Cannot ping pop3.live.com - cannot collect Hotmail

[JetsetBkk]

Since yesterday, cannot pick up my Hotmail using Outlook Express.

Tried pinging the server - pop3.live.com - and it is "unreachable "

Gmail server is OK - pop.gmail.com - and can collect mail using Outlook Express.

Anyone else affected by this?

I'm on 3BB, but that shouldn't be an issue. Should it?

[Crossy]

I don't use Hotmail, but I cannot ping pop3.live.com either, request timed out.

Server seems dead

Can you access via the web interface?

[JetsetBkk]

I don't use Hotmail, but I cannot ping pop3.live.com either, request timed out.

Server seems dead

Can you access via the web interface?

Hi Crossy,

Yes, and I can read the emails. On the Outlook web main page there is a folder called "POP", but nothing in it.

I've been getting my mail down to my PC using POP3 for 15 years or more, so I don't know why that server should now be unreachable.

There are some possibilities that are worrying:

1. Outlook Express finished with XP (or was it Vista?) and, with the demise of XP support, has MS decided to cut POP3 access to Hotmail?

2. Hotmail has now become Outlook. Has MS decided to not allow POP3 with Outlook.com?

3. The last time MS tried to stop POP3 access to Hotmail - something to do with maintaining the DAV (?) protocol - there was such an uproar that they relented and kept that access going. Have they decided to try again?

I just looked more closely at the Outlook web interface. Under Options, there is:

Connect devices and apps with POP

After clicking on that, I see that POP is enabled. There is a page titled "Connect devices and apps with POP" and a link that goes to a page titled: "Set up an email app with Outlook.com"

After saying how to enable POP (which is already enabled), it has this information:

Then use the following settings in your email app.

Incoming (POP3) Server

Server address: pop-mail.outlook.com

Port: 995

Encrypted Connection: SSL

Outgoing (SMTP) Server

Server address: smtp-mail.outlook.com

Port: 25 (or 587 if 25 is blocked)

Authentication: Yes

Encrypted Connection: TLS

User name: Your email address

Password: Your password

Both those servers are also reported as unreachable by the 'ping' command but, being a sucker for punishment, I changed my Outlook Express setup to use the new servers and, as expected, I got the same errors.

"The connection to the server has failed. Account: 'xxxxxxxxxxxxx', Server: 'pop-mail.outlook.com', Protocol: POP3, Port: 995, Secure(SSL): Yes, Socket Error: 10065, Error Number: 0x800CCC0E"

Time to ask what's going on at Microsoft, I think.

[KittenKong]

I can ping them from CAT. Add 8.8.8.8 as one of your DNS servers.

[JetsetBkk]

I can ping them from CAT. Add 8.8.8.8 as one of your DNS servers.

That is very interesting! I have always had 8.8.8.8 as my primary DNS server, and it still is.

These are my ping results:

>ping pop3.live.com

Pinging pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.172.253] with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 65.55.172.253:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>ping smtp.live.com

Pinging smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 65.55.96.11:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

So I wonder if this is an ISP problem? I am on 3BB.

Can you find out what the IP addresses are that you are pinging? They are displayed in the Ping result.

According to http://ipaddress.com, the IP address of pop3.live.com is 65.55.162.199 but this is not the address displayed when I ping "pop3.live.com".

I tried pinging the number, but same unreachable result:

>ping 65.55.162.199

Pinging 65.55.162.199 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 65.55.162.199:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

And according to http://ipaddress.com, the IP address of smtp.live.com is 65.55.96.11 This matches what I see when I ping "smtp.live.com".

But the same unreachable result when I ping the number:

>ping 65.55.96.11

Pinging 65.55.96.11 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 65.55.96.11:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

So how can CAT be getting through, but 3BB not?

Can anyone else please try pinging those host names and numbers?

Please report which ISP you are with.

[Crossy]

I can ping both pop-mail.outlook.com 65.55.32.247 and smtp-mail.outlook.com 65.55.172.254 from my TOT connection, response times around 250ms.

pop3.live.com tries to ping 157.55.1.215 but gets a timeout.

I'll test from True when I get to work.

[Dork]

I have a TOT ADSL line and a TRUE ADSL line.

With TOT I get results almost the same as Crossy except that pop3.live.com resolves to 65.x.x.x instead of 157.x.x.x

With TRUE pop-mail.outlook.com resolves to 65.55.162.199 and times out whereas pop3.live.com resolves to 65.55.32.247 and does respond with approx. 260ms.

I have a private VPN's located in both Australia and New Zealand. When connected to either of those both resolve to 65.x.x.x and both timeout.

