free-online pop3 server not working since Monday night (April 7th)

[#1]

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@RPMozley wrote:

It’s odd that it’s accepting login with SMTP but not for IMAP or POP3.
How about trying the usual “account+mailbox” username instead of email address?

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Looking at the detail, it is not exactly accepting this for SMTP.

Email address WILL work and (certainly going forwards) is the preferred format.

[#2]

@K5Hall 

THANK YOU!!!

Whilst preparing my notes for the escalation, somewhat by chance double checking the micro detail, I think I have found the issue ... with the test script ... in the context that you are executing it.

Would I be correct that you ran the scripts in a DOS PROMPT rather than POWERSHELL?

Could you please try them again without the single quotes around the email address.  I have anecdotal evidence that running this command in a DOS PROMPT with single quotes messes up the credentials!

[#3]

@Townman 

 I have anecdotal evidence that running this command in a DOS PROMPT with single quotes messes up the credentials!

I have always used powershell for my testing

There are some oddities between a cmd window (DOS) and a powershell

Using single quotes on the DOS curl command does cause this error

< A002 NO [AUTHENTICATIONFAILED] Authentication failed.
* closing connection #0
curl: (67) Login denied

Also note that the $ character in a password is not a problem using DOS when using userID:password 

[#4]

@Dan_the_Van 

As per our PMs - the quotes have now been dropped entirely - too dangerous!

In DOS the single quotes are (apparently) treated as being part of the userID.

[#5]

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@Townman wrote:

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Email address WILL work and (certainly going forwards) is the preferred format.

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So that's going to be the advice from now on, use full email address? OK noted.

I just tried using full email address with domains hosted with PlusNet (i.e. mailbox@domain.co.uk) but login failed for those. I suppose once transferred to Greenby that response may change, since domains will move too. Well, I hope it will at least.

[#6]

That sounds odd.  Is the address hosted by Plusnet or is it redirected to Plusnet?

Your feedback is most timely as I'm close to publishing some comprehensive diagnostic tools...

Certainly for my hosted domain, me@mydomain.me.uk logs on successfully.  Identifying the exceptions before I publish would be might helpful!

Try this in POWERSHELL...

curl.exe -v smtp://relay.plus.net:587 -u mailbox@domain.co.uk --ssl-reqd

Enter your password at the prompt (not echoed).

[#7]

Both domains are registered and hosted with PlusNet. One ends with .org.uk and the other .co.uk
I’m not on Windows, using Ubuntu based linux so it’s nothing to do with any weird windows issues.

Oh, just seen your testing with the PlusNet server. The free-online server is setup differently now, behaviour may be not the same comparing to PlusNet.

I will look some more into this later when I’m not overly tired.

[#8]

Hi Townman,

Sorry couldn't get back to you yesterday - several things needed planning.

I believe with free-online/plusnet I am on a static IP. I used to be but the Plusnet website is not as friendly as it used to be. Used to be able to search and also it also had a link to my settings which I can't find anymore.

Anyway, for your testing what would you like me to run and whether it is in a Powershell or Console window.

Also, do you want if for more than one mailbox. The one I used was my main account I could use another where in webmail you login as hallsres+keith etc.

Oh by the way, my son has Gmail on his phone and it used to sync with his free-online emails but not since this change happened. Any thoughts on that?

Keith

[#9]

@K5Hall 

I believe these are the commands @Townman has settled on IMPORTANT using a powershell  terminal (NOT cmd window)

If Linux remove .exe from the command

curl.exe -v imaps://imap.free-online.net -u you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk
curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk
curl.exe -v smtp://relay.free-online.net:587 -u you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk --ssl-reqd

For me the curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk is failing with message

< -ERR Login failed.
* closing connection #0
curl: (67) Login denied

where as curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u youraccount+you works

* Connection #0 to host mail.free-online.net left intact

EDIT: you will be prompted for the email password.

