How to Troubleshoot Problems With Your Email
Listed below are some actions you can take if you are having issues checking and/or sending email.
Check your Internet Connection:If you are having problems checking and/or sending email, many times the issue will be with your internet connection. The easiest way to check your connection is to try to go to http://www.google.com, or any other web page and see if you are able to view it in your browser. If not then the issue is most likely with your connection, and you should call your internet connection provider (Comcast, Verizon, AOL, etc.).
Try Webmail
Try to access your account using Degnan, Co. webmail. If you are able to use Degnan, Co. webmail, then the problem is with your email software. See potential troubleshooting techniques listed below.
Check email Settings:
If your internet connection is working properly, but you are still having problems checking and/or sending your email, you should check your settings making sure that they are all correct and have not been changed by 3rd party software (such as virus scanners, spyware or firewalls). If you are using Outlook Express or Outlook, you can remove your account and recreate it using the steps listed below. Note: If you are using any email clients other than Outlook or Outlook Express, you should not delete your account. Doing so may delete everything in your inbox, resulting in you losing all your email.
Why can't I send email?:
If you are trying to send email while connected to another provider (i.e. Comcast, Verizon, AOL) you will need to turn on SMTP authentication and change your outgoing mail server settings. For more information on turning on SMTP Authentication and changing your outgoing mail server settings, please see the instructions below for your particular email client.
TURNING ON SMTP AUTHORIZATION
Outlook Express or Outlook
Add SMTP Authentication:
- Open Outlook
- Click on Tools
- Click on Accounts
- Click on Mail
- Click on your email account
- Click on Properties
- Click on the Servers tab
- Make sure your Outgoing Mail (SMTP) server is set to mail.yourdomain.com (e.g. smtp.yourdomain.com)
- Check the checkbox next to "My server requires authentication"
- Click on the Settings button
- Select "Log on using"
- Enter your full email address (including domain, ex.: myemail@yourdomain.com) and password
- Check the checkbox next to "Remember password" (this step is optional, if you want your email software to remember your password)
- Click on OK
To change the outgoing mail port from 25 to 587:
- In Outlook, drop down the Tools menu
- Choose Accounts or Account Options
- Click on the Mail tab
- Click on Properties
- Click on the Advanced tab
- Change the outgoing mail from port 25 to port 587
- Make sure that the box that says This connections requires a secure connection(SSL) is NOT checked
- Click OK
- Exit Outlook
- Start Outlook and the changes will be effective.
To change the outgoing mail port from 25 to 587 (Netscape 7.x):
- Launch the Netscape mail client
- Drop down to the Edit menu, and choose Mail and Newsgroup Account Settings
- Click Outgoing Server (SMTP)
- On the right hand side next to server name it should say Port: 25
- Change that number from 25 to 587
- Click OK
- Exit Netscape
- Start Netscape and the changes will be effective.
Qualcomm Eudora Light 2.x/3.x
Add SMTP Authentication:
- You will need to upgrade to Eudora 4.3.2, available from Qualcomm's http://www.eudora.com/ Eudora site. When you upgrade to Eudora 4.3.2 you will be able to keep your older Eudora settings.
- SMTP authentication works in Eudora 4.3.2's 'Light Mode' (basic features and no advertisements), which can be selected by opening Eudora, pulling down the Help menu, and selecting "Payment & Registration...". In the Payment & Registration window, click on the "Light Mode" button and close the window.
- To turn on SMTP authentication on a computer running windows, open Eudora, pull down the Tools menu and select "Options..." to display the Options window. In the Options window, select the "Getting Started" category on the left-hand side.
- Type the appropriate server name in the "SMTP" box.
- Select the "Allow authorization" checkbox and click "OK.
Eudora has chosen to hide the Port change option in version 6.0 and up, making it more difficult to make this change. If you have purchased Eudora, we would suggest contacting them about making this option available by default again. To enable changing ports:
- Navigate to your Eudora install directory.
- Look in the Eudora directory for the directory "extrastuff".
- In this directory is a file named "esoteric.epi". Drag (copy or move) this file into the main Eudora directory. There will now be options extra listed, including a Ports page.
- Launch Eudora
- Drop down the Tools menu, and choose Options
- Click on Ports
- Change the port from 25 to 587
- Click OK
- Restart Eudora
As above, Eudora has hidden the ports option in version 6.0 and up. If you have purchased Eudora, we suggesting contacting them about this, as there is no reason to make this difficult.
Then change port from 25 to 587:
- For version 6.0 and up, quit Eudora and look in the Eudora Application Folder for the folder "Extras". In this folder is a file "Esoteric Settings". Drag this file into the "Eudora Stuff" folder
- Launch Eudora
- Drop down the Special menu, and choose Settings
- Click on Ports and Protocols
- Change the port from 25 to 587
- Click OK
- Restart Eudora
To change the outgoing mail port from 25 to 587 (Mozilla 1.x)
- Launch the Mozilla mail client
- Drop down the Edit menu, and choose Mail and Newsgroup Account Settings
- Click Outgoing Server (SMTP)
- On the right hand side next to server name it should say Port: 25
- Change that number from 25 to 587
- Click OK
- Restart Mozilla
HOW TO REMOVE YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT
Outlook Express- Click on Tools, go to Accounts.
- Go the Mail tab, and click on it.
- Highlight the account you would like to remove and click on the button labeled "Remove."
- Rebuild the account as you would set it up for the first time.
- Click on Tools, go to Email Accounts (Accounts in older versions).
- Place a dot next to View or change and existing e-mail account.
- Highlight the account you would like to remove and click on the button labeled "Remove."
FIREWALLS AND VIRUS SCANNERS:
If your connection is working and you have checked your account settings, but are still having issues checking and/or receiving email, the next thing to look at is either your virus scanner, or any firewalls you may have. For testing purposes you should disable both your virus scanner and firewall to see if that clears up the issue. If it does, then you will need to contact your firewall/antivirus provider to assist in fixing the problem.
To disable the firewall that comes with Windows XP, go to Start > Control Panel. You should see the Windows Firewall icon. Click on the icon and choose Off, then Ok.
EMAIL HANGS OR DUPLICATE EMAILS:
This usually occurs when you have a very large email in your account, or one of the headers is corrupt. You can use your webmail account to view your email and delete the problem email, or move it to a different folder other than the inbox.