I have been a Cox customer for 16 years. I have had an iPhone for 11 of those years. iPhone Mail has always worked. On April 24, 2019, Cox updated their email servers to make it more secure. It is so secure it no longer works. Nothing on the Cox Support website on SMTP setup is correct. I can receive email using IMAP, but email will not send when attached to my phone service provider. If I switch on Wireless and connect to a wireless network, the mail is sent! I called customer support and got no where. They sent me to Cox Complete Care Support, but they wanted money to assist me. I then was sent to "free" support where I was put on terminal hold. This is terrible! Does anyone have a fix for iPhone Users wanting to send email over the Cox network? Does Cox expect their customers to go without sending email?

This not a password issue! This is a Cox Server issue. Apple will never change their products, UNLESS Cox works with them. Will that ever happen?

This sounds like a problem with the outbound mail settings on your device. I don't have an iPhone, but I do have an iPad that sends and receives mail on the Cox network. My outbound server settings are as follows: Go to your outbound server settings in your Cox email account and change the following settings if necessary: 1) SMPT host name should be smtp.cox.net 2) User name should be the part of your email address left of the @ 3) Password should be the same as your inbound 3) SSL should be ON 4) Authentication should be set to Password 5) Server port should be 587 It's a little confusing because Cox is saying that SSL doesn't work anymore but Apple doesn't have a choice for TLS. From what I've read, Apple uses TLS when SSL is turned on and the port is set to a valid TLS port number.

I have the exact same issue. I can send emails when I’m connected to Cox, but I’m unable to send emails through my cellular provider. We have 3 iPhones with T-Mobile as the provider and all are unable to connect to Cox’s SMTP server when sending through T-Mobile’s network. Prior to April 25th I never had an issue sending emails when connected to a non-Cox network. I have a ticket open with Cox as of yesterday evening but the issue hasn’t been resolved.

Hi Major Steve, Cox is working to improve our email security to better protect our customers' personal information, and also to align with current industry standards for using third-party email clients. Are you able to send and receive emails on myemail.cox.net? If so, we would recommend changing your password, http://bit.ly/2KOrZnd. Once the password is changed, please make sure this new password is reflected in the incoming, as well as the outgoing settings. Here is a list of the accepted server port settings, http://bit.ly/2KGsVKh. If you are continuing to have issues, we would recommend contacting Apple Support: 800-275-2273 www.apple.com -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator

Hi AZ Jeff, we are closely monitoring this escalation here in Social Media, moving forward. When we receive additional information from our email team, we will gladly follow up with you. -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator

Cox Disables SSL and Now iPhone Users cannot use Mail app

lhn_fan
New Contributor III
6 years ago
This sounds like a problem with the outbound mail settings on your device. I don't have an iPhone, but I do have an iPad that sends and receives mail on the Cox network. My outbound server settings are as follows:

Go to your outbound server settings in your Cox email account and change the following settings if necessary:

1) SMPT host name should be smtp.cox.net

2) User name should be the part of your email address left of the @

3) Password should be the same as your inbound

3) SSL should be ON

4) Authentication should be set to Password

5) Server port should be 587

It's a little confusing because Cox is saying that SSL doesn't work anymore but Apple doesn't have a choice for TLS. From what I've read, Apple uses TLS when SSL is turned on and the port is set to a valid TLS port number.
- Major_Steve
  New Contributor II
  6 years ago
  Good information, which is what I have for the iPhone for Outbound settings. The issue is with any connection that is NOT Cox, such as using T-Mobile for connecting to the SMTP server They are rejecting those settings when on a phone carrier network.
- Bruce
  Honored Contributor III
  6 years ago
  SSL should be ON
  
  The POP server immediately rejects my logon if I opt SSL.
AZ_Jeff
New Contributor
6 years ago
I have the exact same issue. I can send emails when I’m connected to Cox, but I’m unable to send emails through my cellular provider. We have 3 iPhones with T-Mobile as the provider and all are unable to connect to Cox’s SMTP server when sending through T-Mobile’s network. Prior to April 25th I never had an issue sending emails when connected to a non-Cox network.

