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I'm constantly getting the message "Unable to connect to your IMAP server. You may have exceeded the maximum number of connections to this server.

  • 6 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 49 views
  • Last reply by info2294

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I've tried reducing the number of cached connections from 5 to 1 and it makes no difference - I'm on latest 68.6 version but can't use it - I just get this message whatever I do. I 'm only using Thunderbird on one device so the number of cached connections shouldn't matter anyhow. Thuderbird is suddenly unusable for me for no apparent reason. Is it a known bug in 68.6?

I've tried reducing the number of cached connections from 5 to 1 and it makes no difference - I'm on latest 68.6 version but can't use it - I just get this message whatever I do. I 'm only using Thunderbird on one device so the number of cached connections shouldn't matter anyhow. Thuderbird is suddenly unusable for me for no apparent reason. Is it a known bug in 68.6?

Chosen solution

Yes, thank you. And finally I can report that things seem to have returned to normal after a good many hours. I hadn't done anything different . Maybe it was Virgin at fault rather than Thunderbird, although Virgin Mail was OK.

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All Replies (6)

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To diagnose problems with Thunderbird, try one of the following:

  • Restart Thunderbird with add-ons disabled (Thunderbird Safe Mode). On the Help menu, click on "Restart with Add-ons Disabled". If Thunderbird works like normal, there is an Add-on or Theme interfering with normal operations. You will need to re-enable add-ons one at a time until you locate the offender.
  • Restart the operating system in safe mode with Networking. This loads only the very basics needed to start your computer while enabling an Internet connection. Click on your operating system for instructions on how to start in safe mode: Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, OSX
If safe mode for the operating system fixes the issue, there's other software in your computer that's causing problems. Possibilities include but not limited to: AV scanning, virus/malware, background downloads such as program updates.
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I haven't got any add-ons, Everything else is working OK on my computer - only Thunderbird is faulty. I can use Virgin Mail OK . There is definitely something wrong with Thunderbird since this new version. May have to abandon it if no-one will fix it.,

Modified by msharman

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msharman said

I haven't got any add-ons, Everything else is working OK on my computer - only Thunderbird is faulty. I can use Virgin Mail OK . There is definitely something wrong with Thunderbird since this new version. May have to abandon it if no-one will fix it.,

Bye then.

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Do you have the settings stated here? Other users are experiencing the same thing, so it may be a temporary issue with all mail clients.

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Chosen Solution

Yes, thank you. And finally I can report that things seem to have returned to normal after a good many hours. I hadn't done anything different . Maybe it was Virgin at fault rather than Thunderbird, although Virgin Mail was OK.

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I'm getting the same message many times the last weeks. Asking to my hosting (Siteground) they said me this is not their trouble. I limit the number 5 to 1 and nothing was solved.

They said me that:

I checked the server logs and there are still many simultaneous connections towards the dovecot service using imap-login:

May 7 07:50:16 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1175, TLS, session=<EmlJdAil3d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:21 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1259, TLS, session=<duDIdAil3t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:21 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1281, TLS, session=<3YPUdAil399YEzik> May 7 07:50:22 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1307, TLS, session=<I8fjdAil4N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:24 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1346, session=<VS/3dAil4d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:25 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1399, TLS, session=<3HYJdQil4t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:26 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1452, TLS, session=<MQUYdQil499YEzik> May 7 07:50:28 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1498, TLS, session=<RxcydQil5N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:29 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1542, TLS, session=<zbFAdQil5d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:30 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1629, TLS, session=<Wc1TdQil5t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:31 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=1668, session=<HVFgdQil599YEzik> May 7 07:50:32 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2366, session=<+3RtdQil6N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:34 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2501, session=<59eNdQil6d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:35 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2550, TLS, session=<BoubdQil6t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:36 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2597, TLS, session=<pcWrdQil699YEzik> May 7 07:50:37 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2608, TLS, session=<Ivu8dQil7N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:38 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2617, TLS, session=<QF3MdQil7d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:39 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2638, TLS, session=<W3rcdQil7t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:40 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2672, TLS, session=<XCD2dQil8N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:41 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2674, TLS, session=<xrj2dQil799YEzik> May 7 07:50:42 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2690, session=<PtgKdgil8d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:43 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2722, TLS, session=<Rsgadgil8t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:44 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2746, session=<oTYodgil899YEzik> May 7 07:50:45 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2765, session=<TnM0dgil9N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:46 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2795, TLS, session=<VG9Ddgil9d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:48 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2822, session=<XtRidgil9t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:49 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2852, TLS, session=<eBdxdgil999YEzik> May 7 07:50:50 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2904, TLS, session=<LM2Ddgil+N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:51 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2928, TLS, session=<mO6Qdgil+d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:52 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=2965, TLS, session=<WD+gdgil+t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:53 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3011, TLS, session=<izi3dgil+99YEzik> May 7 07:50:54 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<store@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3041, TLS, session=<VYvFdgil/N9YEzik> May 7 07:50:55 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3068, session=<dunRdgil/d9YEzik> May 7 07:50:56 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<info@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3123, TLS, session=<wDrkdgil/t9YEzik> May 7 07:50:57 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3155, session=<gkXzdgil/99YEzik> May 7 07:50:58 gnldm4 dovecot: imap-login: Login: user=<juan@gayarre.eu>, method=PLAIN, rip=88.19.56.164, lip=35.214.165.197, mpid=3190, session=<Fu7/dgilAOBYEzik>


and you are hitting the server mail_max_userip_connections limit. Regrettably, this limit cannot be increased on a shared server.

Really, I haven't this trouble on my iPhone and I receive the messages well. So, I think the trouble is on the Thunderbird side.

Could you help me?

Thanks in advance.