As an IT consultant I get accustomed to certain problems and complaints from users.  ”My computer is running slow” is a universal favorite.  But one stands out as arguably the most common end user headache: ”My Email Isn’t Working.”

Welcome to the club.  Email headaches are endless.  Fortunately, many issues are common problems that can be fixed relatively easily.

There are two primary ways to send and receive email:  using an Email Application and using Webmail.  Many problems are common to both types of access, some are specific to one or the other.  It helps to have both methods for troubleshooting and workarounds – try using Webmail when your email software isn’t working.  This can definitely help in a pinch.

Common Problems Receiving Email

Wrong Username or Password

Some email providers require that your entire email address to be entered as the username when signing in or setting up your email software:  myname@domain.com

Other providers require only the portion to the left of the @ sign:  myname

Try both methods when this problem occurs.  Also check for typos, particularly in web browsers that auto-enter saved data into forms.

Password errors are often presented in conjunction with username errors: Wrong Username or Password.  That makes it hard to know which item is incorrect.  However one common password problem is case sensitivity – does your provider pay attention to upper- and lowercase letters?  Many do, so that may be an issue.

No Response or Error Contacting Mailserver

Many times email is working perfectly one minute then stops for no reason.  Often these issues have nothing to do with your email account or program, but it can be tough to tell what’s going on.

First thing to check: do you still have internet access?  Open a web browser and try visiting any website (Google is a good quick check).  If you can’t reach anything the problem is not just with email.  This sounds obvious, but I give this simple troubleshooting suggestion to people several times a month.

Assuming you have internet access, next determine if the problem is with your system or the email server.  If  two or more people can’t get email it’s probably a server or network problem.  Try using Webmail to access your account.  If that works, quitting and relaunching your email program might help.  If Webmail doesn’t work, the problem is likely with the email server.

Wrong Port or Security Settings

This problem is more advanced and typically affects email applications accessing POP and IMAP accounts. Email accounts get configured using specific server names, port numbers and security settings (SSL data encryption On or Off).  Default values are often set during account configuration, and these may need to be changed.

For POP accounts, the default settings are port 110/SSL off.
If your provider requires a secure connection, use port 995/SSL on.

For IMAP accounts the default settings are port 143/SSL off.
If your provider requires a secure connection, use port 993/SSL on.

Common Problems Sending Email

Problems sending email are more frequent than problems receiving email.  Security settings and port restrictions are an attempt to stem the tide of spam and prevent unauthorized use of mailservers.  Alas these efforts often seem to thwart legitimate users more than spammers.

Wrong Username/Password

Username and Password issues can affect both sending and receiving email.  As with receiving mail, check both styles of username – myname@domain.com and myname – and verify correct case on passwords.

Incorrect Authentication

Authentication is the way in which an email application provides a user’s account information to the mailserver, rather than just what it provides; it’s a set of protocols for verifying identity.  There are different settings you can choose for Authentication.  Choices and wording vary by program.  If you get an Authentication error when sending mail check this setting, it may not be the password which is incorrect.

Some cable and T1 providers use None (No Authentication) when you are sending email while on their networks.  Try this option when nothing else works.

Wrong Port and Security Settings

Outgoing mailservers (called SMTP servers) also require specific port and SSL settings:

SMTP default settings are port 25/SSL off.
Secure connections use port 587/SSL on, or (sometimes) port 465/SSL on.

Try these different combinations in your account setup preferences when you can’t send email.

If your ISP does not allow you to send email using an external SMTP server, you will need to consult your ISP or use their SMTP servers.

Too Many Attachments or Message Too Large

Simple rules here: don’t send to too many items in one email, and keep attachments as small as possible.  Specific limits as to how much data you can send with an email vary by provider, but generally the more stuff you add the more potential for problems to occur.

Workarounds for attachment problems include splitting up your batch of photos/movies/documents  into several emails, each with fewer individual attachments; sending the attachments as a single .zip archive; or posting to an intermediate server (FTP, corporate fileserver, etc.)

Use Webmail as a Workaround

Webmail is a good workaround when you’re stuck or traveling.  The Webmail interface to a server doesn’t send or receive messages across the internet as POP/IMAP/SMTP exchanges, but rather as web traffic. This allows email access when on networks which block dedicated email ports.

For example, you go to a restaurant where you get free WiFi but blocks outgoing email ports.  You can receive email but not send messages using Apple Mail.  As a workaround, login to your Webmail account, which isn’t blocked, then send and receive messages from there.  Problem solved.