What are you talking about? Have you tried to create a support article or edited an existing one. Give me the link and I will clean house. What your text says does not have a home anywhere but in a support question.

The server setting you quote are not as recommended by Centurylink http://www.centurylink.com/help/help/index.php?assetid=239

Nor do they look anything like the settings in the ISPDB that Thunderbird would return for a certurylink account https://autoconfig.thunderbird.net/v1.1/centurylink.net

It is Ok, I have found deleted the document. There is no need for a link

You are correct on BOTH your links listed, but therein lays the problem. At Centurylink, they are so far behind in updating Thunderbird, I believe my talks with them is they cannot be bothered i.e. it is a gratuitous support to our customers, which their base support has made quite clear to me.

On Thunderbird, you are correct again; none of the settings match, but what I discovered through many trials is that it needs updating too, which is what this is all about.

I figured the solution, but no one seems to care besides Matt at this point; time will tell if this is correct and you as a Moderator have any pull here, TYVM.

Those settings are not just for Thunderbird. They are for all desktop email clients. SO if you installed the bat!, Mutt or outlook those are the settings that should be used.

Port 25 for instance ceased to be a mainstream port for connecting to a mail server from a mail client a decade or so ago. These days it is a server to server mail exchange port. Although some will allow you to send mail on that port. It is not recommended.

Really I think you are more likely to be falling foul of an anti virus product than the settings published by the mail provider being simply wrong.

First I would like to say that I have a high respect to those that give up A LOT of their valuable time gratis as volunteers...been there, done that for two life times on this side and TYVM for yours Matt.

Here is a refresh link from July that you were involved in for a short time:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1129466

No offense, but I cannot count how many times I have heard the "anti-virus" card used since my beginnings with basic DOS and Windows 3.1; that is always the blow off easy door answer, especially note to this day from Helpless Support from the Big Boys.

Now for the tough door: it will become crystal clear IF someone takes the time and opens a Century Link account and tries to set up a POP 3 account; until then, we are wearing out our keyboards. Granted, that takes some time and effort, but I am assuming that is what Mozilla and Gang is all about; however to date, I am cautiously pessimistic.

BTW: if this every comes to fruition, Century Link is a pimple [company size] to what is my next issue in this genre, but first things first and again TYVM Matt.

Just noticed [appending here half hour later], that my “9.4.2016 Not Reviewed yet” to this link below has been removed. Any insight here on this Matt? https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/contributors/kb-overview?category=20&product=thunderbird

ALLEN12 said

No offense, but I cannot count how many times I have heard the "anti-virus" card used since my beginnings with basic DOS and Windows 3.1; that is always the blow off easy door answer, especially note to this day from Helpless Support from the Big Boys.

That is why we are wasting our time talking to McAfee/Intel about them causing the number 6 most frequent crash in Thunderbird hey. It is also why we maintain this wiki page. https://wiki.mozilla.org/Thunderbird:Testing:Antivirus_Related_Performance_Issues

You keep hearing it because the products are fundamentally flawed. Just as certain parts of Windows are. There is no point wasting time looking for bugs in the software until you eliminate the obvious and regular causes of that type of issue. Many folk happily use Norton Anti virus thinking it scans their mail. and it does as long as the use a pop mail account without and connection security. A very small percentage of mail accounts these days meet those requirement. It also contains a firewall that is notorious around here for blocking Thunderbird every time it updates.

I also frequently suggest safe mode, both in the operating system and in Thunderbird. I make a suggestion based on the information given. In your case I think more likely anti virus than any incorrect settings from your mail provider.

Now for the tough door: it will become crystal clear IF someone takes the time and opens a Century Link account and tries to set up a POP 3 account; until then, we are wearing out our keyboards. Granted, that takes some time and effort, but I am assuming that is what Mozilla and Gang is all about; however to date, I am cautiously pessimistic.

Two things. 1. If the settings published by the provider do not work. It is not really an issue for us to pursue. We act in good faith that there is someone as the mail provider that knows about mail and is competent to publish that information. If there is not it really makes it obvious that they are not competent to run a mail service. Perhaps as their customer you might like to take it up with them as to why they publish incorrect settings.

