Can't Send Emails

[CarlClarke]

Hi There,

I tried talking to a TalkTalk advisor, but they were unable to help me and said I had to come here and announce my woes in public - which I'm reluctant to do.

Due to the recent changes to TalkTalk servers and email security, I can no longer send emails. I use Windows Live Mail and I've had no problems using for the last ten years or so. Now, as said, I can't send mail. I can receive mail, but not send it. I have a legacy email address from the days of Nildram (.gotadsl)

Carl Clarke

I've updated all the necessary ports and I'm reaching the server, but I'm getting an error message that my email isn't being recognised. My understanding is that my email address isn't registered in the new system and so even with the new settings, the email isn't being verified by your security.

I need this working by tomorrow as I need to activate a link in an email I received to verify my email address. I only have tomorrow to do this. I've been speaking to TalkTalk about this for several weeks now and it's only today that an agent redirected me to this website.

Thankyou

[CarlClarke]

Ah, that explains why I can't find a way to change the password - thank you.

Yes, it's been a bit like hitting my head on a brick wall trying to get Talk Talk Business to understand.

I'll keep an eye on the thread in the hopes that Ady can/will help liase with Talk Talk Business on my behalf. That would help enormously (and finally take this worry off my mind - so many problems to sort out and so many people I'm having to email via an alternatve address who aren't responding to me as I'm not using the email registered on their details. Always the way)

Thanks Again for the help (and the advice) - much appreciated.

[Gondola]

Passwords for the legacy f2s, gotadsl and nildram accounts can only be changed by the TTB Domains Admin Team. But I feel you need a fault ticket to investigate an issue other than a password change.

I honestly don't know why TTB Customer Support can't put you through to TTB Domains Admin.

Nor why Ady didn't pass on details to his opposite number in TTB because that's exactly what he's done in the past when the brick wall of TTB Customer Support got in the way.  If Ady picks up this topic next week I hope he'll be able to help in the way he has in the past.

[CarlClarke]

Okay, I'm still not getting anywhere here. TalkTalk Business aren't being all that cooperative - in fact, tehy're not being cooperative at all.

TalkTalk Chat suggested I try changing my password and this will force their details to update (and, technically, might force the email to start sending again). The trouble is, I have to idea how to do this. I certainly can't do it through Windows Live Mail and the old Nildram webmail I originally used isn't active anymore, it would seem.

I need someone from TalkTalk to liase with TalkTalk Business to update the email and then, if that doesn't work, to look at why it doesn't work.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Carl

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Hi Carl Clarke, unfortunately we on the community can't help as we're a residential only support service. GOTADSL is a business mail address. Here's the TalkTalk Business Website.

Ady

[CarlClarke]

Judging by my previous conversation with Talk Talk Business, I'm not going to get a correct and helpful response from them no matter how many times I contact them (same as I'm not getting anywhere with Talk Talk chat). The fact is I'm not a Business customer and I'm not paying for the email (it was free with my Nildram account), so it's not really in their interests to go out of their way for me.

So, yes, if Talk Talk Support there can step in and ask their Talk Talk Business counterpart to liase with me, that will (at least) be a step forward. At the moment, I'm tearing my hair out with frustration because I'm moving a hundred miels an hour - and getting precisely nowhere with this.

Thanks anyway.

[Gondola]

If the apmInternet / overssl webmail is not sending then it's an issue that only TalkTalk Business (TTB) Domain Admins team can sort out for you with their contacts in apmInternet. I did advise that in my very first reply.

Just to reiterate that your gotadsl email address is not on the TalkTalk Mail servers, will not be recognised at the TalkTalk Mail webmail sign in and has had no changes made to it by TalkTalk Mail.

If you cannot get a correct and helpful response from TTB then TalkTalk Support here will contact their opposite number in TTB to liaise with you.

[CarlClarke]

I've already tried the webmail login you suggested (in fact I tried it even before you suggested it - but just tried again now to confirm) - and it receives mail. But doesn't send mail. Exactly what I've been saying all along.

I've inputted all the details exactly as described - and I can receive mail. But still can't send mail. Exactly as I've been saying all along.

Thunderbird is inputted with exactly the same details as the above webmail. I can receive - but I can't send.

Cleraly there's something wrong with 'send' - but as I'm putting in the details you've given me for 'send', and they're not working, then there has to be another problem somewhere. And it can't be WLM as I'm getting the same fault on every other email platform I try.

In all these instances, all I get is a message telling me: 'Failed to send message'.

In persisting with this, and re-setting Thunderbird email settings, it did confirm the settings were right - but when I tried to send an email I received: Unable to authenticate to Outgoing server (SMTP) mail.overssl.net. Please check the password and verify the 'Authentication method' in 'Account Settings | Outgoing server (SMTP)'.

As suggested by yourself, I put 'Normal Password' as Authentication Method. And the password is correct as it's the one I used to log into the SSL mailbox to access my account.

