Webmail Server Cannot Be Found

[#1]

I stopped receiving email from my plusnet address two days ago.  Usually this happens when the mailbox is full and I have to login and clear it - but this time when I try to login I get an error message saying the server cannot be found.

I’m using an iPad.

My email account started with Freenetname, migrated to Madasafish, then to Plusnet.

Any suggestions how to resolve this gratefully received.

[#2]

Hey there @DevonshireMike there was a known issue about this that our team flagged up but not sure where we are with it. Will see if I can get an update at all

[#3]

Thank you so much!

[#4]

Just to check have you tried it on another browser/device?

[#5]

I tried just now, and managed to login to webmail on my laptop using Chrome on Windows 10.  I cleared all the mail in the inbox (which had almost 2,000 emails in it), but noted the most recent was received 48 hours ago.

I usually receive dozens of emails every day - so nothing in 48 hours is unusual in itself.

I still can’t login using Safari on this iPad (error - server cannot be found).

[#6]

Now I have a slightly different problem.

Having used my PC to clear the server inbox (I still get ‘server cannot be found’ using Safari) I am now receiving email on my iPad (iPad mini 4 running IOS 15.7.9] as before.

On my iPhone (iPhone 13 mini running IOS 16.6.1) however I get an error message saying it cannot get mail because the username or password for the plusnet account is incorrect.  I checked all the details carefully and re-entered the password, but the problem remained.  So I created a new account in the phone for plusnet - copying all the details carefully from the iPad and get the message ‘Cannot Connect Using SSL’ 

I’ve now run out of ideas - can you help?

[#7]

When it says cannot connect via SSL have you tried saying still connect?

[#8]

Yes I have.  It then has another go at the verifying process and comes back with the same message - cannot connect via SSL.  

[#9]

Are you using the Madasafish or Plusnet server addresses? I’d suggest the latter and those details can be found at: https://www.plus.net/help/email-guides/how-to-set-up-plusnet-email/

[#10]

I can't remember whether or not SSL/TLS was ever enabled on the Madasafish/Freenetname email server addresses. I've found posts elsewhere around these parts that suggest it may have been, but whatever the weather, there is no valid SSL cert there now: -

~ $ openssl s_client -connect mail.freenetname.co.uk:993
1996116032:error:0200206F:system library:connect:Connection refused:../crypto/bio/b_sock2.c:110:
1996116032:error:2008A067:BIO routines:BIO_connect:connect error:../crypto/bio/b_sock2.c:111:
1996116032:error:0200206F:system library:connect:Connection refused:../crypto/bio/b_sock2.c:110:
1996116032:error:2008A067:BIO routines:BIO_connect:connect error:../crypto/bio/b_sock2.c:111:
connect:errno=111

Either try disabling SSL/TLS on the iOS device, or use the Plusnet mail server addresses as per @Gandalf's recommendation. In case of the latter, I suspect you will need to use your full email address as the mail collection username.

[#11]

Okay - having taken what I can from the advice above …

The issue appears to be with the outgoing mail server?

If I try to connect to the plusnet server as suggested (relay.plus.net) I get a message saying the (freenetname) email address is invalid and to please use a valid email address

if I try to connect to the freenetname server I get a message saying the server is not reponding.  I tried relay.freentname.net and the server which my iPad seems to connect to quite satisfactorily which is smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk.

The result is exactly the same whether (or not) I enable SSL on the iPhone.

[#12]

Hi! Is anyone still having problems? It won't let me log in to my Plusnet web-mail. 

[#13]

Yes - I have two problems, neither of which are fully resolved.

1) - I cannot login to webmail using Safari.  This means I can’t access it on my iPad or iPhone - but I did manage to login using Chrome on my windows laptop.  

2) - I cannot receive emails from my plusnet account on my iPhone.  I don’t understand this - because exactly the same account settings on my iPad works fine.  I’ve tried all the advice given above, but the problem remains.  The iPad can connect using a freenetname.net server address, but the iPhone cannot.  On the iPhone - if I try to use the freenetname server address it says it cannot find the server, if I try to connect to the plus.net server it says my email address is invalid.

If anyone has any ideas I’d be very grateful!

[#14]

Sorry, to hear you are having problems too DevonshireMike. It is still the same for me.

[#15]

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@DevonshireMike wrote:

2) - I cannot receive emails from my plusnet account on my iPhone.  I don’t understand this - because exactly the same account settings on my iPad works fine.  I’ve tried all the advice given above, but the problem remains.  The iPad can connect using a freenetname.net server address, but the iPhone cannot.  On the iPhone - if I try to use the freenetname server address it says it cannot find the server, if I try to connect to the plus.net server it says my email address is invalid.

If anyone has any ideas I’d be very grateful!

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It helps if you detail the actual SERVER name you are using rather than suggesting its the server for the service.

Much like username.plus.com uses imap.plus.net and relay.plus.net (the email domains and the server names are not the same) - [username]@freenetname.net uses mail.freenetname.co.uk (I think) and smtpmail.freenetname.co.uk

Many email clients will take the email ADDRESS domain and stick imap. or smtp. on the front of it for the server names.

See here for SMTP settings for the various brands - How to change your outgoing server on a mail clien... - Plusnet Community