E-Mail and Xfinity Connect Help

[Joel]

Since the release of OS X 10.5 “Leopard”, we’ve seen a few questions regarding the set-up of Mail to manage your Comcast email account. There have been some minor cosmetic changes to some of the windows, but the information you need is the same as in previous versions of X. In the following post, we'll point out the differences between Leopard and previous versions of OS X (all screenshots are from OS X 10.5.5, the differences are minor compared to previous versions of X - the information is easily applied to any version of Mac Mail). To begin, go to the Menu Bar and click Mail>>Preferences:



To set up a new account, click the Accounts tab, then click the plus sign (+) at the bottom left of the window.

(Leopard window showing automatic account set-up not found in earlier versions of X)

In the resulting window, enter your full name (or the name you’d like to appear in the From: field in your recipients’ mail client), your full Comcast email address, and your account password. Mail now includes server information for many of the common ISPs and web-based email services. Clicking “Automatically set up account” should enter the proper information in all of the fields we’re going to look at next (this is a Leopard-only feature - users of olders versions of X should proceed below). To verify your account is successfully set up, send yourself an email and see if it arrives.

To verify or edit your server settings, click Accounts at the top of the original Preferences window, then highlight your Comcast POP account in the left sidebar.

Next, click the Account Information tab. “Description” is just a word or two to identify the account. “Email Address” is your full Comcast email address. “Full Name” is the name you’d like to appear in the From: field in your recipients’ mail client. “Incoming Mail Server” is mail.comcast.net. “User Name” is your account user name, or the part of your email address before the “@”. “Password” is your email account password, which must contain between 8-16 alpha-numeric characters, and is case-sensitive. Next, click the “Advanced” tab in the Accounts window:

The default set up uses Port 110 with no SSL and no Authentication. Optional setting (necessary should you connect from a non-Comcast connection, as in a public hot-spot) of Port 995 requires the use of SSL and Password Authentication. Next, to check your outgoing mail settings, click the Account Information tab. Then open the SMTP menu and click Edit Server List, then Account Information...

“Description” is a word or two to identify the account. “Server Name” is smtp.comcast.net. Now click the Advanced tab:

(Leopard window shows additional port options not found in earlier versions of X. I recommend using to Custom option and choosing either port 587 or 465 to ensure that Mail does not set this option to 25)


If you have multiple accounts in Mail, make sure your Comcast account is highlighted. Comcast no longer advises the use of Port 25, and recommends the use of Port 587. Use of SSL is optional (though recommended). Set “Authentication” to Password, and enter your account user name and password in the appropriate fields. Optional setting is Port 465 with SSL and Password Authentication. When you’re finished, click OK. To verify settings, send an email to yourself (making sure you use smtp.comcast.net to send if you have multiple accounts configured in Mail).

Message Edited by charvey on 09-10-2008 10:32 PM

Message Edited by Joel on 11-26-2008 12:31 AM

EDIT: Added Snow Leopard to Subject 

Message Edited by Joel on 02-19-2010 07:10 PM

[Joel]

Post removed as MD5 Challenge-Response authentication is no longer supported. Always use Password Authentication in Mac Mail.

Message Edited by Joel on 11-26-2008 12:36 AM

[brichpmr]

---

Joel wrote:
One thing on which I'd like to elaborate is Authentication. You'll always see me advise that the "MD5 Challenge-Response" authentication method is an option. Here's why: About a year and a half ago, a software update was performed on some, not all, of the Comcast mail servers. For some reason beyond my limited knowledge on the subject, the updated servers were having a problem with the way Mac Mail used the password to authenticate to the server (does that make sense?). This resulted in the password constantly being rejected. I found that using MD5 Challenge-Response always worked around whatever issue existed, and I've been using on both the outgoing and incoming sides ever since. YMMV of course 

---

Thanks for that info, Joel. The port and authentication options also work well for sending/receiving Comcast webail on my iPhone. Wikipedia has some good basic info on the MD5 method.

