Cox Email Not Functioning

Thanks so much for your email AND thanks so much for continuing to pursue this problem.  It will be wonderful to have it resolved.   This is the only problem I've ever had with Cox....and it is a major one....but I'm hopeful that I can soon eliminate it!

I have been watching the email carefully.....here are the steps of the problem.  I thought that if I described it step by step  you might see a pattern of what is wrong.

*This is only true of Cox email.  iCloud works perfectly.

"I select Cox as the server through Mail Pref

*I send an email from my cox email to myself at Cox email

*After a few seconds, the email goes to Outbox

*I wait about a minute and I get a drop down menu that says:

"Cannot send message using the Cox Server SMTP Cox.Net on Port 587 timed out.  Select a different outgoing mail server from the list below."

There are no more outgoing mail servers so I just click on Cox.net.  The email sends immediately, and then arrives in my inbox.  Sometimes I don't even have to click the server...just the menu dropping down does it.

During this time (and this is strange) Connection Doctor is all green.  And if I look in preferences it says Cox.net is offline.  Once the email has been sent, it indicates that Cox is back on line BUT Connection Doctor has a spinning green ball for Cox SMTP server.  Connection Doctor and preferences are at odds with each other.  This is always the case.  When it says that Cox is offline, CD has three green balls, none spinning.  When  it says that Cox is online, CD has a spinning green ball. Almost always the Cox SMPT Server in CD has a spinning green ball.   The other two are green and not spinning.

Does any of this sound familiar.  Can you tell me what adjustments to make so it will work correctly.  This has been going on for several months but has got more consistent.  It happens almost every time I use the Cox system to send email, but never does it with iCloud.

Thanks for helping with this because it is just about to drive me crazy!

I know of several people who have had the same problem. Today, I "chatted" with tech support. They said it was a problem caused by a Microsoft security update affecting Apple, but seemed to say that there was a risk in fixing it. Said Cox was "working" on it. Happy I have several email accounts.

I tried  465 last week but it did not work.  I did not do the other things you suggested, e.g. moving to drafts box, etc, but I could try that and see what happens. Do you think the other steps might make a difference in enabling the 465?

Cox continues to believe this is a problem that is unique to individual users.  It is NOT.  It happens intermittently on my iPhone and consistently on my wife's MAC.  We went to the Apple store for help.  The genius bar said they had 45 people in that day for the same problem.  

Cox's answer oh just change the port and save the configuration AGAIN.

Apples answer - switch to the more reliable GMAIL.

Since Cox does not seem to be truly committed to resolution it looks like the GMAIL answer is best.

It is a real problem.  Yesterday, all three were down:  Cox, iCloud, Google.  I just got google on Sunday at the suggestion of the Apple guy I have been working with.  Cox.net email rarely works...it always says it is offline, even though Connection Doctor says it is perfect.  Me.com works almost always.  And the internet is so slow that I can't even get to the Cox forum.  Discouraging.

This is an official response that I just received from Cox Corporate headquarters in response to a complaint that I filed withe the FCC

Cox received your FCC complaint regarding continuing issues you are having with your webmail service {Actually my problems are not with webmail but email received via client and I never mentioned Webmail}.  Out engineers are working diligently to resolve the issues that you describe in your complaint.  Initially we manually moved customers to two new servers; however those servers became congested and we found that additional servers would be necessary to relieve the congestion.  We are currently in the process of installing new servers on our network which should resolve the webmail issues.  As a good faith gesture, Cox applied a courtesy credit of $20.00 to your account for the inconvenience you experienced.

Douglas Garrett

Executive director - Regulatory Affairs

So now even Corporate headquarters is admitting that Cox has an infrastructure deficiency that they have not yet fixed.  Too bad nobody has told the Forum Moderators as they continue beating the 'settings' drum wasting the Customers time chasing after non-existent solutions.

At least they are working on it.  But, like you, my problem is not webmail so I hope they are working on the mail coming to my computer.  I installed gmail at Apple's suggestion so I would have an independent service....now the gmail doesn't work either.  The mail seems to send, but never comes in.  If I send a test email to myself it goes but I never receive it.  Doesn't go to webmail either....nothing is in webmail at all.  Also, there is no indicator on the google inbox to tell how many unread messages there are.  This whole thing is exhausting.  I have been working on one account or another for 10 days...and I'm no better off now than I was when I started.  

Regarding settings, I am not changing them ever again.  The only port number that works is the one Apple gave me.  Cox gave me one that stopped all mail from coming or going.  They have to come up with something other than changing settings.  I would just like to get and send email....no more, no less.

Lily2 wrote the following post at 19 Jun 2015 2:33 AM:

At least they are working on it.

Don't hold your breath.  Last December was the first time they announced that they were 'working on it'.  At least you know that the Moderators attempts to change your settings are futile.

I have been using my iCloud email most of the time and that seems to be pretty consistently working.  When I have checked the settings, cox does not seem to be off line very often.  I will change to Cox for a day or so and check up on it.  I'm hoping things will soon be straightened out completely....at least there is improvement....I appreciate your help.

i keep having this exact problem too! i have to put the unsent email in draft then resend it that way. it is very frustrating and not convenient at all!

as of friday, i have not been able to receive mail on my smart phone. it says couldn't sign in. then it gives me a message that the server password has changed. 

duhmel said:

This is an official response that I just received from Cox Corporate headquarters in response to a complaint that I filed withe the FCC

Cox received your FCC complaint regarding continuing issues you are having with your webmail service {Actually my problems are not with webmail but email received via client and I never mentioned Webmail}.  Out engineers are working diligently to resolve the issues that you describe in your complaint.  Initially we manually moved customers to two new servers; however those servers became congested and we found that additional servers would be necessary to relieve the congestion.  We are currently in the process of installing new servers on our network which should resolve the webmail issues.  As a good faith gesture, Cox applied a courtesy credit of $20.00 to your account for the inconvenience you experienced.

Douglas Garrett

Executive director - Regulatory Affairs

So now even Corporate headquarters is admitting that Cox has an infrastructure deficiency that they have not yet fixed.  Too bad nobody has told the Forum Moderators as they continue beating the 'settings' drum wasting the Customers time chasing after non-existent solutions.

Looks like Cox dropped a couple crumbs of "shut up" money to you... unless people start creating noise through the FCC (and NOT through Cox customer "service") they're going to get "busied" with something off the "the problem is on your end" repertoire.

To be fair, I've received some instances of amazing service from Cox but on the balance it's a ** shoot and considering the types of issues reflecting the corporate attitude in this anti-customer business model I have to expect that customer service people get beaten up pretty good by frustrated customers.  I'm not sure my heart would be in the job if I were in their shoes.

From my perspective, Cox's track record includes a several email outage a couple years ago for which we received zero in refunds... justified by email being a free service.  I've also arrive home after work, finding internet down, internet and phone down, and other outages- some proving to having been scheduled maintenance that lasted all night.  Cox does not see fit to notify their paying customers that there are going to be service outages.

I have to remind myself that this is a corporate mentality issue and not something to be vented on the individual who happens to be stuck dealing with me... and until the cable industry is opened up to some true competition I'm going to be stuck with this type of "service" regardless of what company whose territory I find myself in.

It can drive you crazy after awhile.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  I cannot count on it at all.  Supposedly they are installing new servers and that will help.

Same thing here in Phoenix for months. Called tech support many times, nothing helped. Sick and tired of this.