Evolution fails with "unable to authenticate to SMTP server "

[nss000]

Gents:

Running U_10.04 fully patched: kernel 2.6.34-48, GNOME_2 and Evolution 2.28.3: Byteslut AT&T U-Verse internet provider:

After working without issue for a year under U_Verse, Evolution now fails after an attempt to create a 2nd email address on the same computer: After stripping OPERA naked I can access my **AT&T webmail**. Also, I can receive emails on my client, but after following a teks advise to try setting up a 2nd email account in Evolution I cannot now send emails.

So initially Evolution emails works perfectly with my nominal email address. Then I try to set up a 2nd email address. That attempt fails and Evolution function with the original email address then also fails. Dead-in-the-water! Upon engagement Evolution now produces the boxed error:

"Unable to authenticate to SMTP server" ... and upon entering manually my password the 2nd error box appears:
"Bad authentication response from server"

I changed nothing in my Evolution setup for the nominal email address in question. AT&T semi-English speaking teks say they can see no changes to their server authentication (which just changed to YAHOO !!?) , but quickly pimp their "extra-cost--extra-help" 3rd-line teks. A civil tongue is difficult to maintain.

GOOGLING the **error** displays a raft of conflicting events and issues. I can provide more details. One year ago when I first set-up Evolution email for U-Verse I had to "find" the addition of ":465" to **OUTBOUND.ATT.NET** Perhaps some similar trick-doo is now at fault. Comments and experiences appreciated.

 

[Jose Navarro Vicente]

Try to copy in paper SMTP configuration that works with only one mail account and then copy it when you add extra mail accounts.

Of course just copy smtp server information.

Good luck!

 

[stillblue]

Haven't used evolution for some time, I find thunderbird great, espescially the setup of new accounts. However, I should think that evo has a default SMTP option. It really doesn't matter which SMTP you use just so long as it works so default to the good one. I have people here that I'm trying to get off of Yahoo because it gobbles up the limited bandwidth and they say they have to use Yahoo because everyone they send to is on it. I then try to explain with varying degrees of effectiveness that email is like a post office box, doesn't matter how it is sent it still gets to you and it doesn't matter how you send it it will still get to your correspondant's box.

 

[nss000]

No need to copy anything; the original set-up is still there and it doesn't work! **NOTHING** works now ... not the original email address , not the new address and not both together !! Do you see how weird and evil ?

The AUTH_strings & outbound choices I used in my original working **single email setup** NO LONGER WORK in the single email setup !! Perhaps in the brief time while I tried to get both emails working the email server AUTH_strings were changed by byteslut AT&T . Smells like it, since now AT&T insists I buy extra-paid-service to get client-side email working again.

Try to copy in paper SMTP configuration that works with only one mail account and then copy it when you add extra mail accounts.

Of course just copy smtp server information.

Good luck!

 

[Jose Navarro Vicente]

If I were you, I'll just move to Mozilla's Thunderbird.

Yours is a very, VERY extrange issue.

 

[nss000]

What will THUNDERBIRD provide that EVOLUTION does not? If AT&T keep the required AUTH_strings/settings secret ... for paid support only ... then what difference does the client matter?

I can **receive** email so my POP handshake strings/settings are OKey;
but, the SMTP strings/setting that **used** to work do not work now so I can send no email! BTW?? this is true for both my primary and my building Linux systems ... running U_10.04 & 12.04 respectively, so the issue is **NOT** one of a single "poldergeisted" system.

If I were you, I'll just move to Mozilla's Thunderbird.

Yours is a very, VERY extrange issue.

 

[Jose Navarro Vicente]

Mozilla doesn't provide weird SMTP server issues, that is something. 😀

 

[stillblue]

TBird makes the setup easy. Since the incoming works you know the server address. Just input that during the install then TBird will try to authenticate by itself, if it fails you can work through the various authentication options, not many, until you find the one that works.

What will THUNDERBIRD provide that EVOLUTION does not? If AT&T keep the required AUTH_strings/settings secret ... for paid support only ... then what difference does the client matter?

I can **receive** email so my POP handshake strings/settings are OKey;
but, the SMTP strings/setting that **used** to work do not work now so I can send no email! BTW?? this is true for both my primary and my building Linux systems ... running U_10.04 & 12.04 respectively, so the issue is **NOT** one of a single "poldergeisted" system.

If I were you, I'll just move to Mozilla's Thunderbird.

Yours is a very, VERY extrange issue.

