Outgoing mail suddenly not working

[dollysprint]

I use Thunderbird 107 (POP3) on Windows and have used virgin.net mail for many years very happily with no problems.

Two days ago I suddenly couldn't send email - kept getting an error message saying "Logon to server smtp.virgin.net with [my username] failed". This with no explanation of why logon failed. I have made no changes to my setup at all. The fault still persists.

Outgoing mail works fine if I use IMAP within a browser. Incoming mail is working fine.

Two questions, please:

1) What should I use as outgoing server password? (It's a long time since I set it all up!)

2) Is there an external problem causing logon failure?

Thanks for any guidance here!

[用心棒 · Accepted solution]

When the issue next occurs:

• move back to the main Thunderbird window 
• press Ctrl + Shift + J to show Error Console
• review the output shown for VM error codes, for example VM305; if the cause of the failure is still not obvious type (VM in  Filter Output field
• post the VM error code here for further help

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Have I helped? Click Mark as Helpful Answer and solved, or use  Kudos to say thanks

[dollysprint]

Thanks for your prompt and helpful suggestion!

Yes, it's VM305 every time: here's the returned message in the Error Console:

Command failed: 525 Authentication Denied (VM305); currentAction=_actionAUTHComplete

What does that suggest to you? I made no changes or upgrades to my installation before the problem occurred, so I suspect a problem at the server end...

[用心棒]

The VM305 error indicate your network's public IP Address appears on Spamhaus's lists that Virgin Media use to stop spam being sent via their SMTP server. To confirm this perform the following steps from the device that cannot send:

1. browse to https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ip&ia=answer and note the Your IP address is value
2. go to https://www.spamhaus.org/lookup/
3. enter the Your IP address is value (from step 1) in the Search single IP, domain or hash field and select Lookup
4. follow the advice offered

[dollysprint]

Thanks again - I followed the advice and found that, yes, Spamhaus had the IP address on a list. 

Infuriatingly, before I had time in a busy week to follow the trail further, I found that when I connected my laptop at another physical location on a mobile phone data network, the problem had disappeared. The server smtp.virginmedia.com appeared suddenly to be willing to handle my outgoing emails. 

When I returned home, there was again no problem, and normal email sending was possible.

Has there been a problem at the Virgin end of the link? At no time did I change anything in my email accounts or configuration. 

[John_GS]

Hi @dollysprint 

Thanks for coming back to us with this update.

There was an email issue yes however, with you confirming the IP on a list, did you resolve this and then it started working?

Best wishes,

[dollysprint]

Hi @John_GS 

Thanks for your response. To answer your question, I only got as far as identifying that my then IP address was on a Spamhaus list (for what reason I've no idea - I've been a Virgin mail user for years with no problems). I didn't do anything to resolve this, as I was busy during the week.  When I got back to looking at the problem, it had gone away: I could send mail normally. This is why I suspect that there was a problem at the Virgin SMTP server end... was that the case?

[jem101]

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@dollysprint wrote:

Hi @John_GS 

Snip…

This is why I suspect that there was a problem at the Virgin SMTP server end... was that the case?

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I’m afraid not, no, the problem is still at your end! You have a device on your home network which has picked up some male ware and is sending out spam. This has caused you to be listed on one of Spamhaus’ block lists and as such VM prevent you from sending email. Often, in an attempt to evade detection, such malware is programmed to periodically go dormant and ‘sleep’. Then no more spam is detected from your network, after a couple of days, Spamhaus delist you, and you can send email again - well, until the software fires up again and the cycle continues.

There are a fair number of posts on here from people reporting the same thing, it ‘just fixed itself’ and often there is a post from one of the VM employees, saying how glad they are that you have resolved this…Expect it’s not been resolved, it’s a temporary respite, until and unless you are able to identify which device on your network is the root cause and deal with that, then, I’m afraid it won’t be resolved.

[dollysprint]

Thanks jem101. Interesting hypothesis: certainly it accounts for many of the symptoms I reported.

But there's only one device on my network, which is a lone laptop. And on that laptop is professional-grade antivirus and antimalware software,  which after a deep scan of the machine revealed absolutely nothing. The problem has never occurred before. If you say "Well, it must be malware", my response is "Possibly, but there's no trace of it". I do need to find some evidence, or we're just trading possibilities and no substance. Invisible, undetectable malware, like the dark universe, remains a hypothesis. 

And if VM Forum commentators and mediators have any additional perspectives here, I'm pleased to hear them, of course.

[用心棒]

“Hypothesis”, this is not because Spamhaus have recorded spamming activity emerging from your home network's Public IP Address — regrettable it is not possible for them to identify the device(s) responsible.

As no other devices are using you home network consider using your operating system's built-in firewall to block and log the spamming activity to validate Spamhaus's findings. If you require further information on how to do this post back here with the following detail of the following:

• laptop's operating system and its version
• antivirus software and its version
• anti-malware software and its version