# Gmail POP3 download problems



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I've been using Gmail since it first came out and have it downloaded into Outlook Express. It has worked flawlessly for 3 years. Beginning Friday, I received the following message:

>The host 'pop.gmail.com' could not be found. Please verify that you have entered the server name correctly. Account: 'personal', Server: 'pop.gmail.com', Protocol: POP3, Port: 995, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 11001, Error Number: 0x800CCC0D<

And when trying to send mail from OE:

> The host 'smtp.gmail.com' could not be found. Please verify that you have entered the server name correctly. Account: 'Solitaries of Dekoven', Server: 'smtp.gmail.com', Protocol: SMTP, Port: 465, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 11001, Error Number: 0x800CCC0D<

I checked the POP3 settings and they are correct. When I worked through gmail's troubleshooting guide, the answer was my ISP was blocking gmail. I called them this morning and they did all kinds of checks and they are not blocking gmail -- "never have, never will" said the tech.

So thinking perhaps OE had become corrupted I downloaded Eudora, got it all set up correctly and Gmail won't download into that either. The gmail "forum" is useless since no one there knows what is going on. It was recommended by one person to switch to IMAP, but I have no idea what that even is and my question asking about it was received with disdain. 

Is anyone here having the same problem and if so, do you know a work-around? I really need to get gmail delivered onto my computer as I'm on dialup and working with e-mail on the Internet is slow. Thank you in advance for any help you can give me.


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## dezingg (Feb 25, 2010)

I wonder why you are suddenly having trouble. Did you install new security software or change firewall settings?

I use a WildBlue gmail account and download the messages to Thunderbird. The only time I've had trouble is when I deleted Thunderbird and had to set everything up again.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I did absolutely nothing. I even turned off AVG free for a while to see if that was the problem. I forgot to mention that I am having the same problem on my laptop, which I rarely use and was turned off for over a week. 

Apparently others are having the same problem, and as I said, the remedy proposed by a member of the Gmail forum was to switch from POP to IMAP, which I don't know anything about and am afraid to try. Can you tell I'm not very computer savvy?


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## lharvey (Jul 1, 2003)

I don't use GMail but from reading your error message I would say to disable the secure password authentication enabled will give you that error.

Disable that function in your e-mail program and it should work.

Report back.

L


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## WildernesFamily (Mar 11, 2006)

It sounds like your OE settings are all correct for a gmail/OE setup.

Have you checked your firewall settings? If you have a firewall, disable that and the antivirus and see if you can send/receive. If your computer is set to automatic updates you may have received an update that changed some setting somewhere.

I also use Gmail and OE and have run into this before. I had to change my ZoneAlarm settings to get my email to work again.


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## Mechanic Intern (Jun 10, 2007)

I'm not having any problems with getting at gmail. try pinging the server directly by its IP address; get to the command prompt

For windows, the command is "ping 74.125.67.109"
For MAC\LINUX\UNIX, the command will be "ping -c4 74.125.67.109"

if you get a response from pinging it directly, it means that your ISP's DNS (Domain Name Server) is no longer associating "pop.gmail.com" with "74.125.67.109"; it's trying to direct you to someone else (whether or not it's deliberate or malicious is TBD). If this is the case, then you should change your DNS settings to something like OpenDNS (yes, they DO have a free service) and that SHOULD fix your problem.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

I use Gmail and had problems in general with anything Google related about 3 weeks ago. I felt like it was a server issue and it was my guess they were updating some somewhere. The problem was even with any site that used Google for their site searches.

About 10 days ago the problem seemed to disappear but I do notice that the Google home page does work slightly different than it used to. Now most of the home page comes up immediately and then the top row of links, which includes Gmail, comes up perhaps a second later. 

I expect the problem is with Google itself and will straighten itself out in a few days if you can go that long without it.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Mechanic Intern said:


> I'm not having any problems with getting at gmail. try pinging the server directly by its IP address; get to the command prompt
> 
> For windows, the command is "ping 74.125.67.109"
> For MAC\LINUX\UNIX, the command will be "ping -c4 74.125.67.109"
> ...


I have no earthly idea what you just said (wrote). I followed the troubleshooting guide at gmail and turned off AVG free. I don't have a firewall unless it is embedded in AVG, but since I turned that off it shouldn't have been a problem. But thanks for responding.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

lharvey said:


> I don't use GMail but from reading your error message I would say to disable the secure password authentication enabled will give you that error.
> 
> Disable that function in your e-mail program and it should work.
> 
> ...


I have never had that checked so can't disable it. But thanks for responding.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Windy in Kansas said:


> I use Gmail and had problems in general with anything Google related about 3 weeks ago. I felt like it was a server issue and it was my guess they were updating some somewhere. The problem was even with any site that used Google for their site searches.
> 
> About 10 days ago the problem seemed to disappear but I do notice that the Google home page does work slightly different than it used to. Now most of the home page comes up immediately and then the top row of links, which includes Gmail, comes up perhaps a second later.
> 
> I expect the problem is with Google itself and will straighten itself out in a few days if you can go that long without it.


