An 'interesting' cure for a strange problem....

Werebo

Allo all

After 3 weeks of not being able to send any email larger than 1.5 - 2 lines of text, I finally found a cure for it. (Anything larger kept getting a 'Message Failed to connect to SMTP Server' error).

I'd phoned my ISP tech-support several times - to no avail except for gleaning that the ISP was having problems with their email portal, and 'web-mailed' them for even less help. Confused

I'd gotten to the point where I was approx 3/4 way through composing a formal letter of complaint to the appropriate 'Ombudsman' (A UK Official Watchdog/Tribunal service, I don't know what the US equivalent is).

Last weekend, while chatting to an acquaintance up my local high-street, he mentioned whether my modem was ADSL 2 compliant. 1 quick search on Ebay found me a nice 'Speedtouch 546' 4-port cabled router/ADSL modem for Â£5.99 (approx US$11.72).

I connected it yesterday and, VOILA!!! Emails of any size can now send happily, and my surfing has smoothed out to it's maximum speed without the 'stuttering' that I'd always put down to hiccups in the data's travels from around the world.

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 975 Location: Central FL, USA

So, you're saying that now I can expect more email from you?

I just thought you were mad at me. Wink

OK, so what was actually your problem?

Curious minds want to know! Wink

The Doctor Cool

seaeagle

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 975 Location: Central FL, USA

As an afterthought,,,,,

I solve many phone line connection problems for my customers with a very simple tool.
It's a brass shotgun cleaning brush.

I apologize for the poor photo quality, but my little El'Cheapo Kodak camera doesn't have Close-Up capability. Crying or Very sad

I use this little, inexpensive brush, to clean up all the little modular phone plugs from the PC to the outside phone box. Just one funky (dirty or corroded) phone plug somewhere can cause all sorts of problems.
A voice communication might get through, but DIGITAL DATA cannot.
(Even DSL service still uses those little modular phone plugs.
At least here in the US.)

Just a thought!
The Doctor Cool

Werebo

Sorry about the lack of mail Doc, the main problem was that I couldn't send any emails larger than 1KB or 1.5 - 2 lines of text - on either of my 2 networked PC's Sad

3 or more lines, or inserted/attached pictures was a definite no-no, giving the error message 'Cannot connect to SMTP server, the SMTP server is either not responding or actively refusing the connection' - which lead me to believe the fault lay with my ISP. Embarassed

I must admit to being very impressed with the 'Speedtouch' modem, after connecting it and powering on, the first thing it asked for was my ISP user name and password, it then auto-negotiated all the required settings with VirginMedia and 10 seconds later, a little box appeared telling me it was ready and raring to go. An excellent little box indeed!!!

drwho07 · Joined: Nov 29, 2007 Posts: 975 Location: Central FL, USA

I might just mention this for Outlook Express users everywhere.....

If your "Sent Items" folder gets too full, you won't be able to send any email at all. You could even get an "out of memory" error message.

The solution is simple.....clean out your "Sent Items" folder on a regular basis, along with your "Deleted Items" folder.

Cheers Mate! (so now I can expect some email.....Right? )

The Doctor Cool

goretsky

Hello,

I have seen ths problem occur before when the MTU on the residental gateway is set to a size which is larger than the size used by the broadband provider. Reducing the size slightly can often solve this issue.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Werebo

I'd already checked the connection settings (MTU, RWINS etc.) against those supplied by my ISP, and 'TCP Optimiser' agreed with both lots too Wink

It's also got rid of my 'niggle' from ages ago, that I posted about - talking to my modem through my router - that 'Dlink DSL300' and 'Ovislink E-live' saga. They're both combined in one box now

boardflak · Joined: Dec 06, 2002 Posts: 108

Considering that we solved 99% of our DSL problems by replacing one 30-year-old phone jack, I can believe that taking that brush to the contacts would help a lot of things.