I have a ticket open with Cox as of yesterday evening but the issue hasn’t been resolved.
- KevinM2
  Former Moderator
  6 years ago
  Hi AZ Jeff, we are closely monitoring this escalation here in Social Media, moving forward. When we receive additional information from our email team, we will gladly follow up with you. -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator
  - AZ_Jeff
    New Contributor
    6 years ago
    Hi KevinM2, I ran a couple of tests and hopefully the information below is usefully for the email team:
    
    When Connected thru Cox
    
    openssl s_client -connect smtp.cox.net:587 -starttls smtp
    
    CONNECTED(00000003)
    
    depth=2 C = US, O = "Entrust, Inc.", OU = See www.entrust.net/legal-terms, OU = "(c) 2009 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only", CN = Entrust Root Certification Authority - G2
    
    verify return:1
    
    depth=1 C = US, O = "Entrust, Inc.", OU = See www.entrust.net/legal-terms, OU = "(c) 2012 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only", CN = Entrust Certification Authority - L1K
    
    verify return:1
    
    depth=0 C = US, ST = Georgia, L = Atlanta, O = "Cox Communications, Inc.", CN = smtp.cox.net
    
    verify return:1
    
    ---
    
    Certificate chain
    
    0 s:/C=US/ST=Georgia/L=Atlanta/O=Cox Communications, Inc./CN=smtp.cox.net
    
       i:/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2012 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Certification Authority - L1K
    
    1 s:/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2012 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Certification Authority - L1K
    
       i:/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2009 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Root Certification Authority - G2
    
    2 s:/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2009 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Root Certification Authority - G2
    
       i:/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2009 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Root Certification Authority - G2
    
