Thunderbird v115.4.2 Not Retrieving Emails from POP3 Server
Hi, I’ve run TB for a long time so before the change to TLS. I’ve used the settings below successfully all this time and don’t seem to have luck with other settings via Earthlink. But am now having problems retrieving emails from pop.earthlink.net
pop.earthlink.net port:110 smtpauth.earthliink.net port 587 Connection Security: None Password: Transmitted insecurely, not saved in password manager These are the same settings in an answered question https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1386214 These settings also work fine on my iPhone an have worked for years in TB.
Windows 7 64-bit The problem started several days after updating from a very old version 45.8.0 to TB v115.4.2 TB would no longer retrieve emails from the POP server. Click Get Messages and see no activity at all, no Error messages, no prompt for password after re-launch. Close / re-launch TB and same result. Uninstall TB and re-install TB and same result.
I finally resolved by uninstalling TB, manually deleting the profile which is not removed during uninstall. Reinstalled and same problem. Repeated again with no existing profile but with a PC re-boot in between. TB re-downloaded all emails, I had to import address books and TB worked for about 2 weeks. I do custom install to turn off remember password maintenance service leaving all others at the defaults and use manual configuration. Then advanced config to move forward since auto-detect doesn't succeed and there is no option in the initial install setup to choose password transmitted insecurely so the connection fails. It must be changed in the account settings afterwards.
Now the same problem/symptoms again. Updated to v115.05.1 from TB help menu and same result. Went through the uninstall/re-boot and that is not succeeding this time.
Another question suggested doing the following: Go to Thunderbird advanced configuration, set mailnews.pop3.loglevel to 'All' in the config editor (Settings / General) CHANGED from Warn to All and open Tools / Developer Tools / Error console. The following message was posted: mailnews.pop3.2: ConnectionRefusedError: a Network error occurred Pop3Client.jsm:369:18
Any thoughts on a solution?
Regards, p7
All Replies (9)
Earthlink gives several sets of settings, but I would try these, as they look to be the most up-to-date:
incoming POP server: pop.earthlink.net, port 995, SSL/TLS security, authentication = normal password, User Name = email address
outgoing SMTP server: smtpauth.earthlink.net, port 587, STARTTLS security, authentication = normal password, User Name = email address
https://help.earthlink.net/portal/en/kb/articles/email-server-settings
Thank you kindly for the quick reply. I had tried those settings previously and they did not work. I tried them again following a new install and they still do not work.
The only settings that have ever worked are: pop.earthlink.net port:110 smtpauth.earthliink.net port 587 Connection Security: None Password: Transmitted insecurely I do not save the password in password manager.
These settings also currently work on my iPhone but of course that is not the TB client.
Regards
Would there be value in scrubbing Windows registry of all the footprints left after a TB install? I see stuff from 3 versions but there could be hundreds of entries and the Windows regedit is one by one. Perhaps someone could recommend a trusted tool to that will find all entries.
Regards, p7
- I meant a TB uninstall leaves a lot of footprints.
Noticed too, that there are registry entries for C:\"program files (x86)" including one to an old removed TB profile. The later version of TB seems to use C:\"program files" not the (x86) for install.
After about the 4th install/uninstall of TB including a reboot after uninstall, I elected to try the standard install instead of custom. Custom install never seems to autodetect any valid configuration. Did not dork with the registry.
The standard install of v115.5.1 (64-bit) applied the following configurations: pop.earthlink.net Port: 110 Connection Security: none Authentication Method: Encrypted Password
smtpauth.earthlink.net Port: 587 Connection Security: STARTTLS Authentication Method: Encrypted Password
TB connected and retrieved emails with the above POP settings. This is strange as I don’t believe that Earthlink supports encrypted passwords.
TB did not connect for sending with the above settings saying smtpauth does not support encrypted passwords, try using normal. Trying normal fails and just says that smtpauth does not support the selected authentication method.
Then I remembered TB may need to be restarted after changing the server settings – there is no prompt or reminder. Restarted TB and then Normal Authentication worked.
Definitely some overall wonkiness and I’m not confident I won’t have these issues repeat themselves. So, if there is something else to do that may lead to a more “permanent” solution I’d love to hear it.
Now off to re-marking emails read and other clean-up.
Regards, P7
I knew that Earthlink require 'encrypted password' authentication in the past, but using that together with port 110 (no security) doesn't make sense, and isn't stated in their instructions mentioned in my first reply. At least they seem to be consistent with the stated outgoing settings.
If you access the account on a desktop, phone and other devices, an IMAP setup is recommended. I would first try imap.earthlink.net, 993, SSL/TLS, normal password, email address. If that doesn't work, try port 143, no security, encrypted password, email address, to be 'consistent' with their odd POP settings.
Thanks for the suggestion. I think Earthlink didn't have IMAP when I started with them a bazillion years ago which is why it is POP. But it seems they since started supporting IMAP and I just stayed POP. I'll have to check into the differences as I do want to leave mail on the server until I delete it. This is so it is available to more than one client.
Regards, p7
Was able finally to connect on 12/4/2023 using TB v115.5.2. Settings may be iffy as they do not really align with Earthlink's "published"settings which worked before upgrading but not after. POP: security none, authentication encrypted, port 110 SMTP: security starttls, authentication normal, port 587
Symptoms this time around: On 12/14/2023, 10 short days, TB simply stopped retrieving emails again. TB is not configured to save passwords. TB is configured to automatically get emails on launch. So, TB asks for the POP password on launch, typically. In this case, no request for password on launch and no apparent error; just does not connect. Manually Get Messages, no apparent activity or error and does not get messages or prompt for password. Try to send prompts for password but fails to authenticate.
Really frustrating this keeps occurring. So, did not mess with it until today 12/19/2023 when I was resigned to the battle or perhaps a different client. TB had been open all this time but laptop not used. Changed focus to the TB window and TB immediately prompted for password and downloaded mail. Sending worked after entering password as prior authentication had failed. No changes to TB in this time.
Regards, p7