[Muncle]

I’ve been having a problem that I find unique, others say is puzzling, and the techie gurus say is impossible. I have a Comcast account and generally use Outlook Express for email. A couple months ago, I discovered that none of the mail I was sending to people with embarqmail.com addresses was going thru. I was getting no failed mail msgs of any kind. The mail would just disappear into hyperspace. I tried it both thru OE and from the Comcast host.

I first contacted Embarq to see if they had some type of spam filter that could be kicking me off. They assured me that they did not and that I was not being blocked by them. I then contacted Comcast. Their first response was that since I wasn’t getting an error msg, they would have nothing to analyze and so could not help me. I complained a bit, got another techie, and they tried to send something from my account. It did not get to the Embarq customer. There only reply was that it left their host so that’s all they cared about.

I next contacted Embarq again. They explained that they had no blocks that would identify an individual sender (oh, forgot to say --- my Embarq customer friends were getting mail from other Comcast people), only by IP address. All mail goes thru the Comcast host port so I would not have a specific IP address. I even contacted Spamhaus.com, which runs the spam filters for most ISPs. They couldn’t help.

Another contact with Comcast and they again showed no interest. I called Embarq yet again. Luck of the draw, I got their call center in PA. I gave the guy my email ID and password (I know, a big no-no) and he logged onto Comcast from there and sent an email. It went thru. :hot: We/He checked and it had left Comcast thru a PA host, not the one down here in Florida. I told Comcast of this action and their general response was “Doh? And your point is?" Again, no help.

To get around this, I started sending mail intended for Embarq folks from my Villages account. A couple weeks ago, I evidently accidently included one of the Embarq folks a msg from my Comcast account. It went thru! :hot: Happy Days!!! A week later the blockage, whatever it is, returned and remains.

Any ideas??? If anyone has specific questions, I'll be happy to provide whatever info I have.

[zcaveman]

I have the same problem. I have tried both Embarq and Comcast to no avail. Just when you think you are getting through to them, you call or online chat again and it is back to step one.

I have three Comcast accounts and none of them can send to Embarq accounts. I thought it was just me. No error messages and no backup and no rejects.

And yes, neither the comcast or villages.net account works. I tried them from the webmail at Comcast and the Villages and get the same problem so I know it is not Outlook or my settings.

Sorry this was not what you were looking for but at least you know it is not just you.

[Puterguru]

This should fix the problem:

If using Outlook Express:
Click on Tools
Click on Accounts
Click on your mail account so that it is highlighted
Click on the properties button to the right
Click on the Advanced tab
Directly next to "Outgoing Mail(SMTP) change the number that is there (probably 25) to the number 587.
Click on Apply
Click on OK
Click on Close
Close Outlook Express

Re-open Outlook Express and try to send some messages. I bet they'll go thru.

[dadspet]

This doesn't really answer your question but I've found a free Yahoo or Google mail account a lot easier to use and much more portable. These accounts work great and you use them from your web browser and don't have to use Outlook express. At home in NY or on the Road, cruise or at the Villages or in Europe / South America /etc I always have trouble free easy access. With these account you don't have to worry about chaning my mail address if I switch internet providers either (jerry@comcast.com or jerry@embarg.com jerry@roadrunner.com etc ) since these mail accounts are transparent to the internet provider. For me at least I've found only advantages and no drawbacks.

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by Puterguru

This should fix the problem:

deleted for space

Re-open Outlook Express and try to send some messages. I bet they'll go thru.

Thanx for the suggestion. Tried it. It would not send any outgoing mail. Got the following msg:
The message could not be sent because the server rejected the sender's e-mail address. The sender's e-mail address was 'b.flavin@comcast.net'. Subject 'test', Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server: 'smtp.comcast.net', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '550 5.1.0 Authentication required', Port: 587, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC78

Actually I didn't think changing OE would affect the problem since both Z and I had the same results whether we were sending via Outlook Express or webmail, i.e., logging directly onto the Comcast mail system and sending from there, bypassing OE. I'm just real confused.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by Puterguru

This should fix the problem:

If using Outlook Express:
Click on Tools
Click on Accounts
Click on your mail account so that it is highlighted
Click on the properties button to the right
Click on the Advanced tab
Directly next to "Outgoing Mail(SMTP) change the number that is there (probably 25) to the number 587.
Click on Apply
Click on OK
Click on Close
Close Outlook Express

Re-open Outlook Express and try to send some messages. I bet they'll go thru.

