Mail not sending, server offline, since Lion

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So, since I upgraded to lion, my mail has not being sending. It just goes around and around. Kept forgetting mail wasn't sending, and had about 16 messages in my outbox continuously trying to send.

my outgoing server is "offline".

I googled and found a few possible remedies, but all were pre-lion issues other people had. I removed and replaced my mail account, restarted, I tried deleting some file.. and a few minutes later, mail would not open at all.

I reinstalled Lion, and mail came back, and YAY! the stuff in my inbox sent! Problem solved! Except it wasn't.. it sent for about 3 minutes, and then my outgoing server went back offline, and left 2 messages still unsent in my outbox.

I am confused especially now. Why is my outgoing server offline, why did it temporarily right itself upon reinstallation, and why do I keep forgetting that mail won't send, and replying to emails on my iMac? (ok, don't answer the last one).

How do I fix it?! (please answer that one!)

It appears from searching that the answer is not super easy.. well maybe to you guys... but whoever helps me will forever be a genius in my eyes. A real one, not just a mac one.
 
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Mail in Lion - Emails Stuck in Outbox

I just got a brand new MacbookAir with Lion preinstalled. I have three different email accounts (Exchange, MobileMe and Gmail). When I send an email, from any of the three accounts, it gets stuck in the Outbox for an extended period of time. By closing and reopening Mail, or by deleted and resending the email, eventually it will get sent, but this is crazy.

I called APL-CARE yesterday and the told me because I was in a hotel, the hotel may be blocking some ports. Sounds hard to believe, especially because the mail eventually goes out. Today I am in a different hotel (different chain, etc.) and am having the exact same problem. This can not be a policy of hotels these days, can it?

Has anyone else had this issue with Lion? I had been using Mail with these three accounts on Snow for a long time and its worked fine - never an issue.

I hope I'm not the only one with this issue.

David
 
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Mail not sending since installing Lion

My mail is also failing to send, after installing Lion. I am at home (not in a hotel which may be blocking ports), which is frustrating. Connection Doctor in Preferences says my mobileme account (which is selected as my outgoing mail server) and the smtp.me.com account is online and active.
Re-installed mail. no joy.

Can anyone help?
Jonathan
 

chscag

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Try resetting your MobileMe account password and start over. Sometimes that will work.
 
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Fix my mail issue

I had the same issue with mail not sending.

Fixed mine;

- Mail Preferences
- Account Tab
- Select 'Edit SMTP Server List' from the Outgoing Mail Server: pop up
- In the edit screen, go to the Advanced Tab
- Enter your email account password and save.

Problem solved for me. Hope it works for you.
 
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Issues with E Mail

I, too, have been having issues with MacMail. I switched from AT& T DSL to U Verse, and changed my settings in MacMail to what I thought were new, correct settings.....lo and behold, they weren't, and I found out that my old settings were the correct ones after all. I reset everything, pop and smtp, ports, SSL, passwords, everything.....and since then, I've had intermittent success and failure. I get e-mails sometimes, but then I get "cannot connect to server" msgs. and it goes off-line. I don't think it's AT & T's problem at this point, but a Mac Software issue.

I tried "Keychain First Aid" under utlities.....still problems. Any ideas why it would work sometimes, and then not?
 
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fixed it

I had the same problem and it was driving me crazy. Here's how I fixed it:

1) I have 3 separate email accounts
2) Go to Mail then Preferences
3) Make sure that the "Use only this server" is Unchecked for each mail account. Otherwise it appears to keep trying to use all the servers causing an infinite loop (my guess here).
4) Once unchecked, you shouldn't have any other issues.

Hope that helps others.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Air Lion - 10.7.1
Mac mail not always sending since Lion

I have many of the same problems mentioned in these threads and wondered if there are any other more recent solutions, I have tried all of the above several times. Deleting and setting up the account has worked a couple of times but then the problem recurs.

I have no problem receiving.

Most of the time the mail sends without a problem and then suddenly I find my outgoing in an OUTBOX the little wheel whirrs around and eventually I have a popup window telling me:
Verify that you have addressed this message correctly. Check your SMTP server settings in Mail preferences and verify any advanced settings with your system administrator.