Thank you. Well, since anything I've done has not resolved the difficulty, I don't have any choice but to wait it out. I just wish gmail had some way of contacting an actual rep instead of just the forum whose members seems as clueless as I am.


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## SparkyWatson (Apr 15, 2010)

Try downloading the Thunderbird email client. When you set up a new account (your current gmail address), if it is a gmail address, Thunderbird takes care of most of the settings for you and I believe it defaults to IMAP. Give that a try if for no other reason than to verify it works. I love Thunderbird for email.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you, but Thunderbird doesn't work either. Got the message: failed to connect to server pop.gmail.com. This is so discouraging. Nothing I do helps. I'm going to turn the virus protection back on since I'm not comfortable being unprotected, and turning it off doesn't seem to help. 
I just wish I were smarter where computers are concerned. I'm not sure even taking it in to a computer repair shop is going to help if it's a problem between my ISP and Gmail. (ISP says it's not them)


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## redtx (Jun 8, 2002)

I tried to send you a private messagge, but well it didn't seem to work. I thing intern is on the right track, but I need some information from you first to give you some help. What operating system are you using?


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

I was reading over the weekend where Gmail was initiating a new program that would allow users to cache their online accounts locally on their own machines.... wonder if that has anything to do with it?

I'm very very happy having all my mail stored online. I use my gmail account for free offsite backup service.


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

For gmail I use smtp.gmail.com port 465 with no secure authentication.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you all for your responses. The problem is now resolved. In a nutshell, on another forum I was told to use IP address 74.125.127.109 for gmail instead of pop.gmail.com in OE. That worked so I could receive, but still not send. I also was pointed to an article to help me repair the DNS settings in my computer -- that didn't work, but it gave me some new language. http://www.tomsguide.com/us/how-to-d...eview-113.html

So I called the ISP tech support for the 4th time in as many days and thankfully connected with a tech who was intrigued by the problem and stuck with it until he found the solution. He had me go into the TCP/IP properties and input two IP addresses that are apparently different than the ones the automatic setting picks up. Turns out that one of the server's DNS settings was having problems accessing gmail and the alternate one apparently wasn't kicking in. And I really have no idea what I just wrote, but am repeating what the tech said. At any rate it is up and running again. 

In trying to fix this I've downloaded both Eudora and Thunderbird plus have Outlook Express. Any suggestions as which is the better program?  Since I've spent hours downloading and setting up e-mail programs, I might as well switch if either Eudora or Thunderbird is better than OE. 

Thanks again, all for your assistance. I've just learned a whole new language!


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

I personally like Claws Mail. I use linux, but there is a windows port of it. Dont know if windows version is as good or just an afterthought.

Thunderbird is ok, but more bloated and slower.

Havent seen or used Eudora in years, no idea about it.

I also have had trouble with AOL's dns server. (Dont laugh, AOL is one of last $10 and under dialup isps without huge number time and other restrictions-- for most isps advertising unlimited and meaning it are two different things) Tried OpenDNS and it wasnt great either but there are other free dns servers, just kept trying them one by one until I got one that worked well for me. Cant even remember name of the server though could easily look up the numerical address if anybody needs it. Better to just google for a list of free dns servers and try them one by one until you find one that works for you.


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## dezingg (Feb 25, 2010)

I used to have Eudora and liked it. 

Switched to Thunderbird because it was open source, but as they keep adding features it gets slower and they want you to go online to find help files. I prefer local help files. They keep adding features that I have no use for. Thunderbird has a wizard to set up a new e-mail account, but it didn't like the WildBlue/Gmail account. I had to keep trying different port numbers until I found what it liked.

Haven't ever used Outlook or the other MS variants.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

I have used Pegasus Mail for years. I used to use Eudora but for some (long forgotten) reason I switched to Pegasus and although I LOVE Evolution I find it unstable on Windows and I do not like having to reboot to Unix to use a stable version.


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## SparkyWatson (Apr 15, 2010)

Congrats on getting the problem fixed. 

I have loved Thunderbird the past couple of years. I run every email account my family uses through mine...that's about 25 separate accounts and not a single issue. One thing I did learn is to about once a week or so, shut Thunderbird down, and copy the entire profile directory to an external harddrive. This includes all email locally stored email messages, settings, address book, etc... I can then copy that to another computer and now that computer's Thunderbird looks just like my main system. There are a ton of plugins available of which I don't use many but they are there if needed/wanted.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you very much one and and all for your excellent help and suggestions. For now I'm sticking to OE but keeping Thunderbird installed in case I need to switch to it for a backup.


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## 2horses (Jul 19, 2004)

Why do y'all use local email and not webmail?


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

2horses said:


> Why do y'all use local email and not webmail?


I can never understand that myself.
I have for the last 12 years never ever used any other E Mail addy other then what my own ISP provides, I see no reason at all to use all these "others" heck many message boards do not even recognize many of them as "Real" E Mail address. They will refuse to give you access to their message boards.
I have used one, and one only over all those years, and even when I am on Yahoo, or MSN Messenger, which asks you to have a "hotmail" one, you still do not have to do that, even in Yahoo I choose my regular e Mail addy instead of using the Yahoo provided one, there is no need to do it in my book.
I am not hiding anything, and one is doing me just fine.


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