Message Edited by brichpmr on 01-01-2008 10:33 AM

[Magician]

Nice job with this, Joel. Apple really did a wonderful job with Mail 3. I just wish I could organize my feeds into folders - because of that feature being omitted for whatever reason, I still use Newsfire for RSS.

[Joel]

I've always believed in separate tools for specific jobs. While it's nice to see RSS support in mail, any serious user of RSS feeds is going to want to use a dedicated feed reader. Vienna is a nice little open-source (and free) reader. Newsfire is cool, despite its developer usually being referred to using a vulgarity describing a bodily orifice. NetNewsWire is probably the most popular feed reader in Mac-dom (they've got a free Lite version too).

[jccamp]

Since this is rather old, I'll look around for a fresher OP, but this is on point. I have experiencing intermittent errors when MAIL looks for new mail. The error message says something like "Comcast.net does not recognize the password. Enter your correct password." If I hit "cancel" and then "get new mail", sometimes it works, and other times, I get a repeat of the error message. Eventually, the mail will download correctly.
After seeing this post, I went to my mail prefs and changed authentication from "password" to MD5 as suggested. I got an error message that said to the effect Comcast.net POP does not recognize MD5".

Any other suggestions about how to cure the intermittent failure of the servers failing to recognize the (correct) password?

JC

[joel_c]

The mail servers seem to be having some issues lately. It would be nice if one of the mods who deal with email (Chris?) could chime in and let us know if there have been any software updates applied to any of the mail servers recently. Also, there is a beta test in progress for a completely revamped web-based mail application. Those involved in the beta test are also using an alternate POP server that has been extremely problematic. We need to know if this rash of issues is separate from the beta test, or if it is indeed related.

So, if you are experiencing rejected passwords, please state whether you are or are not involved in the SmartZone beta test just so we can be sure (if you are a beta tester, you would have been instructed via email to use an alternative incoming mail server). It's also apparent that the SmartZone proxy does not support MD5 authentication.

[charvey]

Joel (nice thread!!),

Yes I've been watching and concerned (as is Michael) by this sudden escalation is both SSL and password issues. Yes it's confused by some users being Smartzone testers, and some experiencing pop only issues, others experiencing smtp only issues and some experiencing everything.. then add MacMail verses XP, Vista and other environments and this suddenly becomes very difficult to piece together.

There have been no major changes (other than Smartzone) to the complex recently that would account for all these issues. We were having problems with one pop proxy the other day that may have caused some of these early reports (it kept locking up), but it was taken out of rotation so people still experiencing the issue is a little baffling.

Needless to say, we're looking at it, it's not being ignored; but it is a little baffling.

[joel_c]

That was the former me, I'm not that person anymore (but then you know exactly how I feel)

[joel_c]

An update on Authentication: VERY IMPORTANT! It appears that with recent software updates to the Comcast mail servers, the MD5 Challenge-Response authentication method is no longer supported, at least on a consistent basis. Comcast recommends that you use Password authentication, I recommend you do the same.

[SStephen]

Help !!     Cannot send email.  I have been using Authentication :  Password  and    Port 995, SSL    for two years and continued these settings since I got the MacPro and OSX 10.5.4 (Leopard) in March ‘08.   Two days ago, Comcast stopped sending my email  (from MacMail).  

About the same time, I started getting those annoying ‘password checks’ and I have found that it makes no difference if I input the password or if I check ‘cancel’.  I usually have to go into MacMail and make sure my account is ‘on line’.  This is a reoccurring problem that pops up every few months and lasts a day or two.  

I tried using MDs Challenge Response and that did not help.  I then unchecked
‘Use SSL’ and the port number changed from 995 to 110, but that also did not help.  So I am back with Authentication: Passwork and  Port 995, SSL checked, and Comcast will not send my email when I use MacMail.  Incoming email is still okay.    

