topic Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces in Email

Problem #1: device access lost - now Problem #2: email address disappeared!

mantaray — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:14:22 GMT

Hello,
Long time Pipex account holder here, transferred several times and now with Talk Talk.

Me and my wife each have "name.name@dsl.pipex.com" email addresses. I took notice of the SSL update warnings, but my wife didn't - and so she lost device access a few weeks ago. I have now corrected the settings on her iPhone and laptop, and raised a support request asking for device access to be reinstated.

Meanwhile, she was getting by with webmail access to her Pipex emails, but about 10 days ago all emails sent to her Pipex email address started to be bounced with Error 550 "no one with that name known here!". Clearly the account isn't completely dead because the Inbox can still be viewed in the Webmail app.

I am getting absolutely nowhere with my support ticket... desperately looking for help. I tried following the instruction about adding the email address to 'My Profile' - but I cannot register an account here because my Talk Talk account number is considered to be too long.
Any help appreciated, thanks.
Steve

Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:31:51 GMT

Hello,
Long time Pipex account holder here, transferred several times and now with Talk Talk.

I am getting absolutely nowhere with my support ticket... desperately looking for a solution. The Error 550 problem is clearly the most serious issue.
Any help appreciated, thanks.
Steve

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 17:42:31 GMT

My apologies for posting twice - it won't happen again...
An update - am still able to send emails from the webmail portal.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 18:41:10 GMT

Hi mantaray

Good to know webmail access is good.

Both of you have name.name@dsl.pipex.com addresses and normally those would be alias addresses of a master mailbox address that would normally be of the form abcd12@dsl.pipex.com. Do you know the master mailbox address?

I'm assuming you have individual master mailboxes as you're indicating one address has problems and one is ok. We'll need to positively identify the master rmailbox address.

Enter your wife's email address for Password recovery complete the reCaptcha and select Continue just to see what happens next. If you see up to 3 password recovery options then the email address is a master mailbox address. If you see a 'no domain' error then the entered address is an alias address or does not exist.

Just do a quick check for me. Enter your wife's email address at Verifalia, complete the Recaptcha and select the Validate button to check that it indicates Deliverable. Asking because the 550 error indicates the email address is wrong. So either the email address is being entered incorrectly or the alias redirection to the master mailbox is missing or the mailbox is unavailable. There was an issue this morning with the mail platform being unavailable for a period so if the 550 error has come and gone maybe it was just a transient issue.

After we work out whether the address is a master or alias address and then if the 550 error still persists we can move forward.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:36:27 GMT

Hi Gondola, many thanks for getting back to me.

Yes the 'name.name@dsl.pipex.com' email addresses are aliases in the form 'firstname.surname'; my alias is still working fine, my wife's is not.
I do know the master email address - it's of the format you suggested and is 'a****3@dsl.pipex.com' (can I send you this privately?). We just have this single master email address - our 'firstname.surname' addresses are aliases - I have all the details of how these have been setup; one is aliased on m****7@dsl.pipex.com and the other is aliased on 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com'. As you say, strange that one is working and the other is not - and I am 100% certain there are no typos with address or password. Note that my wife can still send emails from the webmail app - it seems strange to be able to send but not receive.

Answering your other questions:
Typed my wife's email address into password recovery and it offered two options - to send a reset code to the Pipex email address at fault, or by text to her mobile - and the last 4 digits shown were correct; so it seems her details still exist on the system. I cancelled out of the process since the password is not thought to be the issue.
Testing with Verifalia my wife's email address shows as Undeliverable - "Invalid email address, the mailbox for the email address does not exist". Note that the 550 errors have been going on for around a week - I have tried multiple tests sending emails to her email address from work/home and they have all failed with Error 550.

Thanks.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:44:00 GMT

Gondola - I've entered all the email address details in the Private Notes section of my profile.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 11:57:22 GMT

OK, there are some conflicting results here so I've flagged up to TalkTalk to look carefully at the addresses to work out what's happening.

The fact that Verifalia and sending your wife's address a mail message both come up with 'Undeliverable' means that the address is not currently valid. Normally an indication of a deleted mailbox. So that address may have been partly barred / blocked or the alias address lost from the inbound mail server lookup database. But it's obviously not deleted nor totally barred if it's accessible and working in webmail.

The other thing is that when you tried password recovery you saw password recovery options that are normally available for a master mailbox address not an alias.

If the password was considered weak then that might be the reason for barring. So, if you think that's the case then changing and upgrading the password is the normal route.

Select here: Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter the email address and current email password, select Sign in.

Update your reset details is an option on the main settings menu (triple line icon on the top right header or cog icon on a mobile browser).

Check, update and Save the Reset details if needed, then use the Reset password now button in the help page Changing your email password.

My recommendation is to exceed the minimum required and use a password of 12-15 multicase letters and numbers and a symbol. Created from multiple words gives an opportunity to memorise the password that, for security, needs to be unique to the mailbox. The Internet browser that you use for TalkTalk Mail may also offer to generate a secure password and can save the login for you.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:31:21 GMT

The passwords are still the original default ones provided by Pipex in 2005 - never been changed - eight random letters.... so they might well be considered insecure these days.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 12:59:12 GMT

Those original Pipex passwords do not comply with TalkTalk security requirements. So it wouldn't surprise me if the mailbox is barred pending a password change. Please do check Reset details are totally correct and change and upgrade the password, preferably exceeding the minimum stated TalkTalk requirements. Make a careful note of the chosen new password. This password will be for the master pipex mailbox address and any linked aliases.