    ---
    
    Server certificate
    
    -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
    
    MIIIfjCCB2agAwIBAgIQDeM8EbsB5IAAAAAAUO+LpDANBgkqhkiG9w0BAQsFADCB
    
    ujELMAkGA1UEBhMCVVMxFjAUBgNVBAoTDUVudHJ1c3QsIEluYy4xKDAmBgNVBAsT
    
    H1NlZSB3d3cuZW50cnVzdC5uZXQvbGVnYWwtdGVybXMxOTA3BgNVBAsTMChjKSAy
    
    MDEyIEVudHJ1c3QsIEluYy4gLSBmb3IgYXV0aG9yaXplZCB1c2Ugb25seTEuMCwG
    
    A1UEAxMlRW50cnVzdCBDZXJ0aWZpY2F0aW9uIEF1dGhvcml0eSAtIEwxSzAeFw0x
    
    OTAzMjgxNTU2MTFaFw0yMTA2MjcxNjI2MDlaMGsxCzAJBgNVBAYTAlVTMRAwDgYD
    
    VQQIEwdHZW9yZ2lhMRAwDgYDVQQHEwdBdGxhbnRhMSEwHwYDVQQKExhDb3ggQ29t
    
    bXVuaWNhdGlvbnMsIEluYy4xFTATBgNVBAMTDHNtdHAuY294Lm5ldDCCAiIwDQYJ
    
    KoZIhvcNAQEBBQADggIPADCCAgoCggIBAK/OdNFzu0SiS8ktK2enmnBl5vEqV3gw
    
    3igUpRN4rTcSUrv/MT18rlsnr1zi7XLfi/GkS53mLvxAEKcpU2WduGbgfCO2u/2f
    
    9nkczMzzoN6V3bSWzQyDHG8mK8C79zP4GZqigfcfJ5P79ls9f8MaZW5Po6B5hD/A
    
    l3QWy3K7b2hVe+4XrRb00IPHwETjwvpN36TFPBPLuucWplkF5QiAy6W7r2H+CDps
    
    GYhn4EhJDfODFDS4Xe6E4n1QngHXI6KI9hrKheQPOu1lRLZy5h12gu0k2hXfjlo6
    
    Y20+YR1b1IYdpMH4QoerVaDEkSLqiIrFcBm1xMBanedZmMFCCY+dAAYp8n3K+XKr
    
    Q6vHc9/OzcCollmSIXTfsdaFEmtrpWQZoktBV0G9KdJ0KEHEo4xbyoQcPPoxTG1P
    
    T6Qr3flvEkGrxdctUpJXBdu7RerENaOGbSP6f6Xu6mJzCt7XtMl3I7Yycxtwy2dL
    
    NaIAo08VGsFa32OR2pD8vf9yZFjNkKEu6yR8VaPTzupfXFVoJ1VXCkJSNi1SuB8G
    
    YHIf3ShrnclGeA2ZKnMvkibtyH8ftHxk+u+qZJuzDLRm/Hl/4k2NvfTmTjhY3lLj
    
    zXxh/u0Jhzi8SubgTFww6x5sZla3Jr20mZDVWfVceRiiP74XJR8VwzeHzjDK03DM
    
    6Z30xqcVqZllAgMBAAGjggPMMIIDyDBoBgNVHREEYTBfggxzbXRwLmNveC5uZXSC
    
    EXNtdHAuZWFzdC5jb3gubmV0ghFzbXRwLndlc3QuY294Lm5ldIITc210cG15ZW1h
    
    aWwuY294Lm5ldIIUc210cC5teWVtYWlsLmNveC5uZXQwggH0BgorBgEEAdZ5AgQC
    
    BIIB5ASCAeAB3gB2AId1v+dZfPiMQ5lfvfNu/1aNR1Y2/0q1YMG06v9eoIMPAAAB
    
    acUfi6YAAAQDAEcwRQIhAOUsz9rSN7ruj/n0JyXXWBW5R7GkpOV89fmbnRt0kcIG
    
    AiBAGQxgqbnXM+GQsDiP4p3c8sGTmagS4nuIpxodn5/0bwB2AFWB1MIWkDYBSuoL
    
    m1c8U/DA5Dh4cCUIFy+jqh0HE9MMAAABacUfi7cAAAQDAEcwRQIgSnF2+yxXUfCh
    
    w5p7JKJ1zaohPoTN0DwdOxfPKMExEnsCIQD3CFUYdOJS3V21rxgd+QRhMkZUk243
    
    /s0lAVTkEHxaPAB1AFYUBpov18Ls0/XhvUSyPsdGdrm8mRFcwO+UmFXWidDdAAAB
    
    acUfi/AAAAQDAEYwRAIgArTy+lu821E/gqZaJNcLifaraxV/AbfMPF5NVGJfe4MC
    
    IBdHpQ9bcW833MJUcInq1eBMsqr60mkimm5HnD7jRoI7AHUAu9nfvB+KcbWTlCOX
    
    qpJ7RzhXlQqrUugakJZkNo4e0YUAAAFpxR+LywAABAMARjBEAiB86dhDkHnp6kbm
    
    pyfvycx7v9tcG8n9rEsYOuu2zWLuMwIgHIcLBZswOMF1b+0+dcWXRtd3X6CcBZN1
    
    sK3e+yVMvocwDgYDVR0PAQH/BAQDAgWgMB0GA1UdJQQWMBQGCCsGAQUFBwMBBggr
    
    BgEFBQcDAjAzBgNVHR8ELDAqMCigJqAkhiJodHRwOi8vY3JsLmVudHJ1c3QubmV0
    
    L2xldmVsMWsuY3JsMEsGA1UdIAREMEIwNgYKYIZIAYb6bAoBBTAoMCYGCCsGAQUF
    
    BwIBFhpodHRwOi8vd3d3LmVudHJ1c3QubmV0L3JwYTAIBgZngQwBAgIwaAYIKwYB
    
    BQUHAQEEXDBaMCMGCCsGAQUFBzABhhdodHRwOi8vb2NzcC5lbnRydXN0Lm5ldDAz
    
    BggrBgEFBQcwAoYnaHR0cDovL2FpYS5lbnRydXN0Lm5ldC9sMWstY2hhaW4yNTYu
    
    Y2VyMB8GA1UdIwQYMBaAFIKicHTdvFM/z3vU981/p2DGCky/MB0GA1UdDgQWBBRp
    
    IkU06SvKSH+CGfcEJzHjZLYOvDAJBgNVHRMEAjAAMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBCwUAA4IB
    
