Email client problems since Free-online changed to Greenby

[Silverwhistle]

Hi, I'm having problems with my email clients on my desktop computer since Greenby took over plusnet/free-online. I think it may be the Ports that are required. I keep being told that my User Name and Password aren't recognised (even though they're correct) and it won't save the settings that Greenby has given me for the servers. Please advise, or am I going to have to use Webmail all the time now?

[Silverwhistle]

Hi, I'm having the same issue: have just been migrated from Plusnet to Greenby, and I can't send emails from my computer, only on webmail. They ask for

• Port: 25
• SSL/TLS: Off
• SMTP authentication: Off

[XRaySpeX]

Do I need to change any settings?

No, your email settings will remain the same. You don’t need to do anything to continue using the service.

---

But let's check! What have you put as the Incoming & Outgoing Server settings (all of them) in your Mail app, obscuring your name?

[Silverwhistle]

I had to make changes because it wasn't working at all. I was told to use;

Incoming (IMAP):

• Server: imap.free-online.net
• Port: 143
• SSL: Off
• Username: [full email]
• Password: your mailbox password

Outgoing (SMTP):

• Server: relay.free-online.net
• Port: 25
• SSL: Off
• Authentication: On
• Username: [full email]
• Password: your mailbox password

but because the mail client won't accept my identity, it won't save the changes to server and port, or save the SSL being turned off. Port 25 seems to be a significant problem. It also asks for a Path Prefix.

I had previously been using an incoming POP, too.

[XRaySpeX]

It's Port 143 & 25 that's throwing you. They are unauthenticated & so only work when you access them from PN BB.

Change Port 143 to Port 993 SSL ON.

Change Port 25 to Port 587 SSL ON or failing that  Port 465 SSL ON. 

[Silverwhistle]

Thanks, but it's still not recognising username and password.

Greenby's Support had said that it has to be the ports they specified.

I really don't know what to do. I don't want to have to change my email address and lose my website by going to another ISP. Am at my wits' end with this. It's been a problem all weekend.

[XRaySpeX]

What settings were you using before Greenby told you to change them? Were they like How to set up Plusnet email > What other settings do I need? 

Is it possible that Greenby don't recognise '.free-online.net' for Server names; only '.plus.net'? What happens if you try changing them so?

What email client are you using? It shouldn't have to auth your creds just to change your settings even if you got them wrong (you can always correct them later).

[Silverwhistle]

Thanks. I have both Apple Mail and Outlook installed on my desktop machine (an old Mac that runs on OS X Sierra).

It does recognise free-online. I think it's the ports that are the root of the problem.

[XRaySpeX]

So do I! You shouldn't be using ports 25 & 143 when off PN BB.

With Outlook at least you should be able to change server settings if you don't do "Test a/c settings".

Yes, '*.free-online.net' & '*.plus.net' for servers both exist & arrive at the same server '*.enmail.co'. I can reach them over TELNET.

[Silverwhistle]

The problem is, Greenby doesn't give any alternative servers. It insists on those.