Three calls to Comcast Customer Service and no joy.  My fault for wasting time even calling them; they hold the title of most clueless of those who know nothing.   
 
UStephen@comcast.net

[BethKatz]

There are two places to set the server.

One is for incoming mail. That should be port 995, SSL, and Password.

The other is for outgoing mail. That should be 465, SSL, and Password. You might be able to use 587 without SSL.

[SStephen]

Hi Beth Katz,        Sunday eve

Thanks for your email.  I am accessing the MacMail program by using    Mail > Preferences >  General >  Advanced >  and when the Advanced screen is visible, I input   995, SSL and Password     as you note.  I cannot find another place to input a protocol for outgoing mail.  

You say the other protocol is for outgoing mail.  The Advanced screen has only one location for a protocol.  Where is screen for outgoing protocol?  As far back as I can remember, even back to the G4 years ago, I have only seen one location to input a protocol in MacMail.  For the past 5-6 months I've had the current MacPro running MacMail and have been using the current protocol without any problems ... until yesterday.  My guess, after reading other posts on line, is that Comcast has made a change to one of its servers. 

Of course it's easier to blame them than look for a solution but, I looked for a solution for two days and made several calls (against my better judgment) to what Comcast claims is Customer Service.  I also have a personal tech contact at Apple Corporate who has corrected problems with the Mac; he has not recommended anything yet but I don't know if he has received my email yet. 

I have tried several iterations of the protocol without success.  I am extremely interested in your recommendation.   Thank you.
Ciao    SStephen   

[joel_c]

If you highlight your Comcast account in the sidebar, then click the Account Information tab, you should see the Outgoing Mail Server at the bottom of the window. Click the menu and choose Edit to edit the setting. What's probably happening is you've got Port 25 set for sending, and Comcast, for the past couple of years, has been moving users away from Port 25 to either Port 587 with or without SSL; or Port 465 with SSL; both of these settings require that you use Password Authentication. The very first post in this thread shows a screenshot of what this all looks like in Leopard. When you close the Preferences window, you will be asked to save the changes, be sure to accept the changes.

[SStephen]

To  Joel_C  and  BethKatz:                  Monday early morning

You hit the nail on the head.  I went to Preferences> Accounts> Account Information> Outgoing Mail> Edit Server List> Advanced  (must select Advanced>  and then put in  587  click on SSL
authentication: password,  put in accout name and the password for the account, then Ok,  and if you select another account or leave Preferences, the program will ask if you want to save the changes ... must save the changes for it to work.  And work it does.  After 2 1/2 days. 

After five calls to Customer Service (I just cannot call them Tech Services when all they know is how to show up on pay day) I found out that was a " CASE I.D. NUMBER " in my file that was put there on September 13 at 3:11 a.m.  Seems that this could have been automatically detected by Comcast (or more likely a glitch by Comcast) and they took my outgoing email off line (at 3:11 a.m. my computer was shut down).  Their computer shut me down but it could not generate an email to tell me about the problem and it could not generate a notice to Comcast to notify me.  Instead, I called them five times, wasted at least 90 minutes of my time and their gag TE gag CH gag folks had to listen to my derisive remarks about their knowledge and my evaluation of their suggestions.  In fact, during my final call, the yeech TEC ugghh H gurgle  person asked and then suggested that she connect me with Apple TECH Services.  Imagine someone from Comcast thinking (that's a stretch) and then thinking that I had an Apple problem.  After I explained why it was not an Apple problem she must have opened her eyes and she saw the  "CASE I.D. NUMBER"    The interesting part is that she knew I had to change the incoming port, the more typical part is that she had NO IDEA how to do that. 