 

[nss000]

As you advise THUNDERBIRD might
be worth a try n... you say it **tries** to guess the AUTH_strings for outbound email? I may try a hour of guessing on my "new" system where incoming email never worked at all. Yeah yeah I have searched diligently for **typos** in filling boxes..... You know there number of possible string = # of ports on your system ... eh? My "old" successful AUTH string for AT&T SMTP was:

outbound.att.net:465

I understand that "110" and "25" are also popular numbers. That trailing numeric string must be a systems port number ... and I have what , 64000 such ports? What is to keep byteslut AT&T from using port# 19072 or 41278 in that AUTH string? Or requiring 1/2/3 spaces between the number and letters? I will never "guess" that number and anyone who wants it must GOTO their extra-pay system! They could even change it to FOODOG.yahoo.com and who would guess ??

The outgoing [usrnam] string is another mystery point: It used to be:

MYNAME@bellsouth.net ......... and is so for incoming email. But, they could lop-off any substring .... change-is-good-as-a-vacation ... Can you see my reluctance to believe a short 20-questions type guessing meme provides a sure solution?

No surprise at that AT&T $$$.whoring, analogous to their dropping USENET support 2 years ago. Less service same price.

TBird makes the setup easy. Since the incoming works you know the server address. Just input that during the install then TBird will try to authenticate by itself, if it fails you can work through the various authentication options, not many, until you find the one that works.

What will THUNDERBIRD provide that EVOLUTION does not? If AT&T keep the required AUTH_strings/settings secret ... for paid support only ... then what difference does the client matter?

I can **receive** email so my POP handshake strings/settings are OKey;
but, the SMTP strings/setting that **used** to work do not work now so I can send no email! BTW?? this is true for both my primary and my building Linux systems ... running U_10.04 & 12.04 respectively, so the issue is **NOT** one of a single "poldergeisted" system.

If I were you, I'll just move to Mozilla's Thunderbird.

Yours is a very, VERY extrange issue.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Straight from: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=804

If you created a free att.net email address after June 11th, 2011 you will not be able to use an email client to access your email. Retrieve your email at http://www.att.net.

 

[nss000]

Good catch; I missed it.Yet true text, but false behavior. My byteslut AT&T client-server email account was setup July 2012. My AUTHstrings used a colon 🙂) not a slash (/).

Straight from: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=804

If you created a free att.net email address after June 11th, 2011 you will not be able to use an email client to access your email. Retrieve your email at http://www.att.net.

 

[stillblue]

Good catch; I missed it.Yet true text, but false behavior. My byteslut AT&T client-server email account was setup July 2012. My AUTHstrings used a colon 🙂) not a slash (/).

Straight from: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401570&cv=804

If you created a free att.net email address after June 11th, 2011 you will not be able to use an email client to access your email. Retrieve your email at http://www.att.net.

PM me and I'll set up a pop mail acct for you. Been maintaining a domain for 8 years now.

 

[Jose Navarro Vicente]

I love when some extrange issue is fixed in such a good way.


Good work!

 

[nss000]

It's not fixed. Btyeslut AT&T fyucked me in the *zzwhole ... by removing my client-server email ... and there's nothing I can do about it.

I love when some extrange issue is fixed in such a good way.


Good work!

 

[stillblue]

You could pm me and get a free POP3 acct. and impress your friends with a KasaiOccidental.com or CongoSource.org address or you could pay for the address, you could pay for a domain (as little as $6/year) and turn your computer into your very own server giving you unlimited addresses or you could set up on a hosted site (I pay $82/year) and have a couple of thousand addresses. I did the latter and if I ever get 24/7 electricity and a fast connection I'm going for the middle option.

It's not fixed. Btyeslut AT&T fyucked me in the *zzwhole ... by removing my client-server email ... and there's nothing I can do about it.

I love when some extrange issue is fixed in such a good way.


Good work!

 

[nss000]

??Again .. all web-based solutions not cleancut client-server email. I actually wondered about VPN, but again you need a pre-existing www connection.

In-the-day I hosted a site on ANGLEFIRE: hardboil fiction called Butchers Boulevard. But, my next attempt at forming a website failed ... wasted money ... much more complex to construct. I looked, but never found what to me was a bullet-proof site provider to which I could upload HTML and pics. FTP isn't all that simple anyway. I got fair at HTML, but never groked style-sheets or JavaScript with its xxx.yyy.zzz constructs.

You could pm me and get a free POP3 acct. and impress your friends with a KasaiOccidental.com or CongoSource.org address or you could pay for the address, you could pay for a domain (as little as $6/year) and turn your computer into your very own server giving you unlimited addresses or you could set up on a hosted site (I pay $82/year) and have a couple of thousand addresses. I did the latter and if I ever get 24/7 electricity and a fast connection I'm going for the middle option.

It's not fixed. Btyeslut AT&T fyucked me in the *zzwhole ... by removing my client-server email ... and there's nothing I can do about it.

I love when some extrange issue is fixed in such a good way.


Good work!