Cannot send Tiscali emails

[fed-up3]

Since Thursday 23/02/23 we have not been able to send Tiscali emails. We can receive emails but not reply/send.

Our device is a Windows 10 laptop.

We are using Thunderbird to access emails and do not want to use Webmail.

We have changed all the server settings to exactly what we were told in a TT email. We have rechecked these hundreds of times.

We have successfully changed the password on the Webmail and can send emails from within Webmail. 

We have tried read this forum and tried everything and it still doesn't work.

We get an error message basically saying, the message couldn't be sent because connecting to smtp.talktalk.net failed. 

Could you please explain what we should do in non-techy language. Thank you very much.

[Gondola]

The Default server label is misleading.  Because each email account requires it's own linked SMTP outgoing server with the correct settings i.e. not port 25 but port 587 for TalkTalk, and to be set up with User Name and password authentication for the sending email account.

You've now successfully linked and set up a dedicated SMTP outgoing server for the sending email account. Sent mail using the correct password (that I hope you remembered to save) and voila! it now works.

Well done.

[fed-up3]

I went to the Account Settings page as you asked, and looked at the bottom of that main screen, and found the drop down box for the SMTP Outgoing Server.

(Previously I had changed the SMTP server settings in a different place, by selecting Outgoing Server SMTP from the left side menu, which is a blue block).

In the drop down box were three listed servers. One is labelled Default and had all the correct settings as I had already changed them.

Of the other two, one server was, let's say defunct, and the other server had the old (port 25) settings. I changed this server to the new settings just to make sure. Bear in mind this one did not have the Default label.

I then tried to send an email. It asked me for the new password, which I put in, and Bingo! the email was sent!!

So, as of right now, this problem seems to have been fixed. Finally!

My question now is, if the Default server setting is correct, (which it was, I had sent you the picture of that) why did it matter that the other, unused SMTP server did not have the new settings?

I ask this because other people reading these messages can be helped by the information.

Thank you very much for all your help and troubleshooting. Much appreciated.

[Gondola]

OK, no worries, I understand what you're saying.

OK, so because each email address needs its own outgoing SMTP server setup you can add an SMTP server in the Outgoing SMTP server list.

Then on the Account Settings page, select the email account in the left pane and you'll see at the bottom of the main screen the ability to see and select from the drop down list the outgoing SMTP server settings for that email account.

The description needs to identify the tiscali email account

Server name: smtp.talktalk.net

Port: 587

Connection security: STARTTLS

Authentication method: Normal Password

User name: The full email address for the email account

Having linked the tiscali email account to dedicated SMTP outgoing server settings, when you send mail you'll be asked for the password. Tick to remember the password before entering the correct password. Then that password will be in saved logins for the smtp server.

[fed-up3]

CORRECTION

....there is no smtp://smtp.talktalk.net listed as a Provider for the Tiscali address.

Just when I'm trying to be as accurate as possible, I introduce an error, sorry about that.

[fed-up3]

I followed your instructions and found the saved logins and passwords.

I don't know about these things, so I'll use the words in the saved logins box.

We have two email addresses coming into Thunderbird, the Tiscali address under question and a Gmail address.

There are logins for the Gmail address listed, and the Provider given is mailbox://pop.gmail.com and smtp://smtp.gmail.com

But there is only a mailbox://mail.talktalk.net listed for the Tiscali address, and it has the correct most recent password. There is no smtp://smtp.talktalk.net for the Tiscali address under the Provider heading.

This is not something we have tampered with, or altered in any way.

Is this a possible clue to our problem- for whatever reason mailbox://mail.talktalk.net is not listed as Provider in the saved logins box for the Tiscali address?

[Gondola]

Just check the Thunderbird Saved logins to remove the saved password for the outgoing smtp server.

Tools > Settings > Privacy & Security

Passwords > Saved Passwords

Show Passwords > Yes >

Delete the smtp password for the relevant account address to enable the entry of the new password when sending mail

Before making any other changes just wait until tomorrow morning say around 9am to see if the outgoing server accepts the new password for authentication. 

[fed-up3]

I have now changed my password as you asked, and am once again receiving emails into Thunderbird, but I am still unable to send emails.

It's a very strong password with more than one of every required character and also longer.

I am still getting the same error message that I showed you below.

I have once again checked all settings are still correct according to your notification and the same as the screenshot I sent you last week.

What now please?

Thank you for your help.

[Gondola]

I agree that if the mailbox is not limited for receiving or sending and if it's receiving incoming mail ok then we need to troubleshoot other reasons for the outgoing mail SMTP server not accepting the connection.

If the settings are as you originally showed and that's still coming up with the 'refusing connection' error message then the most likely reason is the SMTP server thinks the password is too weak.

So upgrade the password, try sending again with Thunderbird and put in the new password when prompted.

The Reset password now button in the help article  Changing your email password will take you to password reset and recovery. 

[fed-up3]

I have already posted a photo of the server settings as requested, and they have not changed. The port for the outgoing server is set at 587, not 25.

Please see below.

I do not understand why you say Thunderbird is set up insecurely.

I have never been asked to accept a new certificate.

I successfully changed the password to access Webmail and ticked the box so that Thunderbird uses it each time automatically.

Why then do you say Thunderbird is set up insecurely?

[Gondola]

There was a Service Status message indicating that from 23 February some users would not be able to send mail but could receive mail. "Changes are being made to our Email service to prevent any customer from sending emails from email software or apps which are not setup to support Encryption."

This means that, as Ady confirms, your mailbox is not limited to webmail only as we thought, but does have insecure sending via port 25 blocked. Thunderbird is clearly still setup insecurely.

