on 03-05-2021 12:07
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?
on 05-05-2021 11:26
on 05-05-2021 11:30
Thanks for the explanation @HowardML however things like these type of problems can often be monitored by watching for dropped and/or failed connection numbers for instance. I agree that intermittent problems can be hard to identify and resolve, but as many other ISPs do if the ticket and/or service status is updated then at least customers have better visibility of what's going on. If we know there is a fault and it's being worked on we can manage it. It also takes weight off the support lines because you can look at the service statement and if it applies to you then you don't need to take it further.
Regarding the 5 days, yes I totally understand that is their SLA but considering how many people these days rely on email coupled with the lack of visibility of a problem that's not a great service from one of the countries major ISPs. Perhaps the fact that you, a VIP here, doesn't have any faith in the reliability of Virgin Media email infrastructure speaks volumes, almost as much are your bright red text did!
on 05-05-2021 11:38
I'm enjoying this exchange, but I don't want to lengthen it because other people are coming forward with this issue and this is the thread they are being referred to. I'll just say this. VM aren't perfect and their mail system certainly isn't perfect. But it does OK for the majority of its users most of the time. The Forum is here, partly as a long stop, when issues need a bit more of an airing. My choice of email provider is purely personal. I think there are other advantages to be had from a non-ISP linked email account - like no portability problems if I were ever to change ISPs. As an ISP I have no issues with VM at all. But I think dedicated email providers can often do a better job than ISPs for whom email is not a core function, but as with with VM a value added supplement to their main business.
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on 05-05-2021 12:24
I've noticed that VM are now putting some of my notifications for this thread into the Spam folder, but some others into the Inbox! No idea why.
on 05-05-2021 17:32
Can tell you its very very flaky currently.
C:\WINDOWS\system32>curl -v imaps://imap.virginmedia.com/ -u **********
* 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 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
on 05-05-2021 17:40
C:\WINDOWS\system32>curl -v imaps://imap.virginmedia.com/ -u
* 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 63
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 63 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 34
* schannel: decrypted data added: 34
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 34 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 34 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 34
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< * CAPABILITY IMAP4rev1 NAMESPACE
* schannel: client wants to read 102400 bytes
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: encrypted data got 60
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 60 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data length: 31
* schannel: decrypted data added: 31
* schannel: decrypted data cached: offset 31 length 102400
* schannel: encrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 103424
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 31 length 102400
* schannel: schannel_recv cleanup
* schannel: decrypted data returned 31
* schannel: decrypted data buffer: offset 0 length 102400
< A001 OK CAPABILITY completed.
> A002 LOGIN ******
* 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
on 05-05-2021 17:42
Another one above for the evidence pile. Does look flaky too.
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on 05-05-2021 18:06
I'm also now facing the same intermittent issue:
* 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 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
on 05-05-2021 18:30
* 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 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
Endless this..
on 05-05-2021 20:52
Hello, I'm following this thread with interest as I have been having a very similar intermittent thunderbird/imap connection issue for several days.