[#10]

Using Windows 10 Powershell I used the following commands on the main account Hallsres and for other mailbox kshelectronics . Results below

*** Results for Hallsres ***

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v imaps://imap.free-online.net -u hallsres@hallsres.free-online.co.uk

Enter host password for user 'hallsres@hallsres.free-online.co.uk':

* Host imap.free-online.net:993 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:993...

* Connected to imap.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 993

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

< * OK IMAP4 ready

> A001 CAPABILITY

< * CAPABILITY IMAP4 IMAP4rev1 UIDPLUS AUTH=PLAIN

< A001 OK completed

> A002 AUTHENTICATE PLAIN

< +

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

< A002 OK LOGIN Ok.

> A003 LIST "" *

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Trash"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Trash"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Spam"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Spam"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Sent"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Sent"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Drafts"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Drafts"

< * LIST (\Unmarked \HasChildren) "." "INBOX"

* LIST (\Unmarked \HasChildren) "." "INBOX"

< A003 OK LIST completed

* Connection #0 to host imap.free-online.net left intact

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u hallsres@hallsres.free-online.co.uk

Enter host password for user 'hallsres@hallsres.free-online.co.uk':

* Host mail.free-online.net:995 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:995...

* Connected to mail.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 995

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

< +OK POP3 ready <921930536.1744886023@mail.enmail.co>

> CAPA

< +OK Capability list follows

< TOP

< USER

< UIDL

< SASL PLAIN LOGIN

< .

> AUTH PLAIN

< +

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

< +OK logged in.

> LIST

< +OK POP3 clients that break here, they violate STD53.

1 23280

2 23592

3 23303

4 24691

* Connection #0 to host mail.free-online.net left intact

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v smtp://relay.free-online.net:587 -u you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk --ssl-reqd

Enter host password for user 'you@youraccount.free-online.co.uk':

* Host relay.free-online.net:587 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:587...

* Connected to relay.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 587

< 220 mail.enmail.co ESMTP ready

> EHLO DESKTOP-FTCCKVV

< 250-mail.enmail.co

< 250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN

< 250 STARTTLS

> STARTTLS

< 220 2.0.0 Start TLS

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

> EHLO DESKTOP-FTCCKVV

< 250-mail.enmail.co

< 250 AUTH PLAIN LOGIN

> AUTH PLAIN

< 334

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==

< 235 2.0.0 OK

> HELP

< 214-This is smtp ESMTP service help

214-This is smtp ESMTP service help

< 214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.

214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.

< 214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.

214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.

< 214 end of HELP info

214 end of HELP info

* Connection #0 to host relay.free-online.net left intact

*** Results for kshelectronics ***

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v imaps://imap.free-online.net -u kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk

Enter host password for user 'kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk':

* Host imap.free-online.net:993 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:993...

* Connected to imap.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 993

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

< * OK IMAP4 ready

> A001 CAPABILITY

< * CAPABILITY IMAP4 IMAP4rev1 UIDPLUS AUTH=PLAIN

< A001 OK completed

> A002 AUTHENTICATE PLAIN

< +

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==

< A002 OK LOGIN Ok.

> A003 LIST "" *

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Trash"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Trash"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Spam"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Spam"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Sent"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Sent"

< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Drafts"

* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "." "INBOX.Drafts"

< * LIST (\Unmarked \HasChildren) "." "INBOX"

* LIST (\Unmarked \HasChildren) "." "INBOX"

< A003 OK LIST completed

* Connection #0 to host imap.free-online.net left intact

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk

Enter host password for user 'kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk':

* Host mail.free-online.net:995 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:995...

* Connected to mail.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 995

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

< +OK POP3 ready <1006555039.1744886314@mail.enmail.co>

> CAPA

< +OK Capability list follows

< TOP

< USER

< UIDL

< SASL PLAIN LOGIN

< .

> AUTH PLAIN

< +

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==

< -ERR Login failed.

* closing connection #0

curl: (67) Login denied

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v smtp://relay.free-online.net:587 -u kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk --ssl-reqd

Enter host password for user 'kshelectronics@hallsres.free-online.co.uk':

* Host relay.free-online.net:587 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:587...