On updating the Thunderbird email software Server Settings (incoming mail) and outgoing SMTP server setting you'll possibly be asked to accept a new certificate (yes, accept) and to enter the email password when using Thunderbird to read or write emails so have the current password ready (when you've set a new password). Tick to remember or save the password before entering it. Each email address needs to have it's own settings and its own outgoing SMTP server because outgoing authentication requires the email account User Name and Password.

User Name is the full email address and Password is the 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 all TalkTalk Mail domains including talktalk, tiscali and their sister email addresses are:

Account Type	IMAP secure Email Account
User Name	Full email address
Password	Email password
Incoming mail server (IMAP)	mail.talktalk.net
Incoming Port	993 (see note below)
Incoming Connection Security	SSL/TLS
Authentication Method	Normal Password
Outgoing server (SMTP)	smtp.talktalk.net
Outgoing Port	587
Outgoing Connection Security	STARTTLS
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.

The TalkTalk Mail Support Hub is your go to resource for information, guides and Community support for TalkTalk Consumer home broadband and MailPlus subscribers.

Select here:
 TalkTalk Mail Support

TalkTalk Mail help

 Email settings and device setup guides for TalkTalk Mail

[fed-up3]

The Tiscali email that I am talking about can receive emails but cannot send emails, I just tried again now, Wednesday night. It hasn't yet been restored to full functioning.

The email listed in the private part of the profile is the Tiscali email I am talking about.

So, I am confused as to what you are saying.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Hi fed-up3. the email address in your profile has full access. Please add the email address that needs restoring to full service to the private notes section of your community profile. 

Ady

[Gondola]

To clarify, the notification of withdrawal of device access wasn't specifically for Thunderbird it was for any mail collection service or email app or email software still connecting to a mailbox using insecure settings.

You'll get access back for Thunderbird during the week and until then just use TalkTalk Mail webmail to keep in touch with your email contacts.

[fed-up3]

Thank you for requesting Talktalk to restore access to Thunderbird. Hopefully it won't be too long.

Actually we have never seen any message from Talktalk saying they were removing access from Thunderbird specifically.

The only messages we have seen over the months have been generic about changing account settings, which was easy enough to do.

Anyway, thank you.

[Gondola]

The error message is from Thunderbird because TalkTalk have removed access for Thunderbird as per the notification message from TalkTalk.

As you now have the correct settings updated for Thunderbird then I'll request access is restored. Next week TalkTalk Support will respond right here and access will follow a couple of days later.  Until then use webmail.

[fed-up3]

Please request Talktalk to restore full access as you promised. Thank you.

[fed-up3]

I hope this is what you asked for, the incoming and outgoing server settings and I have added the error message

[fed-up3]

No, the message you mention is not the one we get. The message we receive is about a failed connection to smtp.talktalk.net.

We weren't asked to accept any new certificates or invited to put in any password when we changed the settings over to the new ones.

The settings in your panel are the ones we are using.

I will try to upload the shots you want.

Thank you for your help.

[Gondola]

If you saw the message from TalkTalk advising "Our records show that you are still accessing your email using unencrypted email settings, because of this you will no longer be able to receive or send emails via this email app or software" then the email address receiving that notification has been limited to webmail only access as a last resort action by TalkTalk to stop the use of insecure email.

TalkTalk Mail webmail is secure by design using an up to date Internet browser.

Select here:  Sign in to TalkTalk Mail

Enter your full TalkTalk Mail email address and password, select Sign in.

You will be able to get email access restored to email apps or software including mail collection services so long as you're ready to use up to date and secure email settings for all the ways you view emails. We can advise on device and software compatibility and provide customer setup guides. Just let us know each mail collection service, each device, its operating system and email software including version that are in current use.

Settings for Thunderbird are given below.

On updating the Thunderbird email software Server Settings (incoming mail) and outgoing SMTP server settings, for any active mailbox that does have IMAP / POP3 access, you'll possibly be asked to accept a new certificate (yes, accept) and to enter the email password when using Thunderbird to read or write emails so have the current password ready (when you've set a new password). Tick to remember or save the password before entering it. Each email address needs to have it's own settings and its own outgoing SMTP server because outgoing authentication requires the email account User Name and Password.

User Name is the full email address and Password is the 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 all TalkTalk Mail domains including talktalk, tiscali and their sister pipex email addresses are:

Account Type	IMAP secure Email Account
User Name	Full email address
Password	Email password
Incoming mail server (IMAP)	mail.talktalk.net
Incoming Port	993
Incoming Connection Security	SSL/TLS
Authentication Method	Normal Password
Outgoing server (SMTP)	smtp.talktalk.net
Outgoing Port	587
Outgoing Connection Security	STARTTLS
Authentication Method	Normal Password

However, if you happen to have a POP3 account then the only difference to the above table is the incoming server port that's 995 for POP3 secure mail.

For a definitive check of settings take screenshots of the incoming and outgoing server settings, image edit to obscure the first part of the email address and upload here using the Camera icon (desktop browser) or Picture icon (mobile browser) above this reply area.

When you confirm the secure settings are ready I can request TalkTalk Support to restore full access. TalkTalk Support will respond here and access will be restored usually within a couple of working days.

Prepare for TalkTalk Support - include in the Community Profile (not in these public posts):

 Email account holder name

 Scroll down to Private notes to add the email address(es)
and TalkTalk or MailPlus customer account number

 Check and Save changes

Select here:  Update your profile

The TalkTalk Mail Support Hub is your go to resource for information, guides and Community support for TalkTalk Consumer home broadband and MailPlus subscribers.

Select here:
 TalkTalk Mail Support

TalkTalk Mail help
 Using TalkTalk Mail

 Email settings and device setup guides for TalkTalk Mail

 About TalkTalk Mail Plus

[fed-up3]

I should add, the Tiscali email is registered in our TT account so that it doesn't get removed by TT.