Select a different outgoing mail server from the list below or click Try Later to leave the message in your Outbox until it can be sent.


The SMTP server list states that I am offline.
I have tried putting it online but with no success.
This can last for up to 24 hours and then fixes itself for a few days.
Very occasionally one little mail manages to squeeze out - I have no idea why.

I am in China BUT this never happened before I installed Lion. It happens from the hotel where I live, from work and in other places I have visited. It happens with and without using a VPN.
I have tried other ports that I have seen suggested on other blogs, that leaves me unable to receive or send mail.



Please help me - this is driving me mad!
 
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I am very new to this forum.
Is there any way of improving the chances of a reply?
My sent box is still whirring....
 
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POP mail failure

I have a new MacBook Air i7, core i5, with Office 2011 loaded, and use Outlook to run my .mac email and my work email.
I am having major problems sending email via Outlook.
The email account is configured using POP, and operates using the pop.gmail.com outgoing server, with smtp.gmail.com incoming. This setup worked fine on my PC laptop btw.
I have had some advice to change the settings thus: Override default port, & change to 465 or 587 which I have done, but the problem is persisting.

When I run Send/Receive either manually or on auto, error messages pop up such as " Outlook could not connect to the server, verify that your computer is connected to the internet"; and "Server timed out"

Would I be better off configuring both mail accounts in Mail and canning Outlook altogether? Or is there a way to fix this?

Thanks.
 
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End of Tether

I have a new MacBook Air i7, core i5, with Office 2011 loaded, and use Outlook to run my .mac email and my work email.
I am having major problems sending email via Outlook.
The email account is configured using POP, and operates using the pop.gmail.com outgoing server, with smtp.gmail.com incoming. This setup worked fine on my PC laptop btw.
I have had some advice to change the settings thus: Override default port, & change to 465 or 587 which I have done, but the problem is persisting.

When I run Send/Receive either manually or on auto, error messages pop up such as " Outlook could not connect to the server, verify that your computer is connected to the internet"; and "Server timed out"

Would I be better off configuring both mail accounts in Mail and canning Outlook altogether? Or is there a way to fix this?

Thanks.

For all the good things about Macs, this crap about not being able to work with Outlook is BS, so I am about to give this lovely MBA away and go back to the dark side, buy the new Sony, at least I know my email will send - and I like the way Excel works on a PC better anyway. I would have thought that the collective brains of all the Mac owners that have viewed my and countless other threads about the subject here and elsewhere on the net, but it seems that either no-one gives a rat's or just maybe the Mac world is now populated by dumbasses. Bye and good luck!;)
 
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For all the good things about Macs, this crap about not being able to work with Outlook is BS, so I am about to give this lovely MBA away and go back to the dark side, buy the new Sony, at least I know my email will send - and I like the way Excel works on a PC better anyway. I would have thought that the collective brains of all the Mac owners that have viewed my and countless other threads about the subject here and elsewhere on the net, but it seems that either no-one gives a rat's or just maybe the Mac world is now populated by dumbasses. Bye and good luck!;)

I think many Mac users here have great success using MS software versions on their machines and connectivity issues are not restricted to MS issues alone.
I would persevere and you will find the solution eventually rather than 'throw the baby out with the bathwater'.

It's not that we don't care it's just that dropouts and connectivity problems can have so many causes that they are hard to pin down. I've had my fair share and it is an incredibly frustrating issue.

In my experience the vast majority of Excel users do not even scratch the surface of it's capabilities, and Pages is more than capable of fulfilling the average user's needs and beyond.

The problem with trying to shoe-horn pivotal MS software into Macs is that you never get the full experience and almost always end up grumbling about conflicts and shortcomings because you create a hybrid which was never meant to be.

Booting it up as a PC using Bootcamp might actually be a solution for you given your preference for MS software but you'll lose huge benefits along the way.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
I support Outlook 2011
Hey Everyone,

You all using Apple Mail or Outlook 2011? Anyway, if you cannot send mail but can receive mail, your outgoing mail server is unavailable.

Easy way to test this:
You provider will tell you how to connect (what servers, and what ports to use)
Check to see what is currently configured, make sure it matches their site
If it does, and its still not sending but IS RECEIVING...
Go to terminal, and type 'telnet *Server* *Port*'
So if google told me my outgoing settings are: smtp.gmail.com port 25 I would type 'telnet smtp.gmail.com 25' (without quotes)

You should get a header. If it says you cannot connect, its a connectivity issue and you will have to check your firewall/ISP.