* Connected to relay.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 587

< 220 mail.enmail.co ESMTP ready

> EHLO DESKTOP-FTCCKVV

< 250-mail.enmail.co

< 250-AUTH PLAIN LOGIN

< 250 STARTTLS

> STARTTLS

< 220 2.0.0 Start TLS

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

> EHLO DESKTOP-FTCCKVV

< 250-mail.enmail.co

< 250 AUTH PLAIN LOGIN

> AUTH PLAIN

< 334

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==

< 235 2.0.0 OK

> HELP

< 214-This is smtp ESMTP service help

214-This is smtp ESMTP service help

< 214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.

214-To contact postmaster send email to postmaster@plus.com.

< 214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.

214-For local information send email to Postmaster at your site.

< 214 end of HELP info

214 end of HELP info

* Connection #0 to host relay.free-online.net left intact

*** Results for hallres+kshelectronics ***

PS C:\Users\Keith> curl.exe -v pop3s://mail.free-online.net -u hallsres+kshelectronics

Enter host password for user 'hallsres+kshelectronics':

* Host mail.free-online.net:995 was resolved.

* IPv6: (none)

* IPv4: 91.204.208.193

*   Trying 91.204.208.193:995...

* Connected to mail.free-online.net (91.204.208.193) port 995

* schannel: disabled automatic use of client certificate

< +OK POP3 ready <1414759775.1744886869@mail.enmail.co>

> CAPA

< +OK Capability list follows

< TOP

< USER

< UIDL

< SASL PLAIN LOGIN

< .

> AUTH PLAIN

< +

> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ==

< +OK logged in.

> LIST

< +OK POP3 clients that break here, they violate STD53.

1 3033

2 111540

3 93637

* Connection #0 to host mail.free-online.net left intact

***End of Results***

Hope this is provides some insights.

[#11]

Hi Keith.

Thank you for your help here in verifying email address logon credentials for free-online.co.uk

I was certain that this should work, however @Dan_the_Van has not been successful in making it work on his account ... and on re-testing against a test account I have access to, I found that failed too.

However, on seeing your results I returned to my reference account and considered the possibility that postmaster@ is an alias.  Guessing at the real address (based on better working knowledge of the Plusnet service) I have been able to reproduce your results.

There is nothing quite like having an end user pipe clean processes.  Really appreciate your contribution here.  I know that you are at a difficult time presently, but I hope you'll stick around the community when things settle down for you.

Best wishes, Townman.

[#12]

Here are my results of testing:

User ID	IMAP	POP3	SMTP
account+mailbox	√	√	√
mailbox@account.free-online.co.uk	√	X	√
mailbox@account.idps.co.uk	√	X	√
mailbox@rpm-mozilla.org.uk	X	X	?
mailbox@mybeautifulvilla.co.uk	X	X	?
? - HELP command failed
500 5.5.2 Error: command not recognized

Not sure what happened with the SMTP, login said 2.0.0 OK before the error.

[#13]

Please let me know the final findings.

Is it deviant behaviour of eM client or is it Plusnet/Free-online not implementing things correctly.

It's always nice to know the final conclusion.

I was an electronics designer in the aerospace industry and I had designed an interface to a standard data bus for our equipment for a major satellite manufacturer. On testing they had issues with our unit and we had to perform rigorous testing and investigations. In the end some of the higher ups came and discussed it with us and realised that the hybrid they had designed had an issue. We had to bear the pain for their mistake when they believed themselves to be faultless and we had effectively tested their system. Typical of any industry or market, the big player blames the little guy or end user until it is proven that they are at fault.

[#14]

Hi Keith,

I got the answers this morning following review of a matter thought to be something else. Different mail servers will accept any userID; they all accept accountname or accountname+mailboxname.

The SMTP server behaves differently on / off network hence the confusion. Not using the email address with free-online will avoid confusion for the moment.

In some sense, this is another hybrid situation.