thunderbird connection problem

[mikes2400]

For the past few days every time I try to use Thunderbird (my client for virgin/blueyonder email) I get this message:-

"server imap.virginmedia.com has disconnected. The server may have gone down or they may have a network problem".

My server settings are correct (and unchanged) and my only device is my PC. There doesn't seem to be any Virgin network problems, so why am I suddenly getting this message?

[Sasha_W]

Okay perfect thanks for your response, sorry that's just what I wanted to clarify. 

If you could also respond to the above post from our VIP's as this looks like an IT ticket that we need to raise but would need as much information as possible so we can report it in the best possible way. 

Once all the information has been given I can report this for you and will keep you updated with any news that I have. 

Thanks 

[HowardML]

@Sasha_W 

Just some general points. 

Can we please let @mikes2400  and @CurlyKylie run the "Curl" command line to see what we get.

If this is what has happened before as @Graham_A has said (and as I know) and it is a flaky IMAP connection then it makes not a jot of difference what email app is being used. As both these guys have said that their email programs usually work normally it hardly likely to be a fault with them. And it also makes not a jot of difference whether it happens with one email or another. IMAP is the protocol that collects email from the server and delivers it to the email program. How do you imagine these two customers have any idea what email is being collected until it has been collected and if more than one email is being collected any any one time how would they be able to tell if a particular was causing the issue. And why would an email per se affect the nature of the connection to the server. 

Edit - and this post crossed with Sasha_W's post about opening a ticket.

[mikes2400]

RE command prompt, this is what I get:-

* Trying 62.254.26.223...
* TCP_NODELAY set
* Connected to imap.virginmedia.com (62.254.26.223) port 993 (#0)
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 1/3)
* schannel: checking server certificate revocation
* schannel: sending initial handshake data: sending 185 bytes...
* schannel: sent initial handshake data: sent 185 bytes
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: failed to receive handshake, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 4096
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 4096 length 4096
* schannel: encrypted data length: 144
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 144 length 4096
* schannel: received incomplete message, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 235
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 379 length 4096
* schannel: sending next handshake data: sending 158 bytes...
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 51
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 51 length 4096
* schannel: SSL/TLS handshake complete
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 3/3)
* schannel: stored credential handle in session cache
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encdata_buffer resized 103424
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 31
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 31 length 103424
* schannel: server closed the connection
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* response reading failed
* Closing connection 0
* schannel: shutting down SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993
* schannel: clear security context handle
curl: (56) response reading failed

C:\Users\mshar>

[CurlyKylie]

Hi Howard, cURL result below. As with the logs I posted in my original thread it seems to authenticate OK, the problem is when it tries to interrogate the IMAP server.  I think I've redacted it fully, please let me know if you spot anything I've missed..

* STATE: INIT => CONNECT handle 0x800083b48; line 1634 (connection #-5000)
* Added connection 0. The cache now contains 1 members
* STATE: CONNECT => RESOLVING handle 0x800083b48; line 1680 (connection #0)
* family0 == v4, family1 == v6
*   Trying 62.254.26.223:993...
* STATE: RESOLVING => CONNECTING handle 0x800083b48; line 1762 (connection #0)
* Connected to imap.virginmedia.com (62.254.26.223) port 993 (#0)
* STATE: CONNECTING => PROTOCONNECT handle 0x800083b48; line 1825 (connection #0)
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from STOP to SERVERGREET
* successfully set certificate verify locations:
*  CAfile: /etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt
*  CApath: none
* TLSv1.3 (OUT), TLS handshake, Client hello (1):
* STATE: PROTOCONNECT => PROTOCONNECTING handle 0x800083b48; line 1845 (connection #0)
* TLSv1.3 (IN), TLS handshake, Server hello (2):
* TLSv1.2 (IN), TLS handshake, Certificate (11):
* TLSv1.2 (IN), TLS handshake, Server key exchange (12):
* TLSv1.2 (IN), TLS handshake, Server finished (14):
* TLSv1.2 (OUT), TLS handshake, Client key exchange (16):
* TLSv1.2 (OUT), TLS change cipher, Change cipher spec (1):
* TLSv1.2 (OUT), TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* TLSv1.2 (IN), TLS handshake, Finished (20):
* SSL connection using TLSv1.2 / ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
* Server certificate:
*  subject: CN=email.virginmedia.com
*  start date: Oct  1 09:00:18 2020 GMT
*  expire date: Nov  2 09:00:18 2021 GMT
*  subjectAltName: host "imap.virginmedia.com" matched cert's "imap.virginmedia.com"
*  issuer: C=BE; O=GlobalSign nv-sa; CN=GlobalSign GCC R3 DV TLS CA 2020
*  SSL certificate verify ok.
< * OK Virgin Media IMAP4 server ready [ e4c558782VM ].
> A001 CAPABILITY
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from SERVERGREET to CAPABILITY
< * CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 NAMESPACE
< A001 OK CAPABILITY completed.
> A002 LOGIN [DETAILS REDACTED]
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from CAPABILITY to LOGIN
< A002 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE IDLE SORT SORT=DISPLAY THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=REFS THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT MULTIAPPEND URL-PARTIAL CATENATE UNSELECT CHILDREN NAMESPACE UIDPLUS LIST-EXTENDED I18NLEVEL=1 CONDSTORE QRESYNC ESEARCH ESORT SEARCHRES WITHIN CONTEXT=SEARCH LIST-STATUS BINARY MOVE SNIPPET=FUZZY NOTIFY SPECIAL-USE QUOTA] Logged in
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from LOGIN to STOP
* STATE: PROTOCONNECTING => DO handle 0x800083b48; line 1864 (connection #0)
* DO phase starts
> A003 LIST "" *
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from STOP to LIST
* STATE: DO => DOING handle 0x800083b48; line 1909 (connection #0)
* OpenSSL SSL_read: Connection closed abruptly, errno 0 (Fatal because this is a curl debug build)
* DO phase failed
* multi_done
* The cache now contains 0 members
> A004 LOGOUT
* IMAP 0x800082ff8 state change from LIST to LOGOUT
* OpenSSL SSL_read: Connection closed abruptly, errno 0 (Fatal because this is a curl debug build)
* Closing connection 0
* TLSv1.2 (OUT), TLS alert, close notify (256):
curl: (56) OpenSSL SSL_read: Connection closed abruptly, errno 0 (Fatal because this is a curl debug build)