    AQBsTm8k1uE7mN1shRiYm8SXSoGKJDnDHGTCbabQV8RGBOZzNumUI1e3J+ERIkbc
    
    B8uu7vLQN+EaWkysRLjBwjAheRGGjir16xvO2H8dN2ZBrKzKAZRTFJHeYOggYQ9D
    
    FSjOqg+LdiKAVoG6ffQ7KnvojS4bXiArA2uHgjIuWjQuI9YHtsL8MBrvQl3QNzMs
    
    TwDIJmVYfqSC4UGA3An7NzQAwYxpBh+l1OVniusZsX/1pvIWe7uudXdN54u/3J2L
    
    DnLrfJ2yDGcm4sHMtFlwkWzJTrjboTkuc8NFnqo6Fqrkeo10RBkjGWkdk7QJJVgV
    
    Tfkoa6DLd8lIqn6rOaaeSqNO
    
    -----END CERTIFICATE-----
    
    subject=/C=US/ST=Georgia/L=Atlanta/O=Cox Communications, Inc./CN=smtp.cox.net
    
    issuer=/C=US/O=Entrust, Inc./OU=See www.entrust.net/legal-terms/OU=(c) 2012 Entrust, Inc. - for authorized use only/CN=Entrust Certification Authority - L1K
    
    ---
    
    No client certificate CA names sent
    
    Peer signing digest: SHA512
    
    Server Temp Key: ECDH, P-256, 256 bits
    
    ---
    
    SSL handshake has read 5740 bytes and written 468 bytes
    
    ---
    
    New, TLSv1/SSLv3, Cipher is ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
    
    Server public key is 4096 bit
    
    Secure Renegotiation IS supported
    
    Compression: NONE
    
    Expansion: NONE
    
    No ALPN negotiated
    
    SSL-Session:
    
    Protocol : TLSv1.2
    
    Cipher : ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384
    
    Session-ID: 75C05C390171A1DE8E99FD83C512A226CBC13FCC653677CEE473D5EAD664008F
    
    Session-ID-ctx:
    
    Master-Key: BC3A30B7D2E71F97A178ECD5630366310736CE4154B7E41CAE6D8844CE1329BA6BB32F1DAD9F77B4DBB2B49A7A3785EF
    
    Key-Arg : None
    
    PSK identity: None
    
    PSK identity hint: None
    
    SRP username: None
    
    TLS session ticket lifetime hint: 300 (seconds)
    
    TLS session ticket:
    
    0000 - e3 cc f0 35 86 5b ab 52-16 7d 22 42 3b 35 e6 41 ...5.[.R.}"B;5.A
    
    0010 - 45 d7 d7 c6 3c bf 97 72-75 91 37 2a 2c a0 c9 cb E...<..ru.7*,...
    
    0020 - 86 44 7e 5a 3e a4 d2 c8-01 1b 37 e0 ba 68 68 c2 .D~Z>.....7..hh.
    
    0030 - 2d 7a ac e9 3d 66 81 01-39 93 a3 98 71 96 ac d8 -z..=f..9...q...
    
    0040 - ff 86 f0 29 dc 7c d9 13-9d b7 98 97 e9 a0 af f0 ...).|..........
    
    0050 - 34 07 f4 0f 25 c7 05 62-f1 f0 b4 81 ba 18 8b de 4...%..b........
    
    0060 - 4f be 26 d1 b7 27 65 de-6c 4f 32 bf f8 3c 96 13 O.&..'e.lO2..<..
    
    0070 - 4f db 6f af 53 f0 9c e1-00 46 ee be d7 fc a0 cd O.o.S....F......
    
    0080 - 60 21 b9 34 13 35 dc 34-53 29 1d 42 a8 8e c7 5a `!.4.5.4S).B...Z
    
    0090 - 8e 9a 7a 85 41 84 fb c8-87 9c 5c 8b 91 5d bc 6f ..z.A.....\..].o
    
    Start Time: 1556492232
    
    Timeout : 300 (sec)
    
    Verify return code: 0 (ok)
    
    ---
    
    250 OK
    
    read:errno=0
    
    When Connected thru T-Mobile
    
    openssl s_client -connect smtp.cox.net:587 -starttls smtp
    
    CONNECTED(00000003)
    
    didn't found starttls in server response, try anyway...
    
