431757 - Unable to connect to ATT mail server.

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Thunderbird :: General, defect)

Description

[hy12345]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.6) Gecko/20070725 Firefox/2.0.0.6
Build Identifier: Thunderbird version 1.5.0.14

I have ATT Worldnet dial-up service and have been using Thunderbird as my mail program without any problems.  I have now subscribed to ATT/Yahoo DSL service.  I am using Outlook Express for getting my ATT/Yahoo mail.  I want to continue to use my Thunderbird to retrieve my ATT Worldnet mail but instead of dial-up through ATT  Worldnet, I want to use my DSL line.  I have set up my incoming and outgoing mail servers IDs in my Thunderbird setup but am unable to connect to the server.  I get the message that "Connection to server postoffice.att.net timed out."  I called ATT/Yahoo DSL service but they do not support Thunderbird problems.  Can you please help me to use Thunderbird mail using my DSL line?
Thank you.
Harvey Yap

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Set up account settings for new mail account
2.Tried to contact ATT Worldnet mail server using ATT/Yahoo DSL internet connection
3.Failed to connect.  Received message that mail server timed out.
Actual Results:  
Failed to connect to mail server using my ATT/Yahoo DSL line.

Expected Results:  
Want to connect and download mail from ATT Worldnet mail servers.

Comment 1

[d2_c2]

I have used ATT/Yahoo small business services with Thunderbird successfully.  With the upgrade to thunderbird 2.0.14 I can  no longer connect. I have checked the ports and rebooted several times.  I did not have this problem prior to this update

Comment 2

[Nikolay Shopik]

Any firewalls or antivirus software upgraded recently which may block connection?

Comment 3

[rsx11m]

Following information from the AT&T DSL help web site,
http://dslhelp.att.net/iw/dsl/iwSearch.jsp?area=dsl_email&platform=OSWINXP

* Mail Server Type: POP3
* Incoming Mail (POP): ipostoffice.worldnet.att.net
* Outgoing Mail (SMTP): imailhost.worldnet.att.net
* authentication is checked.
* full e-mail address in the User Name field.
* secure connection (SSL) is enabled and set to port number 465 for SMTP.
* secure connection (SSL) is enabled and set to port number 995 for POP3.

To modify these settings, go into Tools > Account Settings (Server Settings tab for POP, and Outgoing Server settings for SMTP).

If this doesn't work, please check the forums and/or newsgroups first, there are several AT&T-related threads and settings seem to vary.
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewforum.php?f=39 

> Build Identifier: Thunderbird version 1.5.0.14

Consider upgrading to 2.0.0.14, the old branch is no longer supported.

> I called ATT/Yahoo DSL service but they do not support Thunderbird problems.

Well, they should have been able to give you those parameters I've just looked up at their web site. Be persistent, they want to keep you as a customer.

(In reply to comment #1 and comment #2)
> With the upgrade to thunderbird 2.0.0.14 I can no longer connect.

If it coincides with a software update, most likely a firewall issue. You may need to reauthorize Thunderbird in your firewall for outgoing connections.

As neither of these problems appear to be a bug in Thunderbird, this report should probably be resolved as INVALID, unless conclusive information comes in suggesting that some bug is present.

Comment 4

[rsx11m]

Harvey, please get back to this bug within two weeks if this is still an issue, otherwise I assume it was a setup problem and resolve this respectively.

Comment 5

[hy12345]

To rsx11m.pub,
Been working on this problem for the past week.  Your reference to ATT DSL setup was very helpful and I was successful in setting up the email incoming and outgoing for the DSL email account and Worldnet email account.  Then only the DSL email account stopped working and could not make the connection to the mail server after 2-3 hours after several tries.  I uninstalled the ATT DSL software and reinstalled the software and account and setup info.  I again got both email accounts to work for a short period of time but then the DSL hung up again.  I cleared out my cache, cookies, and history and this did not help restore the connection.  I called ATT DSL for help and they said to use Outlook Express, and if I wanted support, they would direct me to a fee-for-service for Thunderbird mail programs.  So yesterday I switched to Outlook Express and this seems to work so far for both my email accounts.  I really like Thunderbird over Outlook Express because of its features to separate and manage my two email accounts but I needed a program that was reliable.  I am not sure what to try next.

Comment 6

[rsx11m]

This appears to be rather a support issue than a bug in Thunderbird, thus I'd recommend that you look at http://www.mozilla.org/support/thunderbird/forums
for links to Knowledge Bases and user-to-user support in the Thunderbird Support forum or the support news group (no need for a fee-based service).

Comment 7

[rsx11m]

No further comments on this, looks like a configuration issue not directly related to Thunderbird itself, thus closing.

->INVALID (not a Thunderbird bug)