Unable to download emails from POP server over SSL

[JimLineone]

For over 2 days now the POP3 download from mail.talktalk.net server has not been working with SSL on port 995 but is OK if SSL is turned off (Port 110). I suspect there is some sort of problem with the certificate. This seems to happen every year or so. I reported this on the phone line to be told that it is known about and being worked on and will be sorted shortly, although I wasn't convinced that the agent knew what I was talking about. When can we expect it to be working again?

[Gondola]

Windows 7 is deprecated as is any version of Outlook prior to Outlook 2016. Your version of Outlook cannot offer the security required by TalkTalk Mail.  The certificate and ciphers were updated on 14 May 2023. What happened on 20th July was that your email software was logged out and then had to recheck the ciphers but those deprecated and out of date ciphers had already been withdrawn on 14 May.

There is a workaround as the email client Thunderbird is still supported on Windows 7 and will offer secure email encryption protocol to TLS 1.2. So, download and install Thunderbird.

Thunderbird email client settings using POP3 accounts for all TalkTalk Mail domains including talktalk, tiscali and their sister email addresses are:

Account Type	POP3 secure Email Account
User Name	Full email address
Password	Email password
Incoming mail server	mail.talktalk.net
Incoming Port	995
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

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[JimLineone]

I wasn't aware that I had signed out but presumably that happened because I shut my browser and computer down. It doesn't mean that the problem has been solved!

I am using a PC running Windows 7 and Outlook. I realise that I have an old version of Outlook but it was working until about 20th June. Did you change something on that day or did a certificate expire then? This has happened I think at least once before a year or so ago and probably twice. In the past it gets mysteriously fixed after a week or two although I only find out by trying it now and then. I was hoping that whatever has happened in the past has happened again and could be fixed quickly.

[Gondola]

I see JimLinone has signed out of Community without replying. Case solved I assume and no further help needed.

[Gondola]

I suspect your email client does not have up to date security ciphers. What device are you using, its operating system version and email software version?