Yesterday, I found that I was suddenly unable to send e-mail through Outlook. If affects only my main comcast.net email on my desktop. Comcast says it's not their problem. I made NO changes to my account or Outlook profile. I run a Dell computer, Windows 10 Pro, Outlook 365, kept up to date.




1. When I send or reply to a message, it goes through the Outbox and ends up in the Sent Items folder, but the recipient never receives it.
2. If I send a message to myself, it ends up in the spam folder on the Comcast server (it should not do that--I have my own address added to my address book on the server).
2b. When I send a message to my desktop e-mail from my laptop, it does NOT go to the Spam folder--it is processed normally.
3. When I set up a profile for my desktop e-mail account on my laptop computer (also Outlook, but different version), I still have the problem.
4. However the problem does not exist if the do the reverse: either laptop profile on the desktop or desktop profile on the laptop.


I conclude from all of this that the problem exists with my desktop e-mail account, whether it is operated from my desktop or laptop computer, and that it is on the Comcast side, and Outlook is not at fault.
If I log into my desktop account on the Comcast server, I can send or reply to messages successfully from there. The problem occurs only when using either of my home (desktop or laptop) computers), and only when using the profile for my desktop account.
Comcast contends a recent update to Outlook is causing the problem. I don't see how, as my desktop installation of Outlook works fine as long as I'm logged into my laptop profile. They also said that since I have Outlook set up as my "primary e-mail" they are not responsible. I would have have to make Comcast as my "primary e-mail" instead. I don't have any idea what he was talking about.
I had this EXACT same problem back in early April. I fought with their tech support for a day and it resolved the next. I asked them to check their service record, and they show that they didn't do anything to resolve the issue--that it spontaneously resolved. I don't know if that's true (there are other explanations), but if so, this might go away in the morning.


Any help (or even commiseration) will be greatly appreciated!!

The Comcast 'technician' imagines you are using an Outlook.com e-mail address as your primary e-mail account. That's because Microsoft in their wisdom ◔◔ decided to have Outlook (an e-mail client) and Outlook.com (an email account) share the same Outlook name but mean different things.

The problem seems to be that the Comcast address is being treated as spam by the server, though knowing nothing about Comcast that is only an educated guess.

You could also investigate your own AV software. Some third party AV software can be overzealous. Personally, and with Windows 10, I prefer to use Windows own Defender option, however this is not as fully implemented in Windows 7.

As an aside, I would recommend the Office 2010 32 bit version rather than the 64 bit version as it creates fewer problems, but it may be a bit late in the day to make that change.

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

You may be correct about the Comcast 'technician's' assumption about Outlook and Outlook.com, but I did give them my e-mail address (xxx@comcast.net) during the tech assistance sessions. I think you are right about the Comcast address is being treated as spam by the Comcast server (however little sense that makes).

However, your analysis doesn't explain the entirety of my problem. Why does the issue persist when I send e-mail out on my laptop, an entirely different computer, using a different installation of Outlook, and even a different version (2019), while using a profile with my desktop e-mail address? Further, and I didn't mention this in my original post, but I also have the problem when sending e-mail from my iPad or iPhone, which I have set up to access the same comcast.net email account I use on my desktop? (In case you are wondering, I use a POP3 configuration, not IMAP.) It also makes no difference whether I am on my home network or using an xfinity hotspot. I can also change profiles on my desktop computer to a different comcast.net address and NOT have the problem.

In short: 1. No matter what computer or e-mail client I use, my xxx@comcast.net (desktop address) fails. 2. No matter what computer or e-mail client I use, ANY OTHER e-mail address works.

I have to conclude this is Comcast's fault, but they flatly refuse to do anything about it.


I also misspoke in my original post: I said I did NOT have the issue when using my desktop e-mail address in a profile on my laptop. I DO have the problem in that circumstance.

Hmmm. I use a web host provider unconnected with my ISP to host my web site and provide a variety of e-mail addresses. The ISP provides an e-mail address facility also, but while I have it set up in Outlook, I rarely use it.

Recently Outlook decided that it wouldn't connect with my ISP account for no apparent good reason. Mailwasher had no problems with the account. I ended up creating a new account for my ISP address and deleting the old account before renaming the new one.

It's a bit of a faff with Outlook 2019 to manually create a POP account, but it can be done and I have had no further problems since.

It might be worth trying.

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

Okay, you are not going to believe this: I have solved this problem, but not by doing anything anyone at Comcast told me to do. (I called them again this morning, and they told me the problem was that my e-mail was configured as POP3, not IMAP. That was not accurate.) I called a friend who told me the problem sounded like a spam filer problem, and I agreed. It was the spam filter, all right, but not the one on my Outlook client. It was the one on the Comcast server. I turned it off, and the problem disappeared! Yes! I am so happy! And thanks to gmayor for offering help.

I did suggest that as a possibility in my first reply. I am glad you were able to resolve it

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com

Yes, you did, and quite right you were. I suspected so, but I had no idea a setting I thought affected only incoming mail would also affect outgoing. I thought if my outgoing e-mail was identified as spam, that would be something only a Comcast mail server expert could fix. I also didn't even know that I could go into my Comcast e-mail settings and make that change. My friend also has Comcast e-mail, and he said he had to turn his spam filter off because it was catching to much non-spam. He suggested I give it a go, and what do you know? We were both a bit surprised it worked. Thanks again for your help.

If you need a spam filter that you can control, investigate Mailwasher Pro.

__________________
Graham Mayor - MS MVP (Word) (2002-2019)
Visit my web site for more programming tips and ready made processes www.gmayor.com