

[pat1813]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
Processor: Power PC
Email Client: pop

Over the past 4 - 5 months, I have experienced a developing problem with mail to a specific recipient at a specific .com address. At first it was intermittent but lately it seems to happen with all messages that I send to this recipient (my sister) at her work address. Typically I will get several Delivery delayed messages with the note "Error reading SMTP packet; response to DATA command expected" followed by a Delivery timed out and failed message with the same error cited. We can work around this by using her home e-mail address but I would like to know what is happening to the messages that I send to her work address. What does this error message mean? What can I do to restore my ability to send her messages at her work address? We had used her work address to communicate successfully for years until this started to happen. Thank you for all helpful suggestions.

 

[Diane Ross]

Over the past 4 - 5 months, I have experienced a developing problem with mail
to a specific recipient at a specific .com address. At first it was
intermittent but lately it seems to happen with all messages that I send to
this recipient (my sister) at her work address. Typically I will get several
Delivery delayed messages with the note "Error reading SMTP packet; response
to DATA command expected" followed by a Delivery timed out and failed message
with the same error cited. We can work around this by using her home e-mail
address but I would like to know what is happening to the messages that I send
to her work address. What does this error message mean? What can I do to
restore my ability to send her messages at her work address? We had used her
work address to communicate successfully for years until this started to
happen. Thank you for all helpful suggestions.

This is not an error that has come up before. I suspect something has
changed on either your server or at your sister's workplace.

Are you using a relay SMTP?

 

[pat1813]

This is not an error that has come up before. I suspect something has
changed on either your server or at your sister's workplace.

Are you using a relay SMTP?

Diane -

My ISP is Verizon. My email goes out through verizon.net.

FYI, my Saturday response to you has been delayed for two days with the message:
"TCP active open: Failed connect ( ) Error: Connection timed out"

pat1813

 

[Diane Ross]

My ISP is Verizon. My email goes out through verizon.net.

Found this referring to problems with verizon:

This behavior can be caused by incorrect Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
settings. Verizon is using an MTU setting of 1492 and Entourage uses a
setting of 1500. Apple has a Knowledge Base article that will walk you
through the steps. It article number 107474.

Set MTU setting in router to 1492. Be sure your router has the latest
firmware update.

For a full explanation see User experience here.

User Experiences

FYI, my Saturday response to you has been delayed for two days with the
message:
"TCP active open: Failed connect ( ) Error: Connection timed out"

Try changing your DNS settings and see if that helps.

Go to OpenDNS and set up a free account.

OpenDNS | Providing A Safer And Faster Internet <http://www.opendns.com/>

OpenDNS > Get Started > Enable OpenDNS: Mac OS X Leopard
<https://www.opendns.com/start?device=apple-osx-leopard&print>

FWIW, Verizon does not seem to be very customer friendly. Most questions we
get regarding Verizon make me realize I would never consider them for my
ISP. YMMV