BTconnect email: pop3 and smtp settings and setup for Mail on an Apple Mac 11
This is now the most popular page on my blog. If you have any tips on setting up BT connect email once you work out how, why not come back and share them. Thanks!
This took some fiddling around. And the instructions in BT's help are out of date. So here's how to set up Mail (Apple's email program) if you use BTconnect.
Start, by starting Mail. Obviously.
Add account stage
- Full name: Your name
- Email address: The address you want the account set up for (so if you're registered somedomain.com with BT, it would be something like: your.name@somedomain.com).
- Password: Your BTconnect password
Incoming mail server
- Account type: POP
- Description: Something to help you remember it (eg my email account - something memorable if you hav more than one).
- Incoming Mail server: pop3.btconnect.com
- User name: Your username from your btconnect account (ie the bit before @btconnect.com when you first log on)
- Password: Your BTconnect password
Mail will then check the connection.
Outgoing Mail Server
- Description: Anything you like
- Outgoing Mail Server: smtp.btconnect.com
Don't click Use authentication. It will check the connection again at this point.
Outgoing Mail Security
Don't tick use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Click continue, then create.
When the problems start ...
Whatever I try, it just won't work until you then go round in a seemingly stupid circle.
So try to send an email - if it doesn't work, click 'Edit server list'. Then under Advanced, tick the Secure Sockets Layer button, change the dropdown to password authentication, and reenter your username and password. Close and save the 'Accounts window'.
If it still won't work, go to the preferences menu and make sure your outgoing mail server is still set. And if it still won't work, go and do it all again and remove the SSL setting.
Why do you have to do all this? Why can't you add the SSL setting during the wizard? Why does adding it and removing it help? Why does it keep unselecting the outgoing mail server?
Who knows - but I've set an account up about 20 times now just to check, and I keep having to do all this ...
This is the personal blog of Malcolm Coles.
did you find the solution to this problem as i have it too
Only by constantly stepping through the stages above. It did work eventually (I've had to reset it up a couple of times for one reason or another). I still can't send emails when on any wifi network except my home one, even when authentication is set. Pah.
Hi
The problem id due to the fact that ISP's block mail ports to stop spam me@btconnect.com will work when you are connected at home when you are on a different network you need to findout the relay name e.g. relay.newwificonnection.com then you become a trusted user and you can send mail. Blame the spammers
I think this is due to the 'allow' preferences on BT's servers. Basically they need to register your domain name with their servers so that it is recognised as a real address, rather than spam. One quick call should rectify this.
Hope this helps.
Chris.
"One quick call" - hollow laughter. As it's on a Mac, BT don't have any clue.
Should not have anything to do with you using a mac as your domain registration is nothing to do with it either.
Just dont mention your using a mac!
Thanks for this. I can't get this to work though and since Thunderbird does, and I am losing the line in a couple of days I suspect I won't fix it.
I tried to connect iMail to my tiscali account, which works, to the BT connect SMTP server which doesn't because it can't/won't login. I then configured the btconnect pop3 account, which in retrospect must be done, because the smtp server makes sure you have sent the mail from its own account. I don't know how it does this.
My bliki notes are at http://is.gd/2bQNX
I can't believe that this remains a problem and that Apple & BT care more about their competing business plans than those customers who want to use them both.
I am going to poll my work colleagues to see how they solve the problem, but it seems to be a choice between using another smtp server or another mail client at the moment.
Congratulations on your persistance, you obviously have more than me.
I fought with the dammed thing half the night, over this same problem.
"A curse on both their houses" is what I say..
Got round it by using the O2 email account to SEND email. This now works on EDGE, GPRS and 3G as well as my home Wi-Fi.
The O2 smtp gateway is smtp.o2.co.uk
use your whole O2 username (including the @o2.co.uk bit)
and your o2 email password.
The emails still arrive with my btconnect address in the reply section.