I think the problem could be related to "Authentication Method" : you need to know shaw.ca authentication method. If you don't know then you can try each of the option ( Normal Password .... ) to see which one will work.

Thanks for the reply, Michel.

All too often, these problems devolve into an Easter Egg Hunt - trying one thing after another, until, seemingly magically, something works. And we have no idea what the solution was.

But I think you're on the right track here: that tiny blue "busy" arrow shifting back & forth in the password box seems to indicate that TB is (perhaps) trying a different password, even though the correct password is displayed.

I have a principal IMAP email account (also on Shaw) set up on TB, when I first adopted Linux Mint and TB, back in 2017. The "authentication method" is set up as "normal password." Works fine.

Hmm.ou

Thanks again,

- Ralph

If you have the account hub enabled in Settings/General, disable it and add the account from ⇶ - New Account - Email. The correct settings are:

incoming IMAP: imap.shaw.ca, 993, SSL/TLS, normal password, part of address before @

outgoing SMTP: mail.shaw.ca, 587, STARTTLS, normal password, part of address before @

Hi sfhowes!

I followed your instructions faithfully, and TB still spins its wheels "Checking password".

Clicking "re-test" returns "The following settings were found by probing the given server:"

...and lists all the exact settings that you'd suggested (which I'd entered manually.)

Though it shows the correct password in this dialog, is it possible that it is actually checking with a different password from some mysterious location?

I can bring up a dialog box to delete "saved passwords" from my 3 functioning email accounts but, of course, can't delete any saved passwords from this new account that I am trying to create. As it doesn't yet exist as an account, so is not shown.

Do you know where I could see (and delete) any historic "saved passwords" in TB?

Thanks in advance,

- Ralph

Saved Passwords in Settings is the only place where TB stores passwords. Check you don't have an external app managing passwords. Disable a VPN if one is used.

I think at one time Shaw required strong passwords for desktop mail apps, but I'm not sure if this still applies.

Hi sfhowes!

Password : 6 lowercase letters, 2 uppercase letters, 2 numerals, 2 special characters

No VPN. Never had one.

No password manager.

What is telling is that I created the account on Shaw with this password, and can reliably logon to Shaw webmail with it. And send & receive emails via webmail.

I do have one other asset: patience. I can wear away a rock by dropping water on it.

Thanks for coming this far with this. Much appreciated.

- Ralph

Hello sfhowes (and others)!

Here's the text of an email I received from a friend who spent hours doing exactly what I've been doing:

The sneaky bastids have put 2 little check boxes hidden way way way way down in the guts of Shaw Webmail (Classic mode>Preferences>Mail>Access From Other Mail Clients). Don't have one or the other checked? T'Bird will spend the rest of its life (& yours) trying, unsuccessfully, to connect to Shaw.

I checked the IMAP box, and all is well.

Thanks for your help. Account established.

- Ralph