[ravenstar68]

It looks to me as if there's definitely an intermittent issue:

I tried twice.  The first time I connected but there was an interruption in the connection

C:\Users\timdu>curl -v imaps://imap.virginmedia.com/ -u me@blueyonder.co.uk:password
*   Trying 62.254.26.223...
* TCP_NODELAY set
* Connected to imap.virginmedia.com (62.254.26.223) port 993 (#0)
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 1/3)
* schannel: checking server certificate revocation
* schannel: sending initial handshake data: sending 191 bytes...
* schannel: sent initial handshake data: sent 191 bytes
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: failed to receive handshake, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 4096
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 4096 length 4096
* schannel: encrypted data length: 144
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 144 length 4096
* schannel: received incomplete message, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 235
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 379 length 4096
* schannel: sending next handshake data: sending 158 bytes...
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 51
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 51 length 4096
* schannel: SSL/TLS handshake complete
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 3/3)
* schannel: stored credential handle in session cache
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encdata_buffer resized 103424
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 84
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 84 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 55
* schannel: decrypted data added: 55
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 55 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 55 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 55
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * OK Virgin Media IMAP4 server ready [ e4c558782VM ].
> A001 CAPABILITY
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 123
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 123 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 34
* schannel: decrypted data added: 34
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 34 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data length: 60
* schannel: encrypted data cached: offset 60 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 31
* schannel: decrypted data added: 31
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 65 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 65 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 65
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 NAMESPACE
< A001 OK CAPABILITY completed.
> A002 LOGIN me@blueyonder.co.uk password
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 411
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 411 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 382
* schannel: decrypted data added: 382
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 382 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 382 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 382
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< A002 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE IDLE SORT SORT=DISPLAY THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=REFS THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT MULTIAPPEND URL-PARTIAL CATENATE UNSELECT CHILDREN NAMESPACE UIDPLUS LIST-EXTENDED I18NLEVEL=1 CONDSTORE QRESYNC ESEARCH ESORT SEARCHRES WITHIN CONTEXT=SEARCH LIST-STATUS BINARY MOVE SNIPPET=FUZZY NOTIFY SPECIAL-USE QUOTA] Logged in
> A003 LIST "" *
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: server closed the connection
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: server closed abruptly (missing close_notify)
> A004 LOGOUT
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: an unrecoverable error occurred in a prior call
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: server closed abruptly (missing close_notify)
* Closing connection 0
* schannel: shutting down SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993
* schannel: clear security context handle
curl: (56) Failure when receiving data from the peer

