Blueyonder account password rejected, and cannot generate new one

[Boulevardier]

Two days ago, one of the three Blueyonder accounts started to demand the password and then rejecting it.  All the account settings on the rejecting account are identical to the two that still work (obviously ,apart from three different passwords).  I have removed and re-added the account fro Thunderbird three times with no improvement.

I have also tried to generate a new ap password for the account in My Virgin Media to see if that solves problem, but it's requiring me to use a different email address before doing this.  What is that all about?

Any illumination/remedies much appreciated.

Mike

[Graham_A]

You can read about the username change requirement here:

https://www.virginmedia.com/dpb/help/change-my-virgin-media-email-address

[Boulevardier]

That link just gave me a blank page and  "connection timed out"

[Graham_A]

That's odd as the link works for me.  Can you try it in a different browser?

The section that deals with your main question says:

Why are you asking me to change my username?

In order to improve security for our customers we’re introducing something called Multifactor Authentication across our online and app services.

This means that when you sign in and we need to verify your identity, we’ll send a one-time passcode to your email address to check that it’s you trying to sign in. You’ll then just need to pop in that code, and you’ll then be able to sign in and continue your journey.

Since we send this one-time passcode to an email address, for security reasons we need to send it to a non-Virgin Media email address. That’s why, if you use an email address that ends in @VirginMedia.com, @ntlworld.com, @virgin.net, or @blueyonder.co.uk to sign in, we’re asking you to update it to a third-party email address.

[Boulevardier]

OK, the link has worked now, and I've read it.  I knew that VM were no longer issuing new Blueyonder addresses.  Does this mean that they are now disabling existing Blueyonder addresses?

When they ask me for another email address, can I just use another Blueyonder one that is still working to change the password on the non-working one?  The explanations in that link are far from clear/comprehensive.

Mike

[Boulevardier]

Sorry, also when I give another email address to change password, what happens to my existing Inbox, Sent box contents?  Will they transfer to the new email address?

[Graham_A]

As stated in the help file  "if you use an email address that ends in @VirginMedia.com, @ntlworld.com, @virgin.net, or @blueyonder.co.uk to sign in, we’re asking you to update it to a third-party email address."

You must change the sign in username to a non virgin media email address - so no it cannot be another blueyonder email address.

Once you have changed the username you will need to use the new one to sign into the blueyonder email address via VM webmail or the My Virgin Media account.  There is no change to the underlying blueyonder email address. It will continue to operate as before and the inbox and other folders will remain as before.

[Boulevardier]

I have just created a new Outlook email account and used it to change my VM email password.  Trying to install account on Thunderbird (using my original Blueyonder username) it comes up with message "Unable to log in. Probably wrong configuration, username or password".

Can you help?

Mike 

[Graham_A]

Have you generated an app password for use with Thunderbird?  VM have recently changed the log in requirements for accessing VM Mail via third party apps.

If you change the password for the account in My Virgin Media > Account settings > Account details you will not be able to use the new password to access the account via an email client. Email client access now requires an app specific password which can be generated in the MyVM > Account Settings > Account details > Mailbox App password management.

The password will be in the format xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx.  Use this password and the original blueyonder email address as the username.

[Boulevardier]

Thanks - I have indeed generated a new ap password in fomat you describe, and I'm using that in the Thunderbird account set up password field. In the Thunderbird account set up there are two "name" fields - "Your full name" and "Email address".  When you refer to "username" which one do you mean?  So far, I've put my ordinary display name in the "Your full name" field and my original Blueyonder email address in the "Email address" field.

Mike