    4531119724:error:140790E5:SSL routines:ssl23_write:ssl handshake failure:s23_lib.c:177:
    
    ---
    
    no peer certificate available
    
    ---
    
    No client certificate CA names sent
    
    ---
    
    SSL handshake has read 198 bytes and written 342 bytes
    
    ---
    
    New, (NONE), Cipher is (NONE)
    
    Secure Renegotiation IS NOT supported
    
    Compression: NONE
    
    Expansion: NONE
    
    No ALPN negotiated
    
    SSL-Session:
    
    Protocol : TLSv1.2
    
    Cipher : 0000
    
    Session-ID:
    
    Session-ID-ctx:
    
    Master-Key:
    
    Key-Arg : None
    
    PSK identity: None
    
    PSK identity hint: None
    
    SRP username: None
    
    Start Time: 1556492436
    
    Timeout : 300 (sec)
    
    Verify return code: 0 (ok)
    
    ---
KevinM2
Former Moderator
6 years ago
Hi Major Steve, Cox is working to improve our email security to better protect our customers' personal information, and also to align with current industry standards for using third-party email clients. Are you able to send and receive emails on myemail.cox.net? If so, we would recommend changing your password, http://bit.ly/2KOrZnd. Once the password is changed, please make sure this new password is reflected in the incoming, as well as the outgoing settings. Here is a list of the accepted server port settings, http://bit.ly/2KGsVKh.

If you are continuing to have issues, we would recommend contacting Apple Support:

800-275-2273
www.apple.com

-Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator
- Major_Steve
  New Contributor II
  6 years ago
  This not a password issue! This is a Cox Server issue. Apple will never change their products, UNLESS Cox works with them. Will that ever happen?
  - KevinM2
    Former Moderator
    6 years ago
    Hi Major Steve, please ensure you are using TSL Security Encryption 1.0 or higher. Cox no longer supports sending email through email clients using SSL security encryption version 3.0 or older. -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator
Jyunte
New Contributor II
6 years ago
It's not just iPhone users. Android users also cannot send email. I'm using the Gmail client on Android, and if I change the port to 578, the app says it's insecure, and my choices are to change it to something else, or back to what it was before the change. Consequently, I've been unable to send email since good "upgraded" their server security. I've been considering leaving Cox, as they're hideously expensive, and this is probably a good time to do it. I've been with Cox for nearly 20 years.
- Jyunte
  New Contributor II
  6 years ago
  I meant port 587. The above was a typo.
BKappus
New Contributor
6 years ago
I think this is leaning toward the broadband carrier too. I have Verizon, iPhone XS, Cox Internet, and I have no issues sending or receiving email via imap.

I have a friend who has T-Mobile, iPhone XS, Cox Internet and cannot send outbound email as others have stated.

I know it’s not her Cox account because I setup her account on my phone (remember, I have Verizon) and her account worked just fine.

I setup my account on her phone (remember, she has T-Mobile) and my account, which worked fine on my phone, could not send email on her phone.

It’s not the IOS, she went to apple and had a fresh install done.

It’s not her phone because they gave her a new phone.

It’s an issue between T-Mobile and Cox.

Who has a carrier other than T-Mobile and Verizon and do you have issues?
- Cards47
  New Contributor III
  6 years ago
  My son cannot receive my emails sent to his ATT.net and Gmail.com email accounts. This is day 12 since the 4/24/19 Cox email security fix and look at how screwed up they have left their customers. And of course, it’s always the customers fault or user error. Class action suite anyone?
Merlot
New Contributor
6 years ago
HOW IDIOT IS COX? I have an Android device - Samsung 8 and my outgoing emails keep getting stuck in my Outbox unless I'm on wif-fI. This is fairly recent. T-Mobile states my settings are correct and my phone is updated. COX Technical Support states they DO NOT HAVE A FIX and it's beyond their "scope of assistance." (though it has to do with their outgoing server)

Has anybody out there found a solution?

