Suddenly can't send mail

[npillsbury]

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

I have been using Entourage (11.4.0) for several years to access my AT&T email. Suddenly a few days ago I could only send mail intermittently, then not at all. I can still receive email.

When I try to send mail I am now prompted to enter an ID/password to log onto the SMTP server (didn't have to before) and I get error message 17897 "Authentication failed because Entourage does not support any of the available authentication methods"

I called AT&T about 6 times and finally got to level 2 tech support. They went over all my settings one by one (POP server, SMTP server, advanced receiving and sending options), and also tried to replicate the problem on their test Mac. I am able to send email if I go directly to their website using my same account ID and password, so they said that pointed to a problem with the Entourage software.

I have spent hours on the web trying to find a solution. I was one of the original users of the original Pacific Bell service and no one seems to have the same server configuration as I have as verified by the AT&T Level 2 support folks. My POP server is different from my SMTP server, but this has been the case for a few years.

Have you heard of a similar problem and what was the solution?

Thanks!

 

[Diane Ross]

and also tried to replicate the problem on their test Mac.

Have you tested to see if Apple Mail works with the settings you have?

Have you heard of a similar problem and what was the solution?

I suspect that something was changed on their server and you were not
notified and their techs are reading from cue cards. See this page for help
with ATT accounts. There are 6 examples for ATT.

Accounts <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/accounts/index.html>

Was that 17897 or -17897?

Error -17897 (Entourage 2004)
Number Errors <http://www.entourage.mvps.org/error/number.html#error-17897>

Receive error trying to send mail, or receive mail

Entourage doesn't support the requested authentication method It includes an
error code of -17897.

Error when trying to send from a remote location:

None of the authentication methods are recognized

If you are traveling and getting error messages from Entourage when you send
mail that "none of the authentication methods are recognized," see these
steps to connect.

Entourage no longer works with POP3-based MSN accounts. You'll need to
convert the account to a Hotmail-based account, which Entourage can then
handle just fine. To do this, download MSN for Mac OS X and walk through the
setup assistant. It will convert the account for you automatically.