06-30-2008, 04:32 AM

Hi All,

I am a man approaching desperation with Mac Mail; I have tried 2 forums (including Apple’s own Support site), with no results and my nearest Apple shop is hundreds of miles away!

I use Mail (v3.3) to access my Hotmail Plus account. Out of the blue the other day though, it stopped receiving emails (although I can still send them).

Connection Doctor tells me that I can connect to the internet but not my HTTPMail server. It is informing me to check my network connection and ensure all information is correct in Account Preferences .... but I have no idea what I'm looking for.

There are also warning signs next to the Inbox and Hotmail mailboxes/folders on the left hand side and when i click on them the Alert says "could not find host null)".

I have emailed Hotmail, who have told me that their knowledge with Mac Mail is limited but gave me the following info:

- POP3 Server: pop3.live.com (port 995)*
- SMTP Server: smtp.live.com (port 25)**
Note: Please make sure to check the box that indicates that your outgoing server requires authentication
- Username: your full e-mail address
- Password: your Windows Live ID password


But as my Account Type is HTTPMail, I think they have sent me the wrong server details (i.e. those of POP). They also recommended I reconfigure my account from scratch but I do not want to lose all my emails - it’s taken a lot of time to organise them.

My settings are:
OS X 10.5.3 using Mail 3.3 and Hotmail Plus

Incoming Mail Server: hotmail.com
Username: myemail@hotmail.com
Password: myhotmailpassword

Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP): HTTPMail:myemail@hotmail.com
“Use Only This Server” is checked

Using Daniel’s HTTPMail plugin vLeopard 1.51

I have looked elsewhere in the forum and this question seems to remain unanswered.

Many thanks for all your help

Is there any way you could help?

06-30-2008, 02:03 PM

I don't use hotmail but I recall reading that by the end of June that the plugin would no longer work as Hotmail was making changes. The developer talks about the pending doom on his blog, http://blog.danielparnell.com/

I use Gmail which allows full POP and IMAP as well as web access.

06-30-2008, 05:49 PM

Y-Guy you are the first person in weeks to shed even a glimmer of light on this issue ..... A massive thank you!

I've just been on to the Daniel Parnell website and there is a new version so I will install that (after i've figured out how!)

Also, I would happily switch to Gmail but i'm a little late - all the decent prefixes are long gone and nothing remains that remotely resembles my name!

Thanks once again

06-30-2008, 06:49 PM

Glad to help out. I know what you mean about Gmail, I'd like to see them offer other addresses, Yahoo wised up and opened up two other domains. Be nice if they did the same thing. Gmail also needs to drop old names that get no use after a year or so and open them back up. Hope things work out for you!

12-29-2008, 07:03 AM

I am having the same trouble with mail - I can send mail fine, but hotmail picks up nothing as incoming mail (whereas the same messages sent at the same time to my gmail account appeared as normal) and have been able to find nothing elsewhere on the problem (the reverse - being able to send but not receive seems more common).

I am using the latest version of httpmail (1.53) and a standard hotmail account that has been active for a good few years now.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

12-29-2008, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by Narcosnthesis

I am having the same trouble with mail - I can send mail fine, but hotmail picks up nothing as incoming mail (whereas the same messages sent at the same time to my gmail account appeared as normal) and have been able to find nothing elsewhere on the problem (the reverse - being able to send but not receive seems more common).

I am using the latest version of httpmail (1.53) and a standard hotmail account that has been active for a good few years now.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

Have you tried to increase the socket timeout period in the HTTPMail preferences?

12-30-2008, 01:06 AM

The same thing happened to me today. I assume the latest apple update is what broke httpmail. I updated my macbook, and can no longer receive httpmail. I did not update my macpro, and hotmail works fine. I tried using 'time machine' (for the first time) to restore from backup, but of course, it errors out. I'm dreading reinstalling from disk, only to find that OSX version 10.5.5 is probably no longer available. I suspect it was the 10.5.6 update that broke mail.

Originally Posted by Narcosnthesis

I am having the same trouble with mail - I can send mail fine, but hotmail picks up nothing as incoming mail (whereas the same messages sent at the same time to my gmail account appeared as normal) and have been able to find nothing elsewhere on the problem (the reverse - being able to send but not receive seems more common).

I am using the latest version of httpmail (1.53) and a standard hotmail account that has been active for a good few years now.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

12-30-2008, 01:32 AM

Hang on... you're trying to use httpMail, but are paying for a Hotmail plus account?

Isn't the whole point of paying that you get POP access to your mail?

Why don't you try entering the server details exactly as they were given to you and see if they'll work without all the httpMail bits?

Oh and btw: If you're still using Hotmail, I'd encourage anyone that can to switch to a better email provider. Gmail for instance offers free POP and IMAP access and has no ads in your emails.

12-30-2008, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by m0eman

The same thing happened to me today. I assume the latest apple update is what broke httpmail. I updated my macbook, and can no longer receive httpmail. I did not update my macpro, and hotmail works fine. I tried using 'time machine' (for the first time) to restore from backup, but of course, it errors out. I'm dreading reinstalling from disk, only to find that OSX version 10.5.5 is probably no longer available. I suspect it was the 10.5.6 update that broke mail.

Version 1.53 makes it work with 10.5.6, so if you have updated and it is still not working there must be something else wrong.

12-30-2008, 06:08 AM

Had not used HTTPMail in a while since I got most everything except adverts switched to gmail.

Installed last night to check it out. Am able to send, but am not receiving either.
This with a free hotmail account that I've had for many years.

edit: Increased the socket timeout per Roger's recommendation above and is currently downloading my hotmail messages.
Taking awhile - lol - still have a few messages on there dating back to '03
time to finish cleaning that puppy out

12-30-2008, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Aptmunich

Hang on... you're trying to use httpMail, but are paying for a Hotmail plus account?

Isn't the whole point of paying that you get POP access to your mail?

Why don't you try entering the server details exactly as they were given to you and see if they'll work without all the httpMail bits?

Oh and btw: If you're still using Hotmail, I'd encourage anyone that can to switch to a better email provider. Gmail for instance offers free POP and IMAP access and has no ads in your emails.

If that was me you were talking to (ie, not the OP) then I am using the free version of hotmail.

I do have other accounts now such as gmail, just that I have a couple of older hotmail accounts that are still used with certain websites and as a known contact detail for various friends, so I would like to keep those going in the background at least...

Changing the timeout... how do I do this exactly? please do excuse my current lack of knowledge of both httpmail and mac's in general as I am new to both...

12-30-2008, 02:02 PM

Open Mail Preferences
Then go to the HTTPMail tab, there's a slider at the bottom. Not sure how much it needs to be increased. Moved mine up to about 2/3, then shut down Mail and re-launched it.