Many thanks for your help.  Had I simply listened to you and not bothered with the meatheads at Comcast (never thought I'd use an Archie Bunker phrase), I would have save a lot of time and the aggravation of knowing that the person on the other end of the line was as likely to help as they were likely to be studying nuclear medicine on line at Phoenix University.  I did get a phone number for contacting the "Spam" department and I will request at least five days credit for the aggravation, the misdirection I received, the lack of notification, the lack of instructions for changing the port, and the total waste of time.  More and more I like Comcast less and less.  Their only redeeming action is that they have set aside a small amount of memory for this forum. 

Thank you again for your help.   Stephen / Miami, Florida


 

[charvey]

Stephen, Comcast doesn't support MacMail, so the techs you speak to on the phone do not have any guidelines to follow when trying to help reconfigure you client. If you are lucky enough to speak to one that's familiar with Macs, then you may get some personal help, but if they don't know the Mac platform then they have no way to help you.

There are guides for a variety of clients on our http://help.comcast.net webpage and also a guide at the top of this forum that would have helped you change your outgoing port.

What apparently happened was your outgoing port was blocked and Comcast doesn't have the right primary address for you on file so couldn't contact you. This can happen for a variety of reasons but sometimes when people move service the records don't update correctly and an 'old' address can still be considered a primary.

I'm glad you are fixed, and it seems like you have now learnt a little more about how to configure your Mac for any email accounts you might add in the future.

[BethKatz]

Stephen, I'm sorry I didn't mention where to find the outgoing mail server. Thanks to Joel, there are pictures above in this thread.

I created a separate page describing Mail, Mac OS X 10.5, and Comcast because I ran into your same predicament. One day, my mail just wouldn't go out. The 'you are sending out spam' message went to my primary account that I don't read - my husband does, sometimes. I created the page for an article in my local Apple user group newsletter.

Since making that fix, I mostly haven't had problems. Every so often, one of the Comcast servers will stop recognizing my password. I hit Cancel and check mail again. Usually that works within a few minutes.

Why Comcast can't just say 'switch from using port 25' is beyond me. Then everyone would have to switch. We'd have a bunch of complaints. But customer service would have that answer right in front of them. They could send Mac owners to this thread. And the change would happen. As it is, customer service has no clue because it doesn't come up frequently enough, and they reasonably don't know the Mac Mail app. It would be easier for everyone if Comcast sent out a warning and then shut down port 25 for everyone rather than doing it haphazardly.

[bluebird51]

I find it odd that when I change setting in mail advanced to use this server SMTP.comcast.net and save. Somehow it gets changed to server NONE and checked as only use this server? I didn't change it so How can it change itself? Also had issues with the pop and had to keep filling in password at prompt fpr keychain and accts were offline. I called comcast they were useless he said someone in a different dept would get back to me in two days??? That it was a registration issue. I said I have been using this acct for years?? Plus the secondary acct seemed to work. Then he told me to use port 25 not 587? Something is bad at comcast and most of the time the techs no nothing about apple! Why on comcast site does it say use 587??? I'm on port 25 now see how long that lasts. Seems to work for now but its hour by hour with Comcast. They blame apple then everyone fiddles with settings when it had nothing to do with them its internal at comcast. Why doesn't comcast work harder for the Apple people we pay them enough!!

[joel_c]

The POP issue is part of a larger ongoing server-side problem. The easiest thing to do when prompted for your password is to click Cancel and wait for Mail to check for mail again. It also helps to set Mail to check for email less frequently. Comcast is in the beginning stages of a huge email upgrade and there have been some hardware issues plaguing the process early on. As for the SMTP issue, if Mail fails to connect to the SMTP server, it will set that pref to None until you manually choose to send from that server again. And a word of advice, even though Port 25 works now, Port 587 or Port 465 are the recommended port settings for outgoing mail. There's no guarantee that Port 25 will continue to function in the future.

[BethKatz]

Well, today (September 29, 2008) Comcast has a bunch of problems with email. It's not limited to Macs today. But it is intermittent.

Sometimes when you change server settings in mail, Mail checks that the server is reachable. If you were checking today, it might not have been able to verify the connection.

