1509150 - Thunderbird Falied to connect to server mail.comcast.net with a Comcast POP3 account

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Thunderbird :: OS Integration, defect)

Description

[Don Dunsmore]

Attachment: Tbird-Comcast.txt

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Ubuntu; Linux x86_64; rv:63.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/63.0

Steps to reproduce:

Tried to fetch email from mail.comcast.net.  The process that connects Thunderbird to the email server just started complaining "Failed to connect to mail.comcast.net server" and dropping the process to connect to the server. (on November 19).  Computer running Ubuntu-Linux. Thunderbird version 60.2.1 (64 bit).


Actual results:

While trying to get the connection process fixed confirmed that system account settings were OK. Tried a few different ones that were suggested by help files, none worked.  Last attempt was to go into password manager and remove password listed for target server: mail.comcast.net.  Shut down TBird and restart.  TBird restarted but the expected request for a password entry did not occur. 


Expected results:

The connection-to-email server process should connect to and download the email from the mail.comcast.net server. It doesn't.  A second problem that cropped up during troubleshooting was that the connection-to-email server process does not recognize that it does not have a password for the mail server and to request one.  This process works for another email server (Xecunet). This process retrieves email from the comcast server on another computer running Win7, TBird version 52.9.1 (32 bit). Whatever the problem is, I think that the TBird process is dropping the connection before it gets to the step where it passes the password to the server.

Comment 1

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Doesn't seem like a bug that needs to stay hidden for security reasons.

Comment 2

[WaltS48 [:walts48]]

I don't think this is a Thunderbird problem.

There were updates to Ubuntu that borked DNS resolution,

Myself and others have this problem.

Workaround is to change the server name to imap.ge.xfinity.com, then attempt to get mail.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2406399

The mail.comcast.net server name works in Thunderbird on Windows and other Linux distributions like the current Fedora 29.

Comment 3

[WaltS48 [:walts48]]

Pinging the server gives the result "mail.comcast.net: Name or service not known".

I switched my Thunderbird 64.0b2 over to IMAP accounts on Ubuntu and Mint, used the imap.ge.xfinity.com server name workaround for my Ubuntu supplied 60.2.1 on Ubuntu and Mint.

Comment 4

[WaltS48 [:walts48]]

Confirmed mail.comcast.net as the POP server works in a LiveUSB Fedora 29 Workstation with Thunderbird 60.2.1.

Booted into the LiveUSB.
Selected Try Fedora.
Open Firefox to download Thunderbird 60.2.1.
Extracted the tarball to my Downloads folder.
Started Thunderbird.
Created the Comcast account using the automatic account wizard.
Selected POP.
Incoming server was shown as mail.comcast.net,SSL.
Clicked Done.
Account created and mail downloaded.
Updated TB to 60.3.1. Restarted.
Server still working.

Comment 5

[Don Dunsmore]

OK, agreed its not a danger to others.  Just being over careful. Sorry :-)

THANK YOU, WaltS48.  Your suggestion solved the problem, works a treat.  Wild solution.  Can't tell you how many sites I visited and none suggested this.  

I marked this as resolved with many thanks to you.
Don

Comment 6

[WaltS48 [:walts48]]

Your welcome.

I'd still would like to know why the server name "mail.comcast.net" suddenly stopped working and why it still works on Windows and some other Linux distros.

One reply in that Ubuntu forum said Comcast was switching POP3 users to IMAP, but I don't buy it. I never saw a notice or got an email about a change. Might be a staged rollout, like the Verizon accounts being moved to AOL servers. Don't buy that either. Verizon notified users.

Comment 7

[Don Dunsmore]

Yeah.  I have a pop account with Xecunet and that worked all the way through this.  Doesn't use imap address either.  I find it interesting that my Win7 computer (and my wife's) both using older versions of T'bird worked just fine without changing the server from mail.comcast.net.  Dunno what the Ubuntu/Linux problem is.  The "failed connection" message came up instantly, like T'bird was getting blocked immediately.  I dunno, have a nice thanksgiving. 

And thank you again.  I could still get to the email but having my main connection work is a relief.  Best t'day gift ever. 
Don