If you do get a header, then you need to call your provider.

A bit about how email works:

For standard email, you are either connecting through IMAP4 or POP3.
So your incoming mail server will be IMAP or POP3 protocol
Your outgoing WILL BE DIFFERENT, and is usually SMTP.
So if your IMAP or POP3 connection is working, and you can receive mail, but you cannot send mail, your SMTP outgoing server is not reachable.

Let me know if you have any questions.
 
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Mac Mail SMTP issues here too

:Angry: We run MACS on Snow Leopard and Lion and have set up MAC mail as IMAP using the standard 143 port and a custom port for smtp that our host has opened specifically because 25 is so often blocked. This works just fine until MAC mail decides to change the setting on its own. Sometimes it changes the port, sometimes it deletes the account name and password required for SMTP. Our iMacs seen especially prone to this issue, but it happens to the mac mini and mac pro also. After all the changes, adjustments and email box rebuilding I have done for this office, I am convinced that there is a glitch in the software - a conflict of some kind that triggers this.

In addition, we notice this same thing happening with ICal server. One day you turn on your MAC and suddenly, you cannot connect to the ICal server. Usually, when preferences are then checked, the password has disappeared. Re keying the password usually fixes the issue. On a rare occasion I have to go into the server and re key it there too. Again, this HAS to be a glitch in the software.

I am going to a MAC server bootcamp in April, and you can bet I will be asking about these issues. In the meantime, please add whatever work arounds you find!
 
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Something is up between Mac Mail and router

I have the same problem. Tried some of the port tricks mentioned above and no success.

BUT, here's 2 odd things to consider for anyone trying to analyze this.

1) When I tried a mobile hotspot like the road runner mobile hotspot, it works.

2) I configured MS Outlook under Parallels running on MAC OS Lion, it works but Mac Mail does not using the same wireless router (air extreme, also tried net gear wndr3700).
 
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Outgoing email server blocked in firewall!

I've had this problem for months. The way I got around each time was to create a new mail account. But I got to thinking about that error message about the SMTP server. Blocked? Hmmmmm. I took a look in the blacklist for the firewall and, lo and behold, there was the SMTP server name! I removed it from the blacklist and added it to the whitelist. Now email works just fine.
 
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I've had this problem for months. The way I got around each time was to create a new mail account. But I got to thinking about that error message about the SMTP server. Blocked? Hmmmmm. I took a look in the blacklist for the firewall and, lo and behold, there was the SMTP server name! I removed it from the blacklist and added it to the whitelist. Now email works just fine.

Sorry to be the dumb mum here, but exactly how do you see what is blacklisted in your firewall? Step by step instructions required, please ;)
 
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I havent' been able to figure it out here either...i have deleted and reinstalled my email server and it stil will only receive not send. I using my wiFi I am not sure if that is what is wrong. My iphone 4 is the same way I can receive my mail on it but not send it unless I hook to my 3G. Open to all help!!!!!!
 
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Me too

Hi All,

I am a news Mac user and having same issues with outgoing AND incoming email.
Since installing the Lion upgrade i have been receiving the following message:

There may be a problem with the mail server or network. Verify the settings for account “xxxxxx” or try again.

The server returned the error: The server “xxxxxx” cannot be contacted on port 995.

I try to 'take all accounts online' however nothing changes.

It has worked once, downloaded the 70 odd emails that i hadn't received (2 days ago) and since then, nothing.

Ive tried the solutions people have posted on this thread but that doesn't work, although most of you seem to be able to receive but not send?

Help!!!

Thanks god for my iphone which continues to supply me with access to email!
 
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Cannot send email with Mountain Lion

I have read the posts in the thread for email issues with Lion, but have not found an answer to my problem, which is similar to all of the posts in that thread. I have an iPhone 4S that is configured to use my email and it is working perfectly: I can send and receive without a problem. I have reconfigured my OS 10 email several times, with the same result reported in the thread: it receives but will not send. I get the same alerts the other posts experienced. I need help!
 

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