Can't send email using relay.plus.net

[#1]

@Townman 

This is what came up. When I tried 04 for the second time it didn't seem to want play ball but when I typed it in for the third time, it worked.

I note that after I logged off I had a different path to the one in your notes. I presume this is OK.

[#2]

Forgot to say, I'm not using a VPN. What I don't understand is why everything should work correctly on other devices.

[#3]

On other devices ... on your network?

Can you run successfully the SMTP diagnostic on those other devices?

If you can, then the issue is related to the device itself, not the email service or the network.  We are now "grasping at straws" - is there any known network configuration difference between the problem machine and the non-problem machines?

Can you please ping relay.plus.net on the problem machine and one of the not a problem machines.  Note the IP addresses, are they the same?  Note that you will NOT get replies to the pings - Plusnet services do not waste time and resources responding to probes.

To be clear, is it the case that NO email client on that device can connect to the outbound server?

What OS is that running?

If Windows - consider running a system file integrity scan.  You need to run the DOS prompt / terminal in admin mode.

C:> sfc /scannow

It might take a while, especially if it finds things to fix.

[#4]

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@Annie wrote:

@Townman 

It is a Plusnet secondary email address with the plus sign in the middle.

I can send emails from my Windows 10 PC fine and also use Webmail on the Win 11 PC so I don't believe any password has been changed. I don't use the password anywhere else and it is a jumble of 12 characters.

I have also tried using the main Plusnet email account and also another secondary account and none of these work on the new PC either.

The Mail app is not sending an email out at all now.

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Reviewing what you have shared...

Is the "problem" PC the Win11 PC?

Is the "Mail App" that excuse for a mail app which ships with Win11 and calls itself "Outlook"?

If the latter is "Yes" then that is not a great benchmark for testing anything.  In my experience I have found it less than reliable.  That product has also undergone a major redevelopment and the early release would only work properly with @outlook.com or @hotmail.com mailboxes.

Personally I would use a known benchmark for diagnostics such as Thunderbird if you do not plan to use Outlook 386 (full product).

That said, that ought not to impact the operation of the SMTP diagnostic.

[#5]

Annie,

Applying yet more scrutiny to the evidence you have supplied

1. are you Annie B / acquainted with Harvey
2. are you using a static IP address?

If the answer to (1) is "Yes" I will move this to PMs.

[#6]

@Townman 

I take it this is how I ping. Here's the result...

C:\WINDOWS\system32>ping relay.plus.net

Pinging relay.plus.net [212.159.8.107] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 212.159.8.107:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

---

I have just tried again to run the SMTP diagnostic on both my new Windows 11 PC (the problem machine) and also my old Windows 10 PC. It's very strange but now both are giving ...

235 ... authentication succeeded.

I checked back on my previous screenshots in the CMD prompt and can't see any difference between when it didn't work and when it did.

I do seem to be able to send from the Mail app on Windows 11 now. However, I still have the issue sending from the backup software.Would you agree with me that it must be the EaseUsToDo backup program that is the culprit? It's odd because it was working about a week ago.

I have put in a support request to the company but they want me to do a Live Chat in the early hours of the morning when they are working (different time zone). I'm hoping they might respond to my email requests to see whether they can spot what is going on.

Thank you very much for all your help.

[#7]

@Townman 

yes I'm AnnieB and Harvey is my husband. I don't think I'm using a static IP but I've been with Plusnet for so long I can't remember.

[#8]

OK, I need to take this private.

[#9]

PM sent explaining the detailed analysis along with a request for more diagnostics to be posted here.

@Annie 

PS: Input in private from @MisterW considered the possibility that the back-up software might be messing things up for you ... which given your comment that the SMTP tests are now working on BOTH machines gives credence to that consideration ... but arguably brings about even more confusion.

There are a few complex tests which could be done in this area, which might be difficult to describe.  I'm content to offer remote support in this case if you want to explore such ... but not today!

[#10]

@Townman 

The router is a Plusnet Hub Two.