[Gondola]

The fact that you're getting inappropriate advice from both TalkTalk Consumer agents and TalkTalk Business agents doesn't mean I am giving you the runaround.

Your gotadsl mailbox exists on the apmInternet servers. I've checked. You say you can receive mail so that proves the mailbox is working.

Sign in at the apmInternet webmail login at https://mail.overssl.net/ and you can prove that mail is sending ok from there. Test the sending to a known good email address e.g. a Gmail address that you know is working.

The current up to date version of Thunderbird is still supported on Windows 7 and has inbuilt support for TLS 1.2 encryption so you can set that up with the incoming and outgoing server settings I gave earlier.  See the table below. Download a new version if yours is not current. The guide below relates to updating the settings on an existing gotadsl account set up in Thunderbird.

User Name is the full gotadsl email address and Password is the gotadsl email password.

• Start Thunderbird
• Select the Thunderbird triple line menu top right
• Select Account Settings from the menu
• Select Server Settings under the email account name in the left side panel
• Use the entries as shown in the table
• Look down the left side panel to Outgoing Server SMTP
• Select Edit to update the Outgoing server settings as per the lower entries in the table below - remember to select the correct Outgoing Server for the correct email account.

Thunderbird email client settings for f2s gotadsl and nildram email addresses are:

Account Type	IMAP secure Email Account
User Name	Full email address
Password	Email password
Incoming mail server (IMAP)	mail.overssl.net
Incoming Port	993 (see note below)
Incoming Connection Security	SSL/TLS
Authentication Method	Normal Password
Outgoing server (SMTP)	mail.overssl.net
Outgoing Port	465
Outgoing Connection Security	SSL/TLS
Authentication Method	Normal Password

Note: If you use POP3 then the only difference is in the incoming mail server port that is 995 for POP3 secure.

Test the sending to a known good email address e.g. a Gmail address that you know is working.

[CarlClarke]

I have no other email addresses on the Talk Talk platform.

It's not a case of my not accepting your 'advice', it's a case of my following it - and getting nowhere. There's a subtle difference. As said, I've used other email platforms - and I'm getting the same result. I've just tried Thunderbird again and, as said, I get back a message informing me that my email address hasn't been recognised. So, I'm reaching the server - but being rejected because my email address is no longer recognised. This implies, surely, that what Talk Talk Chat told me was accurate (that the servers need to be updated with my email address).

Maybe, maybe not. Regardless, the fact remains that I reached out to Talk Talk Business - and got nowhere. It's not that the guy I spoke to dismissed me. In fact, he chatted to me for a fair while and spoke to some of his colleagues. He was emphatic that they can't see my details due to the fact I'm a residential customer. As I understand it, gotadsl is a business email. I'm not even sure why I received this, as I never signed up to Nildram as a business customer, but as a residential user. But, as the email worked for the last ten years or so (well, actually since 2008), it didn't matter.

I don't think WLM is the problem, ultimately. Yes, there may be a security risk - but that's my problem, surely? There's no reason it shouldn't work as long as the server recognises my email details. At the moment, that isn't happening. It doesn't matter if I use WLM, Thunderbird or, in fact, any otehr email platform - when the server is reached, it rejects the mail because it doesn't recognise the email address. Again, this implies that for whatever reason, my address is no longer detailed in the server.

Ultimately, whether the fix needed for this is Talk Talk Business or Talk Talk domestic, I just want it sorted. I've spoken to Talk Talk Chat agents four times now - and not a single one of them denied this was their responsibility. Now I've had Talk Talk Business telling me it's not their responsibility - and you telling me it's not Talk Talk domestic. I'm hoping you can understand how ridiculously frustrating this is. Problems like this should be simple. Talk to an agent on Chat - and it gets sorted. If it's not their responsibility, they should contact (on the customer's behalf) the people whose business it is (providing it's Talk Talk affiliated, which I'm assuming it is) so they can sort it out. Either way, this needs changing. I've literally been running around in circles chasing my own tail, being directed and redirected to no avail. This isn't the way to run a business.

But, yes, if there's no more you can do, I'll wait for Talk Talk to do as you say and ask someone from Talk Talk Business to liase.

Thank You

Carl

[Gondola]

TalkTalk Consumer have made absolutely no changes to your gotadsl mail because your mailbox is on the apmInternet servers with your service managed by TalkTalk Business (TTB). MX Toolbox Report (gotadsl inbound email going to apmInternet servers).

TalkTalk Consumer have no access to your details held by TTB. Will have personal details for a current TalkTalk home broadband service but absolutely no access to your gotadsl mailbox or TTB legacy customer details.

Do you have any email addresses on the TalkTalk Mail platform? eg talktalk.net, tiscali.co.uk, lineone.net?  These mailboxes are being limited to webmail only access if users persist in using insecure email software like WLM. WLM ceased getting security updates in 2017 and has therefore been a security risk for the last 6 years. I'm very sorry you don't wish to accept my advice either on security or TTB management of gotadsl mail. 

