Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

This thread was archived. Please ask a new question if you need help.

How to fix 'connection to server timed out' issue?

  • 1 reply
  • 2 have this problem
  • 15 views
  • Last reply by Matt

CG90
CG90
more options

Two separate IMAP accounts (both gmail) were working perfectly till yesterday. When I tried to log in today, I am suddenly unable to connect to any of my accounts (all gmail) on Thunderbird. As the connection keeps timing out, I cannot receive or send any emails. The client will show "connecting to imap.gmail.com" for a while before the connection times out.

I have tried starting Thunderbird in safe mode, compacting all folders as well as restarting the client, internet connection and computer. I am still able to access the emails if I use my phone or the web interface directly.

Any ideas on what went wrong and how I can fix this? I have a feeling it is the same issue as those reported at these links:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1073157 and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1068987

Thanks in advance. Disclaimer: I'm not a technical person so simpler jargon would be appreciated!

Troubleshooting details can be found below if that helps. 

 Application Basics

   Name: Thunderbird
   Version: 45.1.1
   User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.8; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.1.1
   Profile Folder: Show in Finder
   Application Build ID: 20160527062949
   Enabled Plugins: about:plugins
   Build Configuration: about:buildconfig
   Memory Use: about:memory

 Mail and News Accounts
   account1:
     INCOMING: account1, , (imap) imap.googlemail.com:993, SSL, passwordCleartext
     OUTGOING: , smtp.googlemail.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true

   account2:
     INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext

   account4:
     INCOMING: account4, , (imap) imap.gmail.com:993, SSL, OAuth2
     OUTGOING: , smtp.gmail.com:465, SSL, OAuth2, true

 Crash Reports
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-6fbe74f1-c4d6-4fdd-82b4-4af572160609 (9/6/16)
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-8e6a7048-7bdd-4ab2-ada6-117422160421 (21/4/16)
   http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-1ecaa672-14ec-48bf-b0ab-1174f2141031 (31/10/14)

 Extensions
   Header Tools Lite, 0.5.2, true, [email protected]
   Lightning, 4.7.1.1, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103}

 Important Modified Preferences

   Name: Value

     accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0
     browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false
     browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false
     extensions.lastAppVersion: 45.1.1
     font.internaluseonly.changed: true
     gfx.blacklist.direct2d: 3
     gfx.blacklist.webgl.msaa: 4
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.appVersion: 45.1.1
     gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.deviceID: 0x0126
     gfx.crash-guard.status.glcontext: 2
     mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1
     mail.spotlight.enable: true
     mail.spotlight.firstRunDone: true
     mail.spotlight.global_reindex_time: 1414116003
     mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: d0450d10-65b2-8148-94f3-9077a445298
     mailnews.database.global.views.conversation.columns: {"threadCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"1"},"flaggedCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"3"},"attachmentCol":{"visible":false…
     network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true
     network.predictor.cleaned-up: true
     places.database.lastMaintenance: 1464745816
     places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858
     plugin.importedState: true

 Graphics

     Vendor ID: 0x8086
     Device ID: 0x0126
     WebGL Renderer: Intel Inc. -- Intel HD Graphics 3000 OpenGL Engine -- 2.1 INTEL-8.16.74
     GPU Accelerated Windows: 0

     AzureCanvasBackend: skia
     AzureSkiaAccelerated: 1
     AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: none
     AzureContentBackend: quartz