I may have to switch to GMAIL permanently.
- Merlot
  New Contributor
  6 years ago
  HOW IDIOTIC IS COX?
- Major_Steve
  New Contributor II
  6 years ago
  Yes this is bad. My wife switched from Cox webmail to Gmail using the same phone, same MAIL app, same everything, just NOT USING COX'S EMAIL SERVERS! And it worked fine. Cox has definitely screwed up their email service!
Swamper
New Contributor III
6 years ago
My email client connections are now refused by the Cox email server so I can no longer receive email. It wern't broke so cox "fixed it". WHY FIX IT IF IT AIN'T BROKE?
wjohnson270
New Contributor II
6 years ago
It's not just iPhones. I have a Mac computer at work and home. I can send and receive just fine from home, but at work I can not log on to the COX SMTP server. Same version of Mac Mail with all the same settings on both home and work machines.

Called COX CS and tried changing passwords, re-entering all the mail setting etc. to no avail.

The reason that shows up in my Mail Log is:

READ May 01 12:30:16.903 [kCFStreamSocketSecurityLevelNone] -- host:smtp.cox.net -- port:587 -- socket:0x6000006a11a0 -- thread:0x608001264900
554 cxr-obgw-5003a.stratus.cloudmark.com cmsmtp 140.198.32.9 blocked. Refer to Error Codes section at www.cox.com/.../email-error-codes.html for more information. AUP#CXDNS

I've gone to many sites (including spamhaus), and my IP address is not listed as a BLOCKED IP address anywhere?

This started happening April 24...coincidentally(?) with COX's change to mail security protocols.
vjayh
New Contributor
6 years ago
Anyone have a solution yet? Any work from Cox? I can't send thru SMTP using any third party- like Outlook or Mail (iPhone). Since Cox changed their security.
- Sydney_Sachs
  New Contributor
  6 years ago
  Nope, still struggling to figure this out. So amazing that Cox would leave customers in this position!
- KevinM2
  Former Moderator
  6 years ago
  Hi Vjayh, can you please check to see if you can send and receive emails on myemail.cox.net? This is the Cox Webmail Host server. If you can send and receive emails on myemail.cox.net, then we would recommend changing your password, http://bit.ly/2KOrZnd. Please ensure the password matches the incoming and outgoing server settings for your Outlook and Apple mail. Here is a list of acceptable server settings for third-party client devices, http://bit.ly/2KGsVKh. -Kevin M. Cox Support Forum Moderator
OpenBSD
Contributor II
6 years ago
It appears you have to be using an IP address provided by Cox. Although I'm just guessing based on some of the information provided. Using a cell phone from any cellular service will provide you with an IP that's not provided by Cox. When you are at home your cell phone most likely connects to your wireless network which in turn provides your cell phone with a Cox provided IP address so your outbound emails start working properly. Obvious Cox email issue. I'm sure the 3rd party contractor that took over Cox's email service have been working on the problem. What a nightmare for Cox email users. Cox won't admit to anything so they don't have to reimburse customers for any outages or email issues. Would be interesting to know when this gets resolved. Good luck.
- Cards47
  New Contributor III
  6 years ago
  Hi OpenBSD. Just out of curiosity, where did you find out that a 3rd party contractor took over Cox’s email service? That’s very interesting to know. Can you elaborate on that?
  
  Thanks in advance.
  - OpenBSD
    Contributor II
    6 years ago
    Cards47 a simple search on this forum could have answered your question.
    
    *****************
    
    Revealing post
    
    *****************
- Sydney_Sachs
  New Contributor
  6 years ago
  Outgoing emails are still not working when I use Wi-Fi at home... so that's not the issue. :/
  - KevinM2
    Former Moderator
    6 years ago
    Hi Sydney Sachs, are you using myemail.cox.net, to send and receive emails? If not, are you using Apple Mail (IOS), Outlook or Windows to obtain your emails? Are you not able to send emails when you're using your in-home network or not able to receive emails? -Kevin