Outlook Express not sending messages anymore....

[Jake]

Went to bed was working fine next day kept getting this error message "The
connection to the server has failed. Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server:
'smtp.comcast.net', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 25, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error:
10060, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E" Account setup was never changed not sure why
I can't send from Outlook Express anymore but it does pull e-mails from my
comcast account when I sign into Outlook. If anyone has any info on this
error please reply also you can e-mail me direct (e-mail address removed)

 

[neo [mvp outlook]]

The error # just means that OE couldn't connect to the mail server.
Assuming that the settings are correct, there are a couple of tests you can
perform to make sure your connection to the internet is still working.

1) open a command prompt and type ping smtp.comcast.net
Two things should happen here.
a) you may get back 4 positive responses
b) your system should show what the ip address for smtp.comcast.net is

2) Are you running a 3rd party firewall program? If yes, are you sure it is
allowed program to communicate to the internet?

3) Are you running an antivirus program that can scan incoming/outgoing
e-mail? If yes, make sure that it isn't interfering with the connection.
(These programs tend to act as a proxy between the mail client and server.

 

[Rich/rerat]

Jake,
Comcast has changed the Port: 25 setting for the Outgoing Email Server
(SMTP) to Port: 587 in recent months, for different regions of the country
and individuals.

In OE> Tools> Email accts> Select your Comcast acct> Properties button>
Advanced Tab> Change Outgoing Server Port: 25 to 587. You may need to check
the box for SSL connection, or you might not. Send a test email to yourself
or a friend, if you get SSL error, either remove the checkmark, or add it,
as required. Repeat this procedure for all your Comcast accts, or if you are
using the Comcast SMTP server setting with another acct, such as Yahoo.

Comcast Help Pages on setting up your email application with their accts.
http://help.comcast.net/content/faq...6518e4d7#e72bebb6-8e08-4377-8211-73c55eb45872

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The error # just means that OE couldn't connect to the mail server.
Assuming that the settings are correct, there are a couple of tests you can
perform to make sure your connection to the internet is still working.

1) open a command prompt and type ping smtp.comcast.net
Two things should happen here.
a) you may get back 4 positive responses
b) your system should show what the ip address for smtp.comcast.net is

2) Are you running a 3rd party firewall program? If yes, are you sure it is
allowed program to communicate to the internet?

3) Are you running an antivirus program that can scan incoming/outgoing
e-mail? If yes, make sure that it isn't interfering with the connection.
(These programs tend to act as a proxy between the mail client and server.

 

[JAKE]

Thanks for all the help it was the port being changed to 587..How can Comcast
do that without telling you. I called them about the problem and they said it
must be a Microsoft issue and connected me to Microsoft then since software
was preinstalled on my computer Microsoft wanted me to pay for tech
support...Thanks guys you saved me a few bucks...

 

[Rich/rerat]

JAKE,
The Port: 587 setting has been listed in their instructions, for setting up
different mail applications to use their mail service for a while now, maybe
even several years. I can't remember when I first saw the change. But for
some areas of the country, they allowed Port: 25 to still work with their
servers. They are rolling out the changes with software updates to their
individual regional servers on a regular basis, blocking Port: 25, and
requiring use of Port: 587.

If your ISP was purchased by Comcast in the past few years, which included
your former ISP's mail servers? They may have just had you change the server
names in your mail application, to use Comcast Mail, leaving the Server Port
Settings as they were. So Port: 25 worked. Now they have started updating
those servers to match the settings of the Bulk of the Comcast Mail Servers,
requiring the change to Port: 587 setting.

For some individuals, the need to change to Port: 587, was because Comcast
felt their email sending practices, were similar to Spammers, that might not
be the reason in your case,but for the updates on the server that your acct
is on. They may be able to regulate Port: 587 access better than they could
with Port: 25 access. Depending what type of security programs they are
using.

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Thanks for all the help it was the port being changed to 587..How can
Comcast
do that without telling you. I called them about the problem and they said
it
must be a Microsoft issue and connected me to Microsoft then since software
was preinstalled on my computer Microsoft wanted me to pay for tech
support...Thanks guys you saved me a few bucks...

 

[Kaymee]

Hi Rick/Jake,

Your post really helped as smtp.comcast.net was not working for me either.
Funny thing was, it worked until yesterday (I'm in Saline, MI). Unfortunately
Comcast phone support gave me port 586 instead of 587 when they had me change
it. I also needed to change outgoing mail to use authentication.

Thanks again.

 

[Rich/rerat]

Kaymee,
You quite welcome. I am in Ypsilanti, MI just up the road from you.

I personally use port 465 for outgoing mail server setting, before the
requirement of using Port 587, system wide. I have been using it for years,
since I take a laptop when I travel. It was the setting that Comcast told
business travelers to use when away from the office. I have backed up the
account settings using Windows registry files. And used these files when
ever I needed to reinstall Windows and OE. The export of acct settings
(*.IAF files) in OE and Outlook, never worked for me. I have been able to
use them on different Desktops at home, while connected to Comcast directly.

So if you ever run into a problem with Port 587, a temporary solution might
be to change the Port to 465. Hope that useful information.

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Hi Rick/Jake,

Your post really helped as smtp.comcast.net was not working for me either.
Funny thing was, it worked until yesterday (I'm in Saline, MI).
Unfortunately
Comcast phone support gave me port 586 instead of 587 when they had me
change
it. I also needed to change outgoing mail to use authentication.

Thanks again.