I hope I have understood your your requests for information. If not, please say - I am a complete novice, I'm afraid.

This is the new Windows (problematic) PC.

I couldn't screenshot in one go so here's the beginning part.

Second part.

This is the Windows 10 PC.

Some further information in case it is of any relevance:

I have been making notes as I have been installing my PC programs as I had run into problems and ended up clean installing Windows 11 and didn't want to get caught out again. The Backup software last sent me an email notification on 10th January. These are the steps leading up to the issue. 

10.1.2024

• Installed Windows Update and restarted.
• Installed Windows Malicious Software Tool and restarted.
• Installed LibreOffice 7.5.
• Installed Open Office 4.1.15.
• Created restore point.
• Installed GMP Pro and customized (a genealogy program).
• Tried altering Workgroup name to see my PC on my Win 11 PC in the Network. Restarted.
• Took an EaseUs Backup.

11.1.2024

• Had to set up to not enter password at sign-in once again. Not sure why it needed this. Closed down and started PC again.

16.1.2024

• Installed Firefox.
• EaseUs ToDo Backup. Email didn't send.

---

What I'm wondering is whether I've messed something up by looking at the Workgroup name again although I think it was already correct. I think I also switched on Public networks at the same time although my home network is set to Private.

I can confirm that pinging relay.plus.net is the same whether the backup software is running or closed down and the program exited.

I am happy to do a remote session at your convenience. Thank you.

[#11]

Can you please repeat the SMTP diagnostic.

Historic evidence is at odds with the current evidence which appears to be exact how it should be. As is at present I trust that all email programs (aside from the backup program) are working fine?

Please do the comparison diagnostic on both machines. Confirm both machines can send emails.

If successful then try to configure the back up email. If that fails do the smtp diagnostics again and we can pick up the story again there.

Through the journey of this thread the details in the diagnostics has changed. No idea why yet!!

[#12]

@Townman 

Both machines can send email from both email addresses. I'm using the original Mail app on the Windows 11 PC and Thunderbird on the Windows 10 PC.

Here are the results of the SMTP diagnostics.

Windows 11 - original email address.

Windows 11 - test email address.

Windows 10 - original email address.

Windows 10 - test email address.

You'll notice in one of the above attempts I had to have a second go at entering the details. My original screenshot shows the exact same details but the first attempt threw an error. Now I think what might have happened is I mistyped a character and went over it again which I remember was something not to do. I am now wondering whether this is something that I did once before to get a 535 error. Apologies if so but copy and paste doesn't seem to work for this so I have to type it all in.

The backup software still won't send email via relay.plus.net on the Windows 11 PC but does so with an older version of this program on my Windows 10 PC.

Something I noticed when I was sat at my desk and a backup tried to run was the following message in a pop up window.

PIPE failed to transmit data.

This wasn't to do with sending an email but the actual job itself. Does this mean anything at all. The job ran again a half an hour later and completed correctly.

That's me for this evening. Will check in again tomorrow.

[#13]

Oh how embarrassing!  Seeing all of the diagnostics in one place ... I see that I have misread the messages!!!

Sorry, I need to rethink this space. 

[#14]

@Annie 

I really have no clue when it comes to things like this and it's purely an observation.

I'd also like to apologise to yourself and the others whom have contributed thus far to this thread if I've got this completely wrong (knowing me I have!)

But, on your screenshot on post 12 under the SMTP settings tab -> Server name, you've input relay.plus.net and having looked at their easeus site they ask you to fill it out by writing the server name as (using their example for gmail) smtp.gmail.com so should you be writing smtp.relay.plus.net?

Like I said I have no clue and it's something I spotted and thought it might be of some use.

The PIPE failed to transmit data message is on their site too but gives no explanation of what this actually means 🤔

[#15]

As far as name resolution (IP address lookup) is concerned relay.plus.net and smtp.plus.net are synonymous. However where encryption is concerned the smtp. variant is not in the security certificate and thus its use gives rise to issues, therefore its use (often guessed at by some email applications) is not helpful.