Port 25 will work until Comcast decides (incorrectly) that you are sending spam. Port 587 and SSL should work as shown in the pictures at the beginning of this thread.

[bluebird51]

thanks
seems to work now on port 25. Not changing anything till comcast decides to mess up again without telling anybody!! How they make all this money and disregard the public is beyond me. GREED!!!

[joel_c]

EDIT: Information added to top post.

It appears the recent OS X 10.5.5 update made a minor interface change in Mail's SMTP preference window. There are now two different port options, a default option which allows Mail to make the choice for you, and a custom option. Personally, I don't always trust software (or ISPs for that matter ) to make decisions for me, and also with Comcast moving users away from port 25, I would recommend choosing the Custom setting and then entering either 587 or 465. SSL is required with port 465 and supposed to be optional with 587; again I recommend using SSL in either case. Be sure to choose Password Authentication and enter your user name and password in the correct spaces.

Message Edited by Joel on 11-26-2008 12:38 AM

[momsageek]

I have had the same problems off and on with comcast and mac mail.  Seems to me that comcast needs to get with the program and realize that more and more of us are turning to Macs and that by not supporting it they are going to lose business.

[BethKatz]

Note that Comcast has recently had problems with repeatedly asking for you to enter your password. This is sporadic on all POP-based email clients. It's not just a Mac thing.

Just click Cancel and after a while Mail will try again.

[mpa_virginia]

I just want to thank Joel and the others on this Help page.  I have been suffering with the mail issue (not leaving desktop/not coming in) for several weeks now.  The Comcast tech persons on two occasions have given me false (incorrect) information.  So much for their help--I've learned that the only way to solve problems is with this feature of their Help!  That is, when I can get on the Internet at all.  Now that's another Help strand!  Anyway, put 995 as your Port and everything works.

Maybe that's why we're Mac people?  We can solve our own problems together!  :-)

[BethKatz]

Note that in the latest update for Mail, the outgoing server panel is changed slightly. You can click on

Use default ports (25, 465, 587) and click SSL.

[Baric]

Look up, beth, I think Joel covered that back in Sept...

http://forums.comcast.net/comcastsupport/board/message?board.id=8&view=by_date_ascending&message.id=...

[BethKatz]

Sorry, Baric, but I looked at the set of pictures at the top of this thread that are intended as documentation rather than down through the various posts. I was playing beginning, frustrated user.

I agree that computer users should be able to figure out the differences between the Tiger and Leopard versions of Mail. But guess what? Many of them can't. And they are justifiably wary of changing things in Advanced settings willy-nilly.

No, not everyone has switched to Leopard. My user group has many people still using pre-Leopard operating systems. But people with new machines will be using Leopard. And Comcast should have those instructions the default with a link to the older ones.

[charvey]

And as i've indicated, we're going to get that fixed, but to-date it hasn't appeared as much of an issue to the general Mac users (who seem way more savy than the average MS user).

[Joel]

I've updated the top post in this thread and tried to make it a little more friendly to users of older versions of X. ComGeo may be linking to this from the Help page, so if there's something I missed or that isn't clear, let me know.

[BethKatz]

Looks good. The wording about older systems was good, too. Thank you.

[7430eeasterdriv]

I found this page after searching for just this... however, when I choose "preferences" in mail (not .mac mail)  all I can get is the signature choice pane.  How can I re-set to allow the normal preferences?  Thank you in advance!

[Baric]

In older versions of Mac Mail, the Preferences window had a removable icon bar.  Does your window have a small light gray oval in the upper right hand corner?  If so, click it, your icon bar should come back.  This dubious feature was removed from current versions of Mac Mail, so my Preferences window doesn't have that little button in the upper right hand corner.

Hope this helps. 

[lunski]

I am locking this thread and creating it as a stickie.

http://forums.comcast.net/t5/E-Mail-Help-Forum/Managing-your-Email-in-OSX/m-p/778503#U778503