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On sending mail the server sent an incorrect greeting: #4.4.5. too many connections to this host

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  • 44 have this problem
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  • Last reply by cwmwlyrallt

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On sending mail an error message occurred "The mail server sent an incorrect greeting: #4.4.5 Too many connections to this host.." The mail is shown as sent in the sentbox, but is not received by the addressee. On sending a number of test messages to myself this fault is seen to be intermittent.

On sending mail an error message occurred "The mail server sent an incorrect greeting: #4.4.5 Too many connections to this host.." The mail is shown as sent in the sentbox, but is not received by the addressee. On sending a number of test messages to myself this fault is seen to be intermittent.

Chosen solution

Hmm have you got outgoing mail scanning being done by an anti virus program? Turn it off.

Have the mail account on your phone? try turning your phone off.

Is the account IMAP or POP?

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Chosen Solution

Hmm have you got outgoing mail scanning being done by an anti virus program? Turn it off.

Have the mail account on your phone? try turning your phone off.

Is the account IMAP or POP?

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Has anyone solved this problem?Solutions do not work for me

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problem appears to be with talk talk server. It is still not solved.

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Thanks, but how am I able to send mail direct from TalkTalk website? Is there a specific server they use for TBird? I'm ignorant on such things. Also, their helpline engineers have no knowledge of this problem.

I've been wondering if the problem is confined to those of us that use tiscali.co.uk for their email?

Is that so in your case, by any chance?

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There is a server cluster used for web mail and another for Mail clients using SMTP is the usual arrangement. Ipso facto sending from web mail is not diagnostically relevant at all.

I am still waiting to hear if the account is IMAP or POP?

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Thanks for your input. The IMAP/POP question was not originally addressed to myself, but for the record I am on IMAP.

It appears from the TalkTalk Community site that the issue has been referred at long last for further investigation, as of late Thurs 25th.

The issue appears to relate largely to customers other than TalkTalk eg tiscali.co.uk, who are being treated in some ways as inferior customers!

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We are tiscalli.co.uk customers and the problem is still not solved, and it doesn't happen every time which is even more annoying!

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I have been seeing people on these forums for years that are customers of Tiscalli. Always bizarre and truly weird stuff, rarely anything but the vapid service delivery of Tiscalli as the cause.

If these are IMAP account, you might try reducing the number of connections in Tools menu (alt+T) > account settings > server settings > advanced. Otherwise I would suggest you try using a mail provider that is tactically capable of delivering a service. They tell me GMX is good.

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Thanks for that. Trouble is, with an intermittent fault, one can never be sure. Seems OK for now, even set on 5 . lt's set on 2 for now, jic. May well try GMX if problem persists,

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I am in the U.S., and just started having this problem. Using POP, SMTP outgoing. See no place to set the max number of connections. Win 7 SP1. Do NOT have my anti-virus program check outgoing mail, only incoming.

This problem just started with the last two updates of T'bird. Currently on 40.0.2. 6rtury

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6rtury said

I am in the U.S., and just started having this problem. Using POP, SMTP outgoing. See no place to set the max number of connections. Win 7 SP1. Do NOT have my anti-virus program check outgoing mail, only incoming. This problem just started with the last two updates of T'bird. Currently on 40.0.2. 6rtury

I posted a link to the only variable in the connection process. Turning your phone off may also help. Particularly if it is one of the iDevices, as they have no governor for connections, until more are refused. You might want to contact your service provider and ask them how many you can have. Getting and sending mail as the same time is 2. An unusual thing, when getting is set to 15 or 20 minutes. Almost guaranteed for those silly enough to set it to 1 or 2 minutes.

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Dellj said

On sending mail an error message occurred "The mail server sent an incorrect greeting: #4.4.5 Too many connections to this host.." The mail is shown as sent in the sentbox, but is not received by the addressee. On sending a number of test messages to myself this fault is seen to be intermittent.

I have recently been having the same problem but found a quick fix. I had my default SMTP server set to smtp.tiscali.co.uk. By changing this to smtp.talktalk.net I was immediately able to send emails without the error message. This would seem to suggest to me that the problem does lie with the tiscali server no matter what the helpline guys may say.