Nope. Did that a long time ago. The problem is there are no error messages. I had to switch a friend to port 587 hen he started getting rejects.

As far as my end is concerned, the messags are going. If I had not called a friend and asked him why he did not reply to a golf appointment I would have never known the messages were not going through.

COmcast and Embarq are dead ends.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by Muncle

Thanx for the suggestion. Tried it. It would not send any outgoing mail. Got the following msg:
The message could not be sent because the server rejected the sender's e-mail address. The sender's e-mail address was 'b.flavin@comcast.net'. Subject 'test', Account: 'mail.comcast.net', Server: 'smtp.comcast.net', Protocol: SMTP, Server Response: '550 5.1.0 Authentication required', Port: 587, Secure(SSL): No, Server Error: 550, Error Number: 0x800CCC78

Actually I didn't think changing OE would affect the problem since both Z and I had the same results whether we were sending via Outlook Express or webmail, i.e., logging directly onto the Comcast mail system and sending from there, bypassing OE. I'm just real confused.

Muncle - when you go to port 587 you have to check the Server need Authentication box. It should be checked anyway but it is definitely necessary with port 587.

And yes I agree that it would not solve our problem.

But an FYI. 587 is more secure and if you have certain problems, the first thing the tech will tell you is to switch to port 587.

Do a google search for more info.

Z
Z

[barb1191]

What works well for me is:

I subscribe to Comcast broadband.
I downloaded the FREE version of AOL and logon to AOL, using their (AOL) email exclusively, with no problems.

barb

[zcaveman]

There are lots of alternatives (AOL, GMAIL, YAHOO) but I like my OUTLOOK and Address Book and Calendar and Tasks. I like all messages downloaded to my PC for processing. I don'twant to have to sign onto some place on the internet and use a webmail app that has no bells and whistles. All I want is for my messages to Embarq targets to get there from my Comcast account.

Sorry. I don't mean to sound argumentative.

I have spent hours and hours on the telephone and online chats with both Comcast and Embarq. I would like to invite one of each out to my house so they can actually see the problem. But then I might squeeze them instead of my stress doll when they give me their usual stupid answers.

z

[Muncle]

Z -- I've forgotten most of what I ever knew about details so things like port 587 and the like sometimes go over my head. Unfortunately I do remember enough from the really old days to know that what is happening to us should not be happening. As others suggested and you admitted, there are work arounds, but like you, I don't want a work around. I want to know what Comcast or Embarq or somebody is doing wrong and I want them to correct it.

Or maybe I'm wrong and I'm the one :edit: ing up. But I'd still like to know.

[zcaveman]

I agree with you Muncle. One day I will give the online chats another try. I just get so upset that I cannot talk to a telecommunications techie so that I can get down to the nuts and bolts pf the problem.

This is not my only open problem with Comcast.

[zcaveman]

Maybe things are looking up. I accidentally tried to send to an embarqmail subscriber and got the following error message:

Reporting-MTA: dns; QMTA02.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net [76.96.62.24]
Received-From-MTA: dns; OMTA14.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net [76.96.62.60]
Arrival-Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:11:00 +0000


Final-recipient: rfc822; xxxxxxxx@embarqmail.com
Action: failed
Status: 5.1.1
Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 5.1.1 Recipient sarav@embarqmail.com does not exist here
Last-attempt-Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:11:00 +0000

I will start a chat with Comcast and see if I can get somewhere with it.

I will let you know what happens.

[Muncle]

Thanx Z, I'll be waiting with worms on my tongue (bated breath?).
Good luck.

[zcaveman]

Comcast was no help and sent me to Embarq.

Embarq told me that my IP address was blacklisted. If you know your IP address go to http://www.mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx and enter the IP address and see what you get.

If you are on a router, you will have to sign into the router and find the Router Status and get the address.

I am at a lost as to what to do next but will let you know when I find out.

Wish I had better news but it is further than I have been in weeks!!

Z

[Muncle]

Do you have a static IP address? In theory, I have a dynamic IP address that is assigned fresh whenever my modem is turned on --- factually, it always seems to be the same one. It (the IP address) is within the range of addresses that are invalidated. But that really shouldn't matter since you don't enter the net from that port but from the COMCAST gateway. That's the IP address that should matter. Especially when you use their internet mail rather than OE to send the msg. ---- I probably screwed up the technical terms and stuff. Hope I somehow made myself clear.