Can't send outgoing messages

[DavidK]

I’ve got a Google Nexus 7 with Android 4.2.1. I want to use my existing email service with tiscali (part of TalkTalk); I have entered the settings tiscali advise, but the outgoing message settings do not work. These are for a pop3 account; SMTP server smtp.tiscali.co.uk; no security; port 25. I get the message “Couldn’t open connection to server”.  I’ve tried all the combinations of Security type, with our without required security sign-in, and various other port numbers, none of which work.

I also have a btinternet email address, and entering the outgoing settings for that does allow the set-up process to complete, with tiscali incoming messages being received, but unable to send messages.

 

Advice please!

[JezKeymaster]

So the settings look to be:

Login username@tiscali.co.uk
Incoming email (POP3) pop.tiscali.co.uk
Outgoing email (SMTP) smtp.tiscali.co.uk
FTP server http://ftp.myweb.tiscali.co.uk
Webspace address http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/directoryname
Security: None
Server port: 25

But I guess you’ve got that already.

Some providers won’t let you send mail out from another companies network, so when this is failing how are you connecting to the net? ie is Tiscali your ISP?

If it is BT (as you mention them) you might need to add BT’s outgoing SMTP server.

This isn’t unusual as opening up your outgoing mail servers is asking to be abused by spammers. This can be a pain if switching between a 3G network and home network (another reason to use gmail!).

Let us know how you get on.

[DavidK]

Thanks for the suggestions, but yes, this is basically what I’ve been trying.

BT is my ISP; I’ve tried using the BT settings:

Smtp mail.btinternet.com

Security type None

Port 587

As I said, this allowed me to finish setting up the Tiscali account on the Nexus, but no outgoing messages. (Interestingly, something I didn’t mention before, when trying the Tiscali settings you suggest and which I’ve been trying, quite often (but not always!) the port setting reverts to 587 after the failure to connect.

 

I agree about gmail, but it’s actually my wife’s Nexus, and she doesn’t want the hastle of changing from Tiscali.

Thanks again; any further thoughts?

[col48Member]

DavidK

I can’t offer much more than encouragement, but have you found a solution yet?

I’m not with tiscali but mimicked the settings which worked on the desktop, including setting SMTP port 25. The ISP and email provider are different from one another.  The desktop and Tablet are on the same Wireless network.

The Tablet seemed to take a month or so for K9mail to stop putting all outgoing messages in the Outbox for a random(?) period of time (ranging from a few seconds to several days) before sending it out.  As if, like a child, it was learning the roads round its new home!  It may have had something to do with polling frequency, which I would have expected to affect incoming mail rather than outgoing mail.

Like you, we have a gmail account, but do not use it for email.

Just a thought….. is the distance to the router a bit marginal for the Tablet?  I don’t know if this would affect transmission more than reception, but perhaps it would.

[DavidK]

Again, Thank You.

I didn’t find a solution, and have effectively given up – I ended up setting up  gmail to automatically retrieve the messages from tiscali, and to reply or send new messages using my wife’s tiscali email address. An inelegant and basically unsatisfactory  way to have to deal with the problem, but it seems to work. The only downside seems to be that there is sometimes a longer wait than usual  for an email to arrive, presumably having to wait for gmail to poll the tiscali account.

[Ian Cooper]

You don’t have to switch your wife over to gmail! Google allows their mail server to forward any email provided you authenticate using a gmail account and confirm receipt of a test email from Google in your ISP account. You will find the option to do this in the PC (not tablet) version of their gmail setup service. You will need a gmail account to authenticate to when you send your isp mail but don’t have to use it for messages. It took me a long time to find it but it works a treat. Like most ISPs mine will only send mail if I’m logged into their DSL service on my home router. It can also handle multiple email addresses so you can use you wife’s Nexus to send your emails too:-)

 

[DavidK]

Thank you Ian.

I’m afraid that I don’t quite understand your advice – I’ve been able to set up the Nexus so that my wife’s Tiscali account is accessible, and she can open and read her inbox, but cannot reply to or send new mails.  I’ve set things up so that gmail automatically retrieves all the incoming mail from my wife’s Tiscali account, and any replies or other outgoing mail are identified as going out from the Tiscali account. The overall effect is the same as if she could send from the Tiscali account and she doesn’t have to use her gmail address at all, but it’s inelegant, and I’m interested to know whether, and if so how, the Nexus can be set up to allow her to send merssages direct from her Tiscali account.

[Molepox]

Have you searched Google Play for an app for your email provider? Using that may work better than trying to input the settings manually.

[DavidK]

I’ve looked, and can’t find anything.

[CushieParticipant]

I have found the same problem when you are connected away from home, because your outgoing server is not your at home ISP. Problem is solved by setting your outgoing server (SMTP) to require ‘login’ and ‘password’. Had to do this on my Android phone and then could send out emails via outside server. :-)

[JezKeymaster]

Thanks for that Cushie.

[Author]

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