2. Thunderbird is not a Mozilla product anymore, although it bears the name still. So much so that they want as to find a new home. Perhaps with the document foundation, but we are still looking

Ohh and I tried to create an ID with Frontier.... I tried about 20 passwords, none met the requirement, which is still undefined. That is much more time than I feel inclined to waste.

BTW: if this every comes to fruition, Century Link is a pimple [company size] to what is my next issue in this genre, but first things first and again TYVM Matt.

You have lost me. I have no idea what that means.

Just noticed [appending here half hour later], that my “9.4.2016 Not Reviewed yet” to this link below has been removed. Any insight here on this Matt? https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/contributors/kb-overview?category=20&product=thunderbird

As I said. I have deleted it, on the basis it was a misdirected support request.

It certainly did not meet the guidelines for a support document. and contained information contradictory to that supplied by the ISP, without substantiation. As I said earlier, if you think that the information supplied by frontier is incorrect, ask them to update their web page. Then and only then will we update our database.

One of the guidelines we use is to not publish account settings for mail providers. That is what the database is for. We do have an exception for the very big players like Google because their implementation of IMAP is so bizarre it requires explanation, but as a general rule there should be no reason to have an article that describes Frontier.

In order of your points with my comments:

I also frequently suggest safe mode, both in the operating system and in Thunderbird. I make a suggestion based on the information given. In your case I think more likely antivirus than any incorrect settings from your mail provider.

    The above I answered you on 7.11.2016, paraphrasing this: “A day or so later, I found a workaround patch to this F5 access on this link if you care to see: http://tinyurl.com/jlewl62 Neither options did the trick,” so I believe AV is off the table.

Two things. 1. If the settings published by the provider do not work. It is not really an issue for us to pursue. We act in good faith that there is someone as the mail provider that knows about mail and is competent to publish that information. If there is not it really makes it obvious that they are not competent to run a mail service. Perhaps as their customer you might like to take it up with them as to why they publish incorrect settings.

    I see this as passing the buck. What you are suggesting here and I even went there earlier in my previous inquiries, is to get with their tech email support. That seemed viable until your efforts failed with Frontier in the same area. Now that is only two [2] ISP’s [bet there is more], but we are looking in the wrong door. This is really a Thunderbird issue in getting the software people to get this to work with the ISP that are out there, not the reverse. If they can’t do that, then take the product out of circulation. I say this because the work around I did to get this to work clearly showed me the IT guys are not up on their game; here is one good reason why >>> http://tinyurl.com/6dz8lke 

In fairness, I know this is voluntary, but I assure you there are many in upper management that are picking up checks to run this division and I truly hope Matt is included there; and if you are not, what is your return on this?

It certainly did not meet the guidelines for a support document. and contained information contradictory to that supplied by the ISP, without substantiation. As I said earlier, if you think that the information supplied by frontier is incorrect, ask them to update their web page. Then and only then will we update our database. Oh and I tried to create an ID with Frontier.... I tried about 20 passwords, none met the requirement, which is still undefined. That is much more time than I feel inclined to waste.

    I could not agree more on your last sentence, but what does Frontier have to do with Century link? Further, this begs the question WHY does the tech department have to wait for any ISP to update Thunderbird’s database? They are not in existence to service Thunderbird; you have this turned this issue around Matt and are putting the burden on the ISPs [again, see my comment above].

2. Thunderbird is not a Mozilla product anymore, although it bears the name still. So much so that they want as to find a new home. Perhaps with the document foundation, but we are still looking.

   Therein may lay the main issue here. Business Law tells one that if there is no exchange of compensation, expect minimal in return or usually nothing. When money changes hands, the playing field alters exponentially. I would GLADLY pay for an app such as Thunderbird for my needs. The time value of money I have wasted trying to figure out what is going on with what I now see as the “Thunderbird Winker Department” here far exceeds anything I would have reasonably paid for a good working app in this genre. There is no question Thunderbird is a quality application, but it is dying on the vine with the last 15% it needs to go to get it back to a #1 ranking [again the click link above].

To note: the Guidelines I was sent as a Forum Contributor was short of ludicrous. To spend that kind of time and energy on a copious amount of personal effort [this issue is a great example] is bothersome at least. “Hey, let’s have a bunch of drones working for us for zip while we in upper management can collect checks for their efforts.” These guys have to be laughing up their cuffs.

So Matt, what say you?

