SMTP Authentication schizophrenia

[tjcmorgan]

Hi there-

I have two btconnect accounts configured in Mac Entourage that work properly nearly all the time (sending and receiving). Occasionally, one or both of them can't send mail (due to server "authentication" errors) - sometime refusing passwords. Nothing has been changed on the client.

To "fix" the problem, I have either had to enable SMTP authentication or disable it (i.e. the reverse of what worked before).

So, I know how to workaround the issue, but why is it happening in the first place. Is BT changing the SMTP policy?

--

tm

[spank]

If you are connected with BT Broadband and you have authentication enabled chances are it will error.  Expecially with outlook, outlook express works fine.

If you are connecting to another ISP and you try and send mail without authentication you tend to get the same errors.

It's a pain for people who take their laptops home, they have to remove the authentication settings when they connect to the BT line.

It seems to be some sort of problem between the mail servers and certain mail clients.

[alastair]

the point is that you shouldnt have to change the authentication setting on or off regardless. BT cant expect its pc illiterate users to chop and change their settings just because BT cant configure their servers correctly.

[spank]

Indeed, another case of a*** from elbow syndrome.

Message Edited by Andy75 on 12-08-2009 03:47 PM

[adrianc]

Given that this only (ttbomk) affects people using Outlook 2007 and Mac Mail, I don't think that all the blame can be laid at BT's feet.

[alastair]

BT provides outlook 2007 as the mail client for organise and share so BT should be able to provide a service that allows a product that they themselves hand out to work. surely?

[spank]

You may have hit on something there 🙂

Organise and Organise and Share customer don't have this problem....

[alastair]

spank,

thats because org + share uses exchange not a pop3 account. its pop3 accounts that are doing it.

i think

[spank]

Yeah I mean the reason they're not fixing it, to make users buy advanced email hosting instead.  Probably not but you never know.

[alastair]

the answer is probably the most obvious. Butthole VS Elbow

other ISPs don't have these issues as far as i'm aware

[kittyandpolly]

Hi,

I seem to be having the same problem. I receive emails ok, but when I go to send emails, it tries to authenticate and keeps asking me for my password, despite me providing it.

Email was working fine until yesterday but I haven't changed a thing.

How I can best get round this ?Just reboot the router or try something else ?

Thanks,

Paula