Feb. 14 I still can't send emails from Thunderbird.
This is a Feb. 14 update. I've been using Thunderbird email without problem for about a year. I get an error message whenever I try to send emails. My server (Comcast) settings hadn't been changed. I marked Matt's reply as helpful.
I took Matt's advice I spoke with Comcast... various people and support tiers... for an entire day. They suggested some port changes in imap.comcast.net (port 993) and smtp.comcast.net (port 587) -- both SSL/TLS. Then they said there was nothing else to do on their side and to use their webmail or call Mozilla.
I'm still not able to SEND messages from Thunderbird (although I can from Comcast's webmail), and both Comcast and Thunderbird seem to agree that they can work together, so I'm editing my question and adding the current error message I receive when I try to send an email from Thunderbird. (image 2) btw. I'm using T-bird version 60.5.0. (32-bit) Arggghh. I can't upload image 2 -- the original (deleted from my desktop one) reappears. So I will write out what it says: "(Title) Send message error. (Body) Sending of the message failed. The message could not be sent because Outgoing server (SMTP) smtp.comcast.net timed out. Try again."
I've tried again many times over several days but above message (in quotes) always reappears.
Note. I've deleted original message from this post and from my pc desktop, so if it appears again, please ignore it.
Modified by sospanyol
Chosen solution
If your outgoing server is smtp.comcast.net on port 587 with connection security = SSL/TLS, authentication = normal password, User name = email address, it might make a difference if you use their recommended settings, which are the same as above except connection security = STARTTLS.
Timeouts can also be caused by antivirus programs scanning secure connections or outgoing mail. Start your computer in Windows safe mode, and run TB, to test if this is a factor.
Read this answer in context 👍 1All Replies (5)
Have you asked Comcast, as the operator of the server issuing the error message what it means.
If your setting are correct as you insist then there is only one place to look for incorrect configuration. Comcast.
Dear Matt, I appreciated your advice and talked to Comcast all day yesterday. They gave me some more current port settings (see modified message above, which I updated today, Feb. 14.) but I still can't send emails from Thunderbird. I can receive them. I couldn't update image for my modified question, but it appears below this response. Comcast said they couldn't help me anymore, as I'm able to send emails from their web mail, and they told me to call Mozilla.... Again, image of error I'm now receiving below is current (at least before I hit "Post"). Thanks for taking the time to try to help me. Susana
Chosen Solution
If your outgoing server is smtp.comcast.net on port 587 with connection security = SSL/TLS, authentication = normal password, User name = email address, it might make a difference if you use their recommended settings, which are the same as above except connection security = STARTTLS.
Timeouts can also be caused by antivirus programs scanning secure connections or outgoing mail. Start your computer in Windows safe mode, and run TB, to test if this is a factor.
Thanks so much, sfhowes. I changed to STARTTLS -- even though the highest tier customer service person with whom I talked insisted that what I had above was correct -- and I'm no longer getting the timeout error when I send from Thunderbird. But I haven't received replies to any of the emails I sent yet, so I'm waiting to be sure problem is resolved. I did see the article you linked to at some point and put in STARTTLS before, but it didn't help. There's so much conflicting information on the Comcast site, and it was the same with customer support. You may have saved my sanity, but I'm waiting for a response to at least one of my sent emails, as I mentioned, to be sure....
If the message you sent is in the Sent folder, it was certainly received by the Comcast smtp server. What happens after that is a matter between Comcast and the receiving server. If you don't receive a reply through TB, but you do through the Comcast webmail page, then it's worth checking if the settings in TB are correct, or other factors are involved, e.g. AV.