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outgoing SMTP message not requesting password

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Thunderbird 115.10.1 (64-bit), no extensions or add-ons Ubuntu 23.10, AMD64 Earthlink ISP and email

Start Thunderbird, go to Drafts folder, open email, click Send, get Send Message Error (see error.jpg) in about two seconds.

There is no request for password, I do not save any passwords. When I Get Messages, a password is requested and I receive the messages. If I try to send after getting messages, same error.

Thunderbird settings are as Earthlink specifies for POP3:

 https://help.earthlink.net/portal/en/kb/articles/email-server-settings

See smtp.jpg. Earthlink user support said to use "Authentication method: Encrypted password". Have also tried "Authentication method: Normal password", got similar error message.

The last time I successfully sent a message was a year ago, this is the first time trying to send since then. There have been OS and Thunderbird updates in between, probably some Earthlink changes too.

Thunderbird 115.10.1 (64-bit), no extensions or add-ons Ubuntu 23.10, AMD64 Earthlink ISP and email Start Thunderbird, go to Drafts folder, open email, click Send, get Send Message Error (see error.jpg) in about two seconds. There is no request for password, I do not save any passwords. When I Get Messages, a password is requested and I receive the messages. If I try to send after getting messages, same error. Thunderbird settings are as Earthlink specifies for POP3: https://help.earthlink.net/portal/en/kb/articles/email-server-settings See smtp.jpg. Earthlink user support said to use "Authentication method: Encrypted password". Have also tried "Authentication method: Normal password", got similar error message. The last time I successfully sent a message was a year ago, this is the first time trying to send since then. There have been OS and Thunderbird updates in between, probably some Earthlink changes too.
Attached screenshots

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Bugger! Replying to my own trouble report.

Tried one more thing:

Start Thunderbird, click Get Messages, enter INCORRECT password when requested, wait about a minute, quit Thunderbird.

Start Thunderbird, go to Drafts folder, open email, click Send, enter CORRECT password when requested, email sent.

This appears to work.

Did Thunderbird "remember" a password even though I am pretty sure I never told it to? Even if I did tell Thunderbird to remember the password, there were NO ENTRIES under Saved Passwords. This is really annoying! Was Thunderbird sending a blank password?