The following tips will help you fix the majority of email problems.
1. Outlook
Do you use Outlook?
If yes, verify the preferences or settings of Outlook.
This verification is important, even if your email has always worked well and the problem has only just cropped up.
The correct configuration is shown in the right-hand column, at the very top.
This configuration is the same for all other mail clients, like Thunderbird or Mail (for Mac users).
There are four things to verify, and only four:
- The server name
- The port number
- The encryption type
- Your user name. Make sure that it says "example@something.org" and not simply "example."
You'll need to verify these for both:
a. Incoming messages (which use either the IMAP or POP server)
b. Outgoing messages (which use the SMTP server)
The vast majority of problems reported by our users are caused by an error in the configuration of Microsoft Outlook.
2. Size of attachments
If the problem only affects one address and/or a single message, check if it contains attachments. If yes, what is their total size? Can you send the email without attachments?
Very large attachments can create problems with the performance of your email service. For this reason, if a message contains more than 10 MB of attachments, it may be blocked.
In this case, the simplest solution is to distribute the attachments over multiple messages.
If there's only one attachment and it's larger than 10 MB, you'll have to reduce its size (for example, by compressing it). If this isn't possible, you'll have to find another way to deliver the file.
3. Expired domain name
Did you forget to renew your domain name?
Your domain name (your .com or .ca, for example) must be renewed regularly, generally once per year. Otherwise, it will disappear for all practical purposes. This renewal can be made with your registrar - the company with whom you registered the domain name.
If your email addresses use your own domain name, and the renewal date has passed, your email addresses will cease to function.
In this case, your first priority should be to contact your registrar as soon as possible so that they can re-activate your domain name.
You may also need to re-create your old addresses, and there is a risk that you will lose your archived messages. In any case, don't hesitate to contact us.
4. Typos
We don't always realize it, but no one is safe from typos. It happens to the best of us.
If you've verified everything and it still doesn't work, take a few seconds to confirm the address of the person you're sending to.