 JavaScript

 Incremental GC: 1

 Accessibility

   Activated: 0
   Prevent Accessibility: 0

 Library Versions

     Expected minimum version
     Version in use

     NSPR
     4.12
     4.12

     NSS
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC

     NSS Util
     3.21.1
     3.21.1

     NSS SSL
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC

     NSS S/MIME
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
     3.21.1 Basic ECC
Two separate IMAP accounts (both gmail) were working perfectly till yesterday. When I tried to log in today, I am suddenly unable to connect to any of my accounts (all gmail) on Thunderbird. As the connection keeps timing out, I cannot receive or send any emails. The client will show "connecting to imap.gmail.com" for a while before the connection times out. I have tried starting Thunderbird in safe mode, compacting all folders as well as restarting the client, internet connection and computer. I am still able to access the emails if I use my phone or the web interface directly. Any ideas on what went wrong and how I can fix this? I have a feeling it is the same issue as those reported at these links: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1073157 and https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1068987 Thanks in advance. Disclaimer: I'm not a technical person so simpler jargon would be appreciated! Troubleshooting details can be found below if that helps. Application Basics Name: Thunderbird Version: 45.1.1 User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10.8; rv:45.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/45.1.1 Profile Folder: Show in Finder Application Build ID: 20160527062949 Enabled Plugins: about:plugins Build Configuration: about:buildconfig Memory Use: about:memory Mail and News Accounts account1: INCOMING: account1, , (imap) imap.googlemail.com:993, SSL, passwordCleartext OUTGOING: , smtp.googlemail.com:465, SSL, passwordCleartext, true account2: INCOMING: account2, , (none) Local Folders, plain, passwordCleartext account4: INCOMING: account4, , (imap) imap.gmail.com:993, SSL, OAuth2 OUTGOING: , smtp.gmail.com:465, SSL, OAuth2, true Crash Reports http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-6fbe74f1-c4d6-4fdd-82b4-4af572160609 (9/6/16) http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-8e6a7048-7bdd-4ab2-ada6-117422160421 (21/4/16) http://crash-stats.mozilla.com/report/index/bp-1ecaa672-14ec-48bf-b0ab-1174f2141031 (31/10/14) Extensions Header Tools Lite, 0.5.2, true, [email protected] Lightning, 4.7.1.1, true, {e2fda1a4-762b-4020-b5ad-a41df1933103} Important Modified Preferences Name: Value accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar: 0 browser.cache.disk.capacity: 358400 browser.cache.disk.filesystem_reported: 1 browser.cache.disk.smart_size_cached_value: 358400 browser.cache.disk.smart_size.first_run: false browser.cache.disk.smart_size.use_old_max: false extensions.lastAppVersion: 45.1.1 font.internaluseonly.changed: true gfx.blacklist.direct2d: 3 gfx.blacklist.webgl.msaa: 4 gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.appVersion: 45.1.1 gfx.crash-guard.glcontext.deviceID: 0x0126 gfx.crash-guard.status.glcontext: 2 mail.openMessageBehavior.version: 1 mail.spotlight.enable: true mail.spotlight.firstRunDone: true mail.spotlight.global_reindex_time: 1414116003 mailnews.database.global.datastore.id: d0450d10-65b2-8148-94f3-9077a445298 mailnews.database.global.views.conversation.columns: {"threadCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"1"},"flaggedCol":{"visible":true,"ordinal":"3"},"attachmentCol":{"visible":false… network.cookie.prefsMigrated: true network.predictor.cleaned-up: true places.database.lastMaintenance: 1464745816 places.history.expiration.transient_current_max_pages: 104858 plugin.importedState: true Graphics Vendor ID: 0x8086 Device ID: 0x0126 WebGL Renderer: Intel Inc. -- Intel HD Graphics 3000 OpenGL Engine -- 2.1 INTEL-8.16.74 GPU Accelerated Windows: 0 AzureCanvasBackend: skia AzureSkiaAccelerated: 1 AzureFallbackCanvasBackend: none AzureContentBackend: quartz JavaScript Incremental GC: 1 Accessibility Activated: 0 Prevent Accessibility: 0 Library Versions Expected minimum version Version in use NSPR 4.12 4.12 NSS 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC NSS Util 3.21.1 3.21.1 NSS SSL 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC NSS S/MIME 3.21.1 Basic ECC 3.21.1 Basic ECC

All Replies (1)

Matt
Matt
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
more options

To diagnose problems with Thunderbird, try one of the following:

  • Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
  • Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX
If safe mode for the operating system fixes the issue, there's other software in your computer that's causing problems. Possibilities include but not limited to: AV scanning, virus/malware, background downloads such as program updates.