Talktalk email problems,

[brbrown]

I have started this new post because my answers on the last one seemed to have got jumbled up.

I am still having problems with my email service which seems to be very erratic. I have been unable to make contact with anyone from Talktalk but I received an email telling me that all modifications and updating have been completed and following a link given, I am told that I should update my Mac to ios version 11. This does not make sense because it is an ancient update for many moths ago.

Or, could it be a Talktalk software update. Can anyone tell me please?

Also information I have found searching the internet tells me that all modifications and updates will not be completed till the end of October. If this is the case, it might explain why my service is not working properly. Which  information should I believe?

[brbrown]

Ok thanks Ady. I already have a gmail and iCloud address set up working perfectly. As it happens, the Chief Exec has got involved and has come up with some different things to check. I'll post again if I get any progress. It still seems very odd to me that everything transmitted by Talktalk to my connection should disrupt all three of my computers.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

That's entirely your choice. We're here and happy to help you get them setup correctly on your devices so that they'll be useful too you.

Ady

[brbrown]

OK Ady, Thanks. I guess I will have to abandon Talktalk and Onetel emails. I will go for a Google or iCloud email.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

I can but it won't fix your problem. Your mailboxes are setup and working correctly on the servers. 

Ady

[brbrown]

Hello Ady. Thanks for the reply. I have just had another one hour screen share with Apple and everything we tried finished up with the smtp server still showing offline. I would have given you a screen shot but felt it was a bit sensitive. Could you pass this onto your contact please?

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Hi brbrown, I've checked both mailboxes and both are live and neither shows any mail left waiting to be collected. I've let the person dealing with your complaint know about this. 

Ady

[brbrown]

Not sure what you mean but the problems can't all be with  my Mac computer, my Mac laptop and my wife's Windows computer which are all up to date.

It is strange that everything transmitted from Talktalk to my connection does not work properly. This applies to the webmail as well. My computers can't change what is sent to me surely.

Anyway, my intention is to try and get my Talktalk and Onetel emails to work. No one has come up with anything to help yet, only criticism of my computers.

[Gondola]

Istheservicedown says "At the moment, we haven't detected any problems at TalkTalk." This means there are no widespread issues not that there may some individuals with issues.

If you wish to assert that the problems are all with TalkTalk then point your Complaints Manager to whatever website or source you believe in.

[brbrown]

You might like to take a look at this link. https://istheservicedown.co.uk/status/talktalk

[brbrown]

I understand what you say Gondola but all I can answer then is "well why do the settings not let me send and receive Talktalk and Onetel emails from my Mac and Webmail and why did Talktalk notify me that the Incoming port 143 was perfectly safe?

In the absence of any further help, I feel I have no alternative to abandon my Talktalk and Onetel email service and use third party alternative.

In parting I wish to thank you and Ady for trying to help. Best wishes. Brian

[Gondola]

Ady-TalkTalk is an email expert. Ady's advice is totally correct. Any contradictory advice is not correct.

Port 143 is the non-secure IMAP email port for unencrypted plain email messages.

Port 993 is the secure IMAP email port that is used with SSL/TLS encryption to the TLS 1.2 standard.

TalkTalk Mail designates that port 993 must be used for IMAP email.  If you choose to use port 143 to access any TalkTalk mailbox then TalkTalk will detect this and ultimately will switch off access to IMAP email connections and limit the mailbox to webmail only access.  This is for your own security and the security of the TalkTalk Mail system as a whole.

Webmail just requires an active TalkTalk Mail email address and its password and is secure by design. If you cannot take on board the setup of an email client with secure settings as designated by TalkTalk then take a shortcut to the future and use webmail only access.

My previous advice given to you over a two year period still stands firm. Ady will be back next week but you have a designated Complaints Manager to handle your open complaint so address this topic with that manager.

[brbrown]

I have just been notified from Talktalk that port 143 is perfectly safe. So what should I believe?

[brbrown]

Not sure exactly what you mean by "the mail set ups". Are referring to the server settings?

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Excellent. Could you give us screenshots of the mail setups obviously with your personal information removed?

Ady

[brbrown]

Ady, both my Mac desktop computer and my MacBook Air laptop are using the latest Mac OS Sonoma 14 and it supports TLS1.2. and I have changed back to the settings previously given. So now I cannot send any emails at all. 

[Ady-TalkTalk]

Ok that's fine please confirm for the make model and OS of each device that you're having trouble with and confirm  that you are indeed using the settings exactly as they appear in the help article in each instance. 

Ady

[brbrown]

Ady, I am sorry but no one is listening. Those settings just do not work and it does not help being faced with messages saying "server is offline" so what do I do next?

[Ady-TalkTalk]

You need to have software that supports TLS1.2. I'm aware you have an open complaint about this, so you'll have been advised of the correct settings more than once, but here's the link to the Email Settings help article.  

Ady

[brbrown]

So, can you please tell me what I have to do. My computer and laptop software is right up to date and I still cannot use the email service that I am paying for.

[Ady-TalkTalk]

We have a system that's working with mail apps and clients that support TLS1.2. Its unfortunate that the need to ensure the safety and security of mail for all users means that some will have to update/upgrade devices and or software. 

Ady