I say I am a volunteer, and a member of the entirely volunteer Thunderbird council. We have no employees and therefore no upper management. Mozilla may have. You would need to address your concerns about Mozilla to them.

If you want you can file a bug. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/ But expect more friction than I am giving you. Especially as the guy that responds to most of these things will tell you much as I have. WE record the settings provided. If the ISP is not competent enough to publish correct settings then that is not our problem.

This old timer has to pick his battles more carefully these days; they are always out there and one can spend a lifetime doing this type of stuff; however, I have found the payback in this arena in the long haul has most often little to show leaving one with an empty feeling e.g. experience being a VP of an HOA; now that is a rude awakening.

You are a good guy and I like you; I am telling you the above because I have traveled that road, which I believe is wisely less traveled my most. I do not believe in something for nothing; that is the capitalist system that appears to work best due to centuries of refinement.

I hope for you there is a valid return here other than using your “life force” for this stuff. If this gets elevated to a commercial product, I would gladly give you a major thumbs up as a rec anytime. If that comes to pass, you would certainly be an asset to that enterprise and should definitely be compensated for it. I discovered the hard way more than once that a Thank You only goes so far. Regards, Allen Olson.

I have had this problem for 5 years running. I can receive e-mail on my centurytel.net account using Thunderbird (centurytel.net is one of at least a dozen domain names used by Centurylink, and one of the oldest), but I cannot send anything. I get a message that the password is wrong (it's the same password for both incoming and SMPT servers, the incoming server works fine). Centurytel support is useless. They still have the version 17 Thunderbird on their "Help" page. They just say "Call Mozilla, it's a problem on their end." R-i-g-h-t. I would like to set up a new Thunderbird account and, if I can get that one working, import the e-mail from my current account into that. Have you tried that? If so, did it work?

P.S. Forgot to add that sometimes the program says the SMTP password is wrong, and sometimes it just says it cannot connect. It will also work if all security settings are set to insecure. I.e., if it is set to send the password insecurely, and set to have no connection security, it will work. I decline to do that. This may also be the problem with your attempted setup. It simply will not work with centurytel unless all security settings are set to insecure settings - no TLS, SSL, or encryption of passwords.

Just wasted another 1.5 hours on this. Unless Thunderbird can get control of this problem, and advertise it, I am done with trying to make it work.

MoeCowbell said

Just wasted another 1.5 hours on this. Unless Thunderbird can get control of this problem, and advertise it, I am done with trying to make it work.

Your problem is with a service you are paying for. Why expect a volunteer organization (Thunderbird) to address a problem your dollars can not?

Connection settings are specified by the server owner. Not the mail client. Is secure connections do not work. The problem is with the folk you are putting money in the pockets of, not the volunteer run open source project providing our mail client. (Not Mozilla either by the way, they supply some infrastructure for us)

There have been many changes over the last couple of years in what is an acceptable cypher for SSL/TLS. If you mail provider has not kept up with those changes. That is a example of profit not service. Not a problem with Thunderbird.

So I strongly suggest Moe that you put your money where your mouth is. and stop giving certurylink your money.

I decline to do that.

Not your choice. That is a decision made by your mail provider on your behalf.

Have a look here. Your mail provider gets an F on their report card.

I can tell you have to make Thunderbird insecure to match the insecure settings required by your provider. but if you decline to use no security. Why would you use completely broken security? I wrote ablog post more than a year ago about the logjam vulnerability. That your provider still has not addressed this serious vulnerability say a lot about their focus.

Thanks for your information. I live in a very rural area that has very few options for ISP (I am only aware of the one I have). It seems like ISPs who are indifferent to e-mail security, esprecially in light of our former Secretary of State's fiasco, should be shamed by their investors and by their regulators to upgrade their customers' security ASAP.

In the meanwhile, are the web-based e-mail systems any more secure than the ISP systems?

For years now I have maintained accounts with Google, Hotmail, Yahoo and GMX. All of them work well with Thunderbird although the Microsoft offering has some issues with POP accounts.

I use all the accounts through Thunderbird without any particular issues. From a privacy perspective GMX have been best so far, being constrained by German privacy laws. Google Microsoft and Yahoo both suffer from being in the US with their world famous secret courts with secret court orders, hardly conducive to good privacy protections. But then so is your ISP in the USA so nothing really changes.

