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Can receive but not send - permanent error about comcast mail server is not imap?

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  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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I'm trying to get Thunderbird working again on an old computer. I haven't used TB on this computer for several months (maybe more than 1 year).

I can receive email but not send. It gives me some sort of error about the comcast mail server not being imap, or something like that. I get back a permanent error in the email.

I tried uninstalling TB and reinstalling, but that didn't help.

I'm trying to get Thunderbird working again on an old computer. I haven't used TB on this computer for several months (maybe more than 1 year). I can receive email but not send. It gives me some sort of error about the comcast mail server not being imap, or something like that. I get back a permanent error in the email. I tried uninstalling TB and reinstalling, but that didn't help.

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Uninstalling and reinstalling the Thunderbird program rarely resolves issues because the problem is rarely to do with the program itself.

Most problems relate to the profile settings. At this point I have no idea whether you have created a pop or imap account, but it must be working to some degree as you can see emails arriving. But as the issue is specifc to sending then you may have the wrong outgoing smtp server settings for the comcast account.

Suggest you check the SMTP setting assigned to that comcast account.

Right click on account name in Folder Pane and select 'Settings' Account Settings opens bottom right it will say the outgoing smtp server which that account is using. Click on 'Edit SMTP server' button. Check you have the following and edit as required.

  • Description: Enter email address to help with identification
  • Outgoing Mail Server Name: smtp.comcast.net
  • Port Number: 465
  • Connection Security: SSL/TLS
  • Authentication Method: Normal Password
  • User name : full email address

click on OK

Then exit and restart Thunderbird.