TalkTalk Support will respond here next week and pass on your case to a TalkTalk Business contact to liaise regarding your gotadsl email address. Will you accept TalkTalk Support giving you an authoritative statement on your gotadsl email and use of Windows Live Mail?

[CarlClarke]

No, the problem is your end. The email worked perfectly until TalkTalk changed their settings. That makes this TalkTalk's problem, not mine.

I'm using Windows 7 - and before you say anything, I've no desire to update to a 'better' version. Too many changes - and none of them for the better. I'm happy with what I've got and just wish security-crazy people wouldn't keep fiddling around the edges and breaking everything.

I've tried the email settings on Thunderbird (which is a new client) - same problem. On Hotmail. On another email - all 'supported' email clients. None of them are going to be worked if my email details aren't in your system. That's the message I get bback when the correct settings are put in - email address and password rejected.

As for putting Windows Live Mail into permanment retirement - why should I? It's the platform I want to use. It's worked perfectly well up to the last few weeks - and only failed to work because TalkTalk decided to interfere with something that wasn't broken. I haven't had a single security breach in ten years - why would I have one now? All the other email platforms are rubbish. I don't like the way they look, or the way they work - I just want to keep using (successfully) the one I've been happy with up to now. Is that really too much to ask?

TalkTalk webmail doesn't recognise my details either. My email details aren't recognised. Which confirms what I've been saying up to now.

TalkTalk Business made it clear that because I'm a resedential customer, they don't have access to my details. Only TalkTalk have this. Perhaps it's time for you and them to get your heads together on this and sort it out? I can only go where I'm directed - and if I'm constantly directed from one place to another, with no success, then we have a problem.

[Gondola]

The problem is at your end anyway. Windows Live Mail is a deprecated product that does not support TLS 1.2 encryption. Choose a new mail client.  What operating system are you running on your device? Windows 10 or 11?

The access logins I gave you for webmail and server settings and host names for the email client for f2s, nildram and gotadsl domains are correct. But only on up to date email clients.

As for the tosh you got from TTB it doesn't surprise me I suppose because their customer service don't all know that their TTB Domains Admin do manage the legacy mail services for f2s, nildram and gotadsl.

TalkTalk Consumer cannot add your legacy mail to TalkTalk Mail because it's hosted on apmInternet servers under an arrangement with TalkTalk Business.

Anyway it's correct that it's not a complicated fix. Just put WLM into permanent retirement and use the correct server settings as above on a supported email client. Or use their webmail.

[CarlClarke]

I tried phoning TalkTalk Business, but they were admant as I'm a residential customer, there's nothing they can do this end. It was made very clera to me that TalkTalk need to put my email details into your new system. The troble is all that's happening is that no matter who I speak to, I'm being redirected to someone else - and I'm slowly losing the will to live. This can't be that complicated a fix, surely?

I've put in the settings as relayed above - I can still receive mail, but still can't send it. This is the message I'm getting:

The message could not be sent. The setting for your outgoing email [SMTP] server might need to be configured. To find the server settings for obscured for customer security please contact your email service provider.

Subject 'Test'
Server Error: 553
Server Response: 553 sorry, that domain isn't in my list of allowed rcpthosts (#5.7.1)
Server: 'mail.overssl.net'
Windows Live Mail Error ID: 0x800CCC79
Protocol: SMTP
Port: 465
Secure(SSL): Yes

No matter what I do, it's the same result. I can receive - but I can't send.

[Gondola]

This email forum is for help with TalkTalk Consumer mail domains on the TalkTalk Mail platform.

First thing to recognise is that Windows Live Mail (WLM) is a deprecated product not supported by either Microsoft or by TalkTalk Mail. WLM does not offer the secure encryption required by all TalkTalk Mail domains.

Second thing to recognise is that godadsl is one of the legacy domains managed by TalkTalk Business (TTB). The gotadsl domain does not exist on the TalkTalk Mail platform. 

If you cannot access webmail via the overssl login you'll need TTB Domains Admin to assist you.

SSL Mail webmail login
https://mail.overssl.net/

SSL Mail Control Panel login
https://vwm.overssl.net/admin/

Email Client Server Settings

Inbound Server: mail.overssl.net
Port: 993 (IMAP) or 995 (POP3)
Select SSL/TLS or TLS/SSL

Outbound Server: mail.overssl.net
Port: 465
Select SSL/TLS or TLS/SSL

For support, please get in touch with TalkTalk Business Support. You can LiveChat or call on 0800 083 3003 - Mon-Sun 8am-6pm or email customerservices@talktalkbusiness.co.uk.

TTB should have a record of the registered user details for the gotadsl email address to match to your personal details that you'll need to provide to them when requested. You'll need to ask for the domains admin team as they are the ones that manage TTB Mail.

Let us know how you get on.