Forum Discussion

DJBrainy's avatar
DJBrainy
Joining in
2 months ago

Virgin Mail - Access Via 3rd Party Apps

Long story - short version. Monday afternoon someone I email regularly in Germany said a mail from me had gone to SPAM their end. Shortly after all of my mail access stopped working on 3rd party apps (Mail on iPhone and iPad). Same for my wife (Samsung phone via Outlook and Windows laptop via Outlook). Both of us still able to access Virgin Mail via a browser link.

Tuesday still broken, rang support. Two hours later not fixed so passed on to Gadget Rescue. After an hour with them it transpires we have an IP block but no idea what for. Gadget Support raising a “net report”? During those three hours I twice generated new 3rd party app passwords, to no avail. I even tried deleting the Virgin mail account and adding from scratch. Gadget Support says it could take 48 hours and they will ring back.

On Wednesday my wife’s access via Outlook all started working again, but mine via 3rd party apps was still broken (mid morning). About 2 hours later hers stopped working again. Then, about an hour after that, it’s working again!! Mine is still broken apart from webmail. 
I have tried all sorts of combinations of email ID with various passwords from the last 3 days to get the iphone and ipad Mail working, but nothing works - “invalid email address”, “no password entered” are two errors, amongst others, even though neither is true.

Confused. Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

 

Reply...

 

  • DJBrainy's avatar
    DJBrainy
    Joining in
    2 months ago

    Update - have been trying a few things today while waiting for call back. Managed to get all my 3rd party apps working when not connected to our home Wi-fi. My wife’s situation is different as to what works, but basically has the same issue with Virgin Mail and our Wi-fi. 
    Everything else we use works fine on the Wi-fi.

    Rebooted the hub earlier today but that changed nothing - not sure how to proceed.

    • coenoby's avatar
      coenoby
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      DJBrainy 

      "Managed to get all my 3rd party apps working when not connected to our home Wi-fi. "

      If VM are blocking your VM IP address, the fact you can send emails when using a mobile data network makes complete sense. because you then are using an IP address supplied by the mobile data network rather than your VM IP address.

      VM certainly do block email apps from sending VM emails from an IP address that is on a blocklist/blacklist.

      However, in your first post your comment "all of my mail access stopped working on 3rd party apps" suggests you were also having problems receiving emails. There have been lots of posts on this forum over the years from people whose VM IP address was being blocked by VM and they all reported that they could receive VM emails, they just could not send them.

      If you cannot receive VM emails when the app is connected to your VM wifi it makes me think that Gadget Rescue may not have fully identified the real cause(es) of your problems. 

      It might be worth you checking for yourself as to whether your VM IP address is listed on any blocklists.

      • Go to the website           https://whatismyipaddress.com/
      • Note or copy the IP address
      • Go to the website     https://check.spamhaus.org/
      • Enter your IP address in the search box and click on "Lookup"

      It will almost certainly report that your IP address is on the Policy Blocklist (PBL) but that IS NOT A PROBLEM.  Every VM domestic IP address should be on there. VM do not block IP's because they are on the PBL.

      If Gadget Rescue have used VM's Netreport Tool:

      https://netreport.virginmedia.com/netreport/

      to get your IP delisted from the PBL they have misunderstood how blocklists work and have not got to the bottom of you VM email app problem.

      It would be useful if yo could post back if the Spamhaus checker reports that your IP address is on any other blocklists.

      Coenoby

       

  • jpeg1's avatar
    jpeg1
    Alessandro Volta
    2 months ago

    Seriously, you should think about moving to one of the alternative email providers that do not have the continuing problems of VM email.  VM are clearly running down their email and one day you may have no choice but to leave

    • DJBrainy's avatar
      DJBrainy
      Joining in
      2 months ago

      jpeg1 - yeah on my list. Always baulk at doing it because so much is tied to the email address.

  • DJBrainy's avatar
    DJBrainy
    Joining in
    2 months ago

    Coenoby, thanks for the reply. I have checked Spamhaus and it says that I have one entry on the PBL. It talks about SMTP Authentication being on - I have checked the settings on my iPAD which imply its on, Authentication = password, Port 465 and SSL is set to ON. as far as Im aware that's how it's been since day one as I am not savvy enough to try changing some of the settings. I have also checked the SMTP settings on my iPhone - same, except port is 587.

    No return call from Gadget Rescue yet - ill probably ring them soon as I'm out for the afternoon.

    Still not able to send or receive when connected to Wi-Fi.

    • coenoby's avatar
      coenoby
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      As I said the PBL entry is NOTt causing your email problems. I cannot emphasise that enough.

      Personally I think that Gadget Rescue have not really identified the cause of your problems.

      I am going to say it again the fact your IP address is on the PBL is not going to stop you sending VM emails via the app. My VM IP iaddress is on the PBL and my email apps are all working fine 

      Coenoby 

  • DJBrainy's avatar
    DJBrainy
    Joining in
    2 months ago

    OK the plot thickens. Rang Gadget Rescue, passed to Broadband team, passed to email team, passed back to Gadget Rescue. Another two hours - he sent some test mails which didn't arrive so he suggested changing my main VM password. Before I could do that everything started working for me. All emails working on wi-fi, cellular, everything!

    Unfortunately my wife still having problems using MS Outlook - her turn to experience Virgin Support hell!

    Generated new 3rd party app for her and bingo it works too!

    • coenoby's avatar
      coenoby
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      All emails working on wi-fi, cellular, everything!

      Generated new 3rd party app for her and bingo it works too!

      That's good to hear. Thanks for the update.

      Just my opinion but if you had problems receiving as well as sending emails with your various  apps then I think Gadget Rescue's "your IP address is Blocked" response was basically just fobbing you off.

      As far as I am aware, Gadget Rescue is still a paid for/ chargeable service so I am not sure they earned their money from yourself.

      In recent months, most VM email issues with email apps seem to be down to the mail app password. It seems it often requires multiple resets of the mail app password before it finally gets the email account up and running again.

      Have another thought about what jpeg1 said in their earlier post. Another reason to switch email providers sooner rather than later  is that, if/when, you decide to switch broadband provider you will lose all the VM email accounts you currently have.   Once you close your VM broadband account VM only allow you 90 days use of the email accounts before deleting them completely.

      Coenoby