on 25-09-2021 22:03
I have been unable to send email via Outlook for 4 days now, on my main account and my partner cannot send on her account either.
I am using Outlook, and SMTP.virginmedia.com is not accepting my password. This has worked for months and has now stopped working, I have altered no settings on either my machine or my partners laptop. I can log in and use webmail and can recieve mail. Just cannot log in to the SMTP server - is this a Virgin issue?
Answered! Go to Answer
on 26-09-2021 16:31
It doesn't look to be a settings issue.
The VM305 error implies that your external IP address is on a CSS black list. The usual reason for this is a spambot connected somewhere on your network that is sending out spam. Previous culprits have tended to be devices such as firesticks with side loaded software containing malicious code.
I'm a Very Insightful Person, I'm here to share knowledge, I don't work for Virgin Media, I'm a VM customer. There are no guarantees that my advice will work. Please read the FAQs
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on 26-09-2021 11:50
on 26-09-2021 15:12
Thanks, I've looked through all of this and theres still no luck.
The problem is the smtp.virginmedia.com mailserver not accepting my credentials to log in, but they work fine for incoming mail and webmail.
I have spoken to Virgin support who basically said they dont support Outlok and I should contact Microsoft! At first he would not even accept that the mailserver is theirs and siad they dont have any as Outlook uses their own. In the end I gave up as he refused to acknowledge that there was an issue withi the SMTP server - and said it was an outlok issue.
He did mention a Premium service I could be connected to to resolve the issue though!
on 26-09-2021 15:42
Can you provide the full error message you get when attempting to send?
Check that the server details in Outlook are the same as those provided here: https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-mail-update-settings-in-microsoft-outlook
(I suspect the "premium service" offered is Gadget Rescue: don't go anywhere near them.)
on 26-09-2021 15:50
I have used the settign for 3 years with this accoount on 3 different machines using Outlook. It now does not work on any of them. These are the email settings :
And the error message is just the pop-up window asking for the password - using the same password that works for webmail and outgoing IMAP mail it does not connect.
This dialog box just keeps appearing and will not go away, unless I close Outlook.
on 26-09-2021 16:02
here's the error log
on 26-09-2021 16:31
It doesn't look to be a settings issue.
The VM305 error implies that your external IP address is on a CSS black list. The usual reason for this is a spambot connected somewhere on your network that is sending out spam. Previous culprits have tended to be devices such as firesticks with side loaded software containing malicious code.
I'm a Very Insightful Person, I'm here to share knowledge, I don't work for Virgin Media, I'm a VM customer. There are no guarantees that my advice will work. Please read the FAQs
Have I helped? Click Mark as Helpful Answer or use Kudos to say thanks
on 26-09-2021 16:32
Thanks, I'm just looking into this now.
on 26-09-2021 20:29
If you get the solution please spread the word! I'm getting no joy from VM
on 26-09-2021 21:29
@Gazmo_1 the main issue is that there are quite a few things which current seem to be going on with VMs email provision - often though email clients (Outlook etc.) often just give a generic ‘password error’ message which doesn’t actually explain the reason. And there can be a few different reasons.
In @Anonymous case, there is nothing at all wrong with the password or the settings, the clue is in the VM305 error response, which has only one cause. The outgoing server has successfully authenticated the account but is actively blocking the connection from his home IP address because it has been identified as being the source of spam messages. Webmail will work and Outlook will probably work perfectly if he were to take the PC to somewhere else (different IP address).
To get delisted (and it’s a third party which compiles these lists, nothing to do with VM), he’ll need to track down whichever device on his home network is infected with a bit of malware and is sending out spam, and eliminate it. The address will be delisted after a day or so and miraculously the sending will work again.