SMTP server settings
For months I haven't been able to send emails from my MSN account. I receive mail OK. Two other email clients work fine.
SMTP settings are default from TB download. I have a laptop and a PC, both running Win 10 and both had the same problem. I uninstalled and reinstalled TB on the PC and that corrected the problem, however when I did the same on the laptop I still get the error message: Unable to authenticate to Outgoing server (SMTP) . Please check the password and verify the 'Authentication method' in 'Account Settings | Outgoing server (SMTP)'.
Settings are: server name: smtp.office365.com
port: 587
connection Security: STARTTLS
authentication: OAuth2
user name: ****@msn.com
I've tried the new install 3 times, no joy. I'm trying to understand why one machine works and the other, with the same settings does not. What am I overlooking here?? Thanks for any help, T
Chosen solution
On laptop: Access the Firewall and make sure that Thunderbird has been set up as an allowed program.
Are you talking about the same MSN account - identical email address ?
Microsoft have been altering things and it's enough to drive people potty.
Obviously the main one is the alteration of 'Authentication Method' from 'Normal Password' to 'Oauth2' - this setting is for both incoming and outgoing smtp server settings.
I'm trying to understand all the weird querks that have occurred in recent weeks. Mostly I've sorted out people using hotmail and live accounts. In all these cases so far, it because Microsoft seems to have set up one account as primary and all other email addresses as now regarded as alias email addresses.
MSN.com mailbox service is now managed by Outlook.com.
Microsoft now say Hotmail or Outlook.com password is the same as your Microsoft Account password. So, maybe the msn account needs to use same password as the Microsoft Account password.
Logon to Microsoft account using browser and see what email address has been set up as 'Primary'. It is possible you have more than one email address, and if not set as primary then they are considered alias email addresses. Recently, I've been discovering that people have eg: outlook and hotmail accounts, but the outlook email address is set up as primary. That means whilst imap accounts incoming can be any email address eg: hotmail, live, msn or any which has been added, they cannot send using eg: hotmail, they need to use the outlook email address in the smtp settings for username.
You can choose what you want as Primary, but whatever you choose it must be used as the SMTP username.
One user posted some useful info: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1465652#answer-1680651
Selected to 'Manage' the outlook account and located email addresses which were considered 'alias'. - Some images are included at the link which may help.
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On laptop: Access the Firewall and make sure that Thunderbird has been set up as an allowed program.
Are you talking about the same MSN account - identical email address ?
Microsoft have been altering things and it's enough to drive people potty.
Obviously the main one is the alteration of 'Authentication Method' from 'Normal Password' to 'Oauth2' - this setting is for both incoming and outgoing smtp server settings.
I'm trying to understand all the weird querks that have occurred in recent weeks. Mostly I've sorted out people using hotmail and live accounts. In all these cases so far, it because Microsoft seems to have set up one account as primary and all other email addresses as now regarded as alias email addresses.
MSN.com mailbox service is now managed by Outlook.com.
Microsoft now say Hotmail or Outlook.com password is the same as your Microsoft Account password. So, maybe the msn account needs to use same password as the Microsoft Account password.
Logon to Microsoft account using browser and see what email address has been set up as 'Primary'. It is possible you have more than one email address, and if not set as primary then they are considered alias email addresses. Recently, I've been discovering that people have eg: outlook and hotmail accounts, but the outlook email address is set up as primary. That means whilst imap accounts incoming can be any email address eg: hotmail, live, msn or any which has been added, they cannot send using eg: hotmail, they need to use the outlook email address in the smtp settings for username.
You can choose what you want as Primary, but whatever you choose it must be used as the SMTP username.
One user posted some useful info: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1465652#answer-1680651
Selected to 'Manage' the outlook account and located email addresses which were considered 'alias'. - Some images are included at the link which may help.
Many thanks for your help Toad. As you noted, my problem (according to MS's error message) was either SMTP authentication method or password. In fact my problem was the altering or creation of default email clients and alias email accounts. Until I read your post I never saw that distinction in any other posts that I read and wonder why MS never listed it as a possible glitch. I agree that MS certainly has been busy altering things, allegedly as a security measure, and I agree with you that they have been very successful in driving folks "potty". (never heard that term before) :) You made my day Toad...many thanks. Ted
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