The second time The server started and closed cleanly

C:\Users\timdu>curl -v imaps://imap.virginmedia.com/ -u me@blueyonder.co.uk:password
*   Trying 62.254.26.223...
* TCP_NODELAY set
* Connected to imap.virginmedia.com (62.254.26.223) port 993 (#0)
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 1/3)
* schannel: checking server certificate revocation
* schannel: sending initial handshake data: sending 191 bytes...
* schannel: sent initial handshake data: sent 191 bytes
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: failed to receive handshake, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 4096
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 4096 length 4096
* schannel: encrypted data length: 144
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 144 length 4096
* schannel: received incomplete message, need more data
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 235
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 379 length 4096
* schannel: sending next handshake data: sending 158 bytes...
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 2/3)
* schannel: encrypted data got 51
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 51 length 4096
* schannel: SSL/TLS handshake complete
* schannel: SSL/TLS connection with imap.virginmedia.com port 993 (step 3/3)
* schannel: stored credential handle in session cache
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encdata_buffer resized 103424
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 84
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 84 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 55
* schannel: decrypted data added: 55
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 55 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 55 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 55
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * OK Virgin Media IMAP4 server ready [ e4c558782VM ].
> A001 CAPABILITY
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 123
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 123 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 34
* schannel: decrypted data added: 34
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 34 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data length: 60
* schannel: encrypted data cached: offset 60 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 31
* schannel: decrypted data added: 31
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 65 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 65 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 65
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 NAMESPACE
< A001 OK CAPABILITY completed.
> A002 LOGIN me@blueyonder.co.uk password
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 411
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 411 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 382
* schannel: decrypted data added: 382
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 382 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 382 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 382
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< A002 OK [CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 LITERAL+ SASL-IR LOGIN-REFERRALS ID ENABLE IDLE SORT SORT=DISPLAY THREAD=REFERENCES THREAD=REFS THREAD=ORDEREDSUBJECT MULTIAPPEND URL-PARTIAL CATENATE UNSELECT CHILDREN NAMESPACE UIDPLUS LIST-EXTENDED I18NLEVEL=1 CONDSTORE QRESYNC ESEARCH ESORT SEARCHRES WITHIN CONTEXT=SEARCH LIST-STATUS BINARY MOVE SNIPPET=FUZZY NOTIFY SPECIAL-USE QUOTA] Logged in
> A003 LIST "" *
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 349
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 349 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 320
* schannel: decrypted data added: 320
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 320 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 320 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 320
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Caught
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Caught
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Junk Email"
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Junk Email"
< * LIST (\HasChildren \UnMarked) "/" Mailspring
* LIST (\HasChildren \UnMarked) "/" Mailspring
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Mailspring/Snoozed
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Mailspring/Snoozed
< * LIST (\HasChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive
* LIST (\HasChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2019
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2019
* schannel: client wants to read 102381 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: Curl_read_plain returned CURLE_AGAIN
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: client wants to read 102381 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 881
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 881 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 852
* schannel: decrypted data added: 852
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 852 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 852 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 852
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2018
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2018
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2017
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2017
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2016
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2016
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2013
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2013
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2012
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2012
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2011
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2011
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2015
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2015
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2014
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Archive/2014
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Trash) "/" Trash
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Trash) "/" Trash
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \Marked \Junk) "/" Spam
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \Marked \Junk) "/" Spam
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Sent) "/" Sent
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Sent) "/" Sent
< * LIST (\Noselect \HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Sent Items"
* LIST (\Noselect \HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Sent Items"
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Deleted Items"
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" "Deleted Items"
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Drafts) "/" Drafts
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked \Drafts) "/" Drafts
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Notes
* LIST (\HasNoChildren \UnMarked) "/" Notes
< * LIST (\HasNoChildren) "/" INBOX
* LIST (\HasNoChildren) "/" INBOX
< A003 OK List completed (0.017 + 0.000 + 0.016 secs).
* Connection #0 to host imap.virginmedia.com left intact

 Hope this helps

Tim

[HowardML]

Thank goodness someone knows how to read the CURL output. Still it provides the evidence needed to demonstrate that there is an issue. So over to VM to escalate this now for action by the email or networks team. Something isn't right with the connections to to the IMAP servers in Knowsley.

@ModTeam 

@Sasha_W 

[CurlyKylie]

An observation, we all seem to be @blueyonder.co.uk users so not sure if that's relevant.

We are also all authenticating OK, the problem happens on the next IMAP command.

[HowardML]

Guys - you did great work. So thanks for that. Unlikely to be an issue caused by the mail domain. The domains all connect to the same servers. And the CURL test that showed the issue was running against imap.virginmedia.com.

Just for your interest you should both be using the unified client mail settings here:

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-media-configure-email-settings

[ravenstar68]

@mikes2400 didn't even get as far as the IMAP greeting in their case.

@ModTeam - Can we get this expedited ASAP?

[ravenstar68]

---

@HowardML wrote:

Thank goodness someone knows how to read the CURL output.

---

Read it one line at a time.  It makes a lot more sense that way. 🤣

Tim

Edit - each line starts with a Symbol

* - debug information
< - messages from server to client
> - messages from client to server

schannel is Microsoft's implementation of SSL/TLS.

Tim