Just to add that the pipex customer login address wouldn't normally relate to an email mailbox address. So I'm thinking that the master mailbox addresses are m****7@dsl.pipex.com and m****8@dsl.pipex.com. Which addresses have been added to your customer MyAccount and appear in the mailboxes list. Obviously, don't reveal full addresses here.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:05:35 GMT

Thanks Gondola, appreciate you sticking with this - I can see you're very busy.

Error 550:

I've been doing a few tests in the hope that the results might help...

The original master Pipex email address (from 2005) 'a****3@dsl.pipex.com' doesn't work anywhere - not for Webmail, Password Recovery or My Account. Maybe it's been superseded/deleted in the transfer from Pipex to Opal to Talk Talk.
When attempting Password Recovery, 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com' doesn't work; the reported error is 'does not have a Talk Talk domain'. (The same error occurs with 'a****3@dsl.pipex.com' and 'm****7@dsl.pipex.com'.)
As previously mentioned, Password Recovery for 'a****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com' does offer the option for recovery by email or text. The same is true for my email address 's****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com', (different phone number of course).
My wife can access her correct Inbox on Webmail with both 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com' and 'a****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com'. She can send email from Webmail. Nothing being received.
There are no issues with my email setup, but for completeness I'll mention: I can also access my correct Inbox on Webmail with both 'm****7@dsl.pipex.com' and 's****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com' (mine); I also have device access.

Device Access:
If we can sort out the Error 550 problem, then hopefully restoring device access to my wife's email address will be a relatively simple second step.

Password:

I accept what you say about passwords, but it might be best to update those once the Error 550 thing is sorted; because at least it's possible for my wife to login to Webmail and send emails with the current password. She just can't receive anything.
Many thanks,
mantaray

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 17:57:25 GMT

Looks like a fair plan.

I'll request TalkTalk check your wife's email account that has the master mailbox m****8@dsl.pipex.com and alias address a****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com.

It may just be the non-compliant passwords, and maybe this is the effect of the barring process when a weak password is encountered, but it does seem odd that the alias addresses have been effectively removed from the inbound mail servers so they're not recognised for incoming mail but they are present for authentication with the password change process. I would have preferred that you'd opted for a password change for your wife's email address. It's not going to impact webmail but it should fix the 550 unrecognised email address error so long as that reverses the barring.

But here's a test. Send your wife's master email address m****8@dsl.pipex.com a message and see if that arrives in webmail to prove that inbound mail to the mailbox is working.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 22:15:48 GMT

Quick reply: a couple of test emails to 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com' also fail with Error 550.

Will try the more secure password idea tomorrow.

Thanks.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 22:28:23 GMT

Thanks for the test send. The results confirm that the mailbox is barred from receiving mail so does need an inspection by TalkTalk to restore full access.

It would be good to see what happens when the password is upgraded. In theory, if the barring is due to the weak password then a password change ought to restore access for mail inbound. However, in the current circumstances of TalkTalk limiting account access to webmail only when insecure settings are used may have introduced another level of complexity requiring manual intervention.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Ady-TalkTalk — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 08:50:56 GMT

Hi mantaray, none of the email addresses in your profile are limited. The only other reason we restricted mail from clients is when the incorrect sending port is used. You'll have to check any devices that may have been used to send and collect mail from the affected mailbox.

Ady

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 10:59:58 GMT

Hi Ady,
Can we be specific about which email addresses you've checked in my profile please - so far as I know there should be two:
's****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com'
'a****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com'
Just to reiterate, the most serious issue here is your Error 550 bouncing of emails sent to the address starting with 'a'. Surely this has nothing to do with device settings because it's your Webmail portal that is being used to check for email. (Additional note - emails can be sent from that address using the Webmail portal.)
If we can fix the Error 550 problem first, then we can move on to device settings (which I believe are now correct and in accordance with the table below) - and you then re-enabling device access.

Thanks,
mantaray

Incoming Mail Settings
Incoming mail server	mail.talktalk.net
Use SSL (for Apple iOS) [iPhone SE]	Set to ON (Green)
Encryption Method (for Windows) [Outlook 365]	SSL/TLS
Server Port (all devices if using POP3)	995
Outgoing Mail Settings
Outgoing mail server	smtp.talktalk.net
Use SSL for Apple iOS) [iPhone]	Set to On (Green)
Encryption Method (for Windows) [Outlook 365]	STARTTLS
Server Port (all devices)	587

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 11:58:13 GMT

As Ady has confirmed the mailbox(es) have full access, just go for the password upgrade and report back.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:11:58 GMT

Going to need some guidance for the password reset please. Can't get into either My Account at all - and Webmail seems to be down at the moment. What's the procedure? Thanks.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:17:43 GMT

The Reset password now button in the help article Changing your email password will take you to password reset and recovery. I believe you said that the alias address used by your wife was showing as available for password recovery although (strangely) not the master address.

You can send her mobile a 6-digit code to authorise a password reset.

Let us know how that goes.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

mantaray — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:31:35 GMT

Thanks for the reminder. Password is now updated to meet the required standard (actually exceeds it with 15 characters).

The new password works for Webmail access to both 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com' and 'a****.*****e@dsl.pipex.com'.

But, new emails sent to both these addresses continue to be bounced with Error 550.

Do you think it's worth exploring yesterday's reported error "does not have a Talk Talk domain" for 'm****8@dsl.pipex.com'. Seems odd.

Re: Started with loss of device access; now even worse with Error 550 bounces

Gondola — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:38:20 GMT

I think I need to ask Ady again to check the barring on the mailbox and the reinstatement of the alias address to the MX server lookup database.

I'm not sure if there is a always a delay between upgrading the password and barring being automatically removed.

The m****8@dsl.pipex.com mailbox being the master mailbox should be the one to accept the password change and both the master and alias addresses should show up on Verifalia as deliverable.