On 9.6.2016, I stated this: "BTW: if this ever comes to fruition, Century Link is a pimple [company size] to what is my next issue in this genre, but first things first and again TYVM Matt," which you answered by what I meant by that. I let it all go based on where we ended up on 9.10.2016; however, your recent October comments above that were emailed to me have awaken that statement and here it is:

Century Link the pimple, is greatly eclipsed by Microsoft's Outlook.com that also offers a free web based email service, as we are all aware of. However, I have tried as I did with Century Link for a PO3 setup to no avail to this day with them. Since they are not getting paid for their application as volunteers at Thunderbird do not [and they are the 800 pound gorilla here], why would you expect them to chase after you to get your application to mesh with theirs? Sorry Matt, it does not work that way; the little fish have to eat the algae until they become the big fish, then the cycle begins again, places and statuses changed out. Making a myriad of excuses on your end for Century Link the pimple here may fly that I am not unsympathetic with, but to say the people at Microsoft's Outlook division should be chasing Matt et al is unreasonable in the real business world. Quote by you: “….the Microsoft offering has some issues with POP accounts.” So, what is holding your people back?

BTW: I have shown the path to the solution months ago for the Century Link POP3, but has anyone made that correction on the POP3 settings for pop.centurylink.net? It does not appear to be so, which miffs me here as to why I need to spend any more of my life force on this carousel. As I stated on 9.5.2016, "I figured the solution, but no one seems to care besides Matt at this point; time will tell if this is correct and you as a Moderator have any pull here, TYVM," has played itself out in a who cares way.

Bottom line: They need to make this a paying position and I believe we all get that. I have no doubt that if Matt et al was receiving fair compensation for his efforts, this would be a different outcome [and I hope it goes that way soon; I would be happy to pay up for this excellent app]. Until that happens, I have no doubt you are losing potential clients daily to other effective POP3 apps that are out there and that is too bad, for as I said, Thunderbird is an excellent application; the major work and foundation has been done, but is being turned to fodder for what appears to be a simple 10% maintenance follow through, volunteers or not.

This is for Matt the Moderator on this Thread #2 [7.1.2016 was my initial]. Since I wrote my last here on 10.23.2016 and received silence, perhaps the rule here may be that “silence deems acceptance.”

I believe at this stage, we are beyond the “Bug” guy for a fix that you suggested [lateral move it appears] and move this issue above a “Moderator.” Therefore, if you would pass along a link or email contact[s] that I could communicate going forward to higher levels, that would be most helpful.

Allen, your posts are hard work to read and I for one have given up trying to unravel what you're trying to say.

Get to the point, stop opinionating and people might be more inclined to attempt to help you.

Silence is we have nothing to say. Simple really.

You appear to think Thunderbird should be modified in some way to work with century link. This is their page of settings. http://www.centurylink.com/help/help/index.php?assetid=239

Here are the settings Thunderbird uses. https://autoconfig.thunderbird.net/v1.1/centurylink.net they are the same.

That is the end of the centurylink set up process.

Should you have issues with other software on your PC, firewall, edge routers or other software, that is not a problem for Thunderbird.

I there fore must assume you are writing about that support article you submitted. I did not and will not be approving that. I really had difficulty understanding what you were saying and most of the information was not relevant to most users. Sorry but it did not meet the standards for a support article.

Hello Zenos

Kudos to you for your selfish less help to the Mozilla organization for the years you have put in and I sincerely mean that; as I have said more than once, you guys should be paid for the extended time and efforts put forth. However, as I stated above, this was directed at Matt the Moderator.

If you had truly something to contribute other than complaining versus a SOLUTION, that would have value to the community. Maybe you still can by telling us what specifically you know about POP3 apps and what are the best ones out there?

However, since you are in the UK, there should be no way you could have worked out my specific solution from that geographic area with the ISP’s there; as I have stated, it would take time to work through what I did with the correct apps, which I believe you do not have access to, but maybe you could prove that wrong.

Take a cue from Matt; he knows how to work through the steps and wisely was given the title of Moderator, which I understand is above these titles of Top 10 Contributor, which I am quickly finding have hollow values based on what has been thrown my way, you included. That might help to negate your feeling of “……. overcome my growing irritation at the awkwardness of this environment.”