Receiving email over IMAP intermittent

[rpiMike]

Recently started using EE mobile broadband, however receiving email over IMAP via port 993 is intermittent.

My settings are correct as this does sometimes work, it is as though port 993 is being blocked outside my network?

At about 09:25 today works:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ping mail.livemail.co.uk

PING mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1) 56(84) bytes of data.

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=1 ttl=241 time=168 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=2 ttl=241 time=51.3 ms

^C

--- mail.livemail.co.uk ping statistics ---

2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 2ms

rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 51.275/109.787/168.299/58.512 ms

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ telnet mail.livemail.co.uk 993

Trying 213.171.216.1...

Connected to mail.livemail.co.uk.

Escape character is '^]'.

^CConnection closed by foreign host.

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ 

At about 09:35 today fails:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ping mail.livemail.co.uk

PING mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1) 56(84) bytes of data.

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=1 ttl=241 time=47.2 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=2 ttl=241 time=55.1 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=3 ttl=241 time=54.3 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=4 ttl=241 time=80.2 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=5 ttl=241 time=50.7 ms

64 bytes from mail.livemail.co.uk (213.171.216.1): icmp_seq=6 ttl=241 time=49.0 ms

^C

--- mail.livemail.co.uk ping statistics ---

6 packets transmitted, 6 received, 0% packet loss, time 13ms

rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 47.175/56.103/80.239/11.146 ms

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ telnet mail.livemail.co.uk 993

Trying 213.171.216.1...

Trying 64:ff9b::d5ab:d801...

telnet: Unable to connect to remote host: Network is unreachable

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ 

Any ideas?

[Christopher_G]

Hi @rpiMike 

I'm not really sure what could be causing this. Have you tried restarting your devices?

Is it just the one email account you're having problems with?

Chris

[XRaySpeX]

Try Server: imap-mail.outlook.com on Port: 993 with Encryption: SSL/TLS.

[rpiMike]

Yes, tried restarting devices.

I have 3 IMAP accounts setup - all experience the same issues at the same time.

All works fine over BT wired broadband.

[rpiMike]

I can telnet onto that imap-mail.outlook server whilst not being able to telnet onto mail.livemail, although I assume its a different provider so can't get email.

I guess that proves 993 is not blocked out of my network but may be blocked into mail.livemail?

[XRaySpeX]

They all Mail servers for any of Office365.com, Outlook.com, Live.com, Hotmail & all stages in between. They are interchangeable. MS just keeps changing its name.

EDIT: Sorry, I think I may have confused your livemail.co.uk email provider with MS's Outlook.com / Live.com system.

[rpiMike]

Using a Raspberry Pi to telnet onto mail.livemail.co.uk port 993, the following was logged

2022-08-30 00:00:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:05:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:10:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:15:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:20:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:25:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:30:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:35:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:40:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:45:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:50:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:55:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 00:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 00:58:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:03:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:08:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:13:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:18:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:23:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:28:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:33:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:38:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:43:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:48:20 ok
2022-08-30 01:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 01:55:29 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 01:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:00:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:05:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:10:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:15:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:20:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:25:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:30:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:35:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:40:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 02:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:43:20 ok
2022-08-30 02:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:48:20 ok
2022-08-30 02:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:53:20 ok
2022-08-30 02:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 02:58:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:03:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:08:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:13:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:18:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:23:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:28:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:33:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:38:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:43:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:48:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:53:20 ok
2022-08-30 03:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 03:58:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:03:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:08:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:13:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:18:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:23:20 ok
2022-08-30 04:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:30:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:35:29 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:40:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:45:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:50:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:55:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 04:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 04:58:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:03:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:08:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:15:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 05:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:20:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 05:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:25:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 05:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:28:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:33:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:38:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:43:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:48:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:53:20 ok
2022-08-30 05:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 05:58:21 ok
2022-08-30 06:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:03:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:08:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:13:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:18:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:23:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:28:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:33:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:38:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:43:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:48:20 ok
2022-08-30 06:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 06:55:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 06:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:00:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:05:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:10:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:15:29 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:20:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:25:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:30:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:35:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:40:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:45:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:50:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 07:55:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 07:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:00:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:05:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:10:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:15:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:20:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:25:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:30:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:35:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:40:34 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:45:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:50:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:53:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 08:55:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 08:58:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:00:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:03:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:05:29 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:08:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:10:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:13:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:15:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:18:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:20:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:23:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:25:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:28:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:30:29 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:33:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:35:31 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:38:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:40:33 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:43:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:45:30 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:48:20 attempting...
2022-08-30 09:50:32 [Errno 101] Network is unreachable
2022-08-30 09:53:20 attempting...