The only conclusion I could come to is that since there are multiple IP addresses associated with those domain names it depends which IP address is resolved at each ping. Some hosts are set to respond and some aren't.

That's just my guess but doing a few remote pings using online tools give the same mixed results. I tried several from here: https://www.google.com/#newwindow=1&q=online+ping

Edited March 14, 2014 by Dork

[Crossy]

I can ping both pop-mail.outlook.com 65.55.32.247 and smtp-mail.outlook.com 65.55.172.254 from my TOT connection, response times around 250ms.

pop3.live.com tries to ping 157.55.1.215 but gets a timeout.

I'll test from True when I get to work.

Sorry about the delay, it's been a chaotic morning.

Anyway pop-mail.outlook.com pings OK as 65.55.172.253 from our true connection with about 250ms response times.

BUT

smtp-mail.outlook.com attempting to ping as 65.55.162.200 times out.

Something odd is going on.

[JetsetBkk]

I can ping both pop-mail.outlook.com 65.55.32.247 and smtp-mail.outlook.com 65.55.172.254 from my TOT connection, response times around 250ms.

pop3.live.com tries to ping 157.55.1.215 but gets a timeout.

I'll test from True when I get to work.

I have a TOT ADSL line and a TRUE ADSL line.

With TOT I get results almost the same as Crossy except that pop3.live.com resolves to 65.x.x.x instead of 157.x.x.x

With TRUE pop-mail.outlook.com resolves to 65.55.162.199 and times out whereas pop3.live.com resolves to 65.55.32.247 and does respond with approx. 260ms.

I have a private VPN's located in both Australia and New Zealand. When connected to either of those both resolve to 65.x.x.x and both timeout.

The only conclusion I could come to is that since there are multiple IP addresses associated with those domain names it depends which IP address is resolved at each ping. Some hosts are set to respond and some aren't.

That's just my guess but doing a few remote pings using online tools give the same mixed results. I tried several from here: https://www.google.com/#newwindow=1&q=online+ping

Thanks very much for your inputs.

Currently, for me on 3BB:

Outlook.com:

pop-mail.outlook.com resolves to 157.55.1.215, which is different from yesterday, and is still unreachable.

smtp-mail.outlook.com resolves to 65.55.162.200, which is different from yesterday, and is still unreachable.

Hotmail.com:

pop3.live.com resolves to 157.55.1.215, which is different from yesterday, the same as Outlook.com today and is unreachable.

smtp.live.com resolves to 65.55.162.200, which is different from yesterday, the same as Outlook.com today and is unreachable.

As you say Crossy, something odd is going on.

(And your True IP for pop-mail.outlook.com - 65.55.172.253 - is also reported as unreachable for me, using 'ping'.)

I have made a workaround to this problem regarding getting my mail via Outlook Express. I have forwarded the Hotmail accounts (that OE usually collects) to a Gmail account that OE collects. I can do this because I can log on to Outlook.com and use the web interface to set up forwarding for those two Hotmail accounts.

But I find it hard to believe others aren't affected by this, or am I the only person on 3BB in Phuket that uses Outlook Express on XP?

Maybe I am!

Edited March 14, 2014 by JetsetBkk

[Dork]

Hi Jetset,

Is there any particular reason you're still using POP3 instead of Exchange ActiveSync for your Hotmail accounts?

Both are free and POP3 has so many limitations compared to synchronisation.

Cheers

[KhunBENQ]

What a confusion.

I used the four names and did some variation of my DNS settings (automatic, Google DNS).

Fiddled with /flushdns and also tried with a VPN (Germany),

A complete "test report" would reallt be too much for a forum post.

I have some basic IP/IT knowledge, but to explain the results is beyond my ability,

What I found were these successful pings:

pop-mail.outlook.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.172.253] ping OK!
smtp-mail.outlook.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.172.254] ping OK!
pop3.live.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.172.253] ping OK!
pop3.live.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.32.247] ping OK!

As you can see the ...253 address came for both the outlook pop and the live pop.

I was not able to find a pingable address for "smtp.live.com".

You could try these addresses (they belong to MS, Redmond, I have checked that).

I mean: enter the addresses directly, not the names.

BUT I can not garantuee that it works tomorrow

(some "dynamic mapping vodoo" behind?)

(I am not a user of outlook or live, so can not test)

Unsuccessful pings:

pop-mail.outlook.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [157.55.1.215] timeout
pop-mail.outlook.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.199] timeout
pop3.live.com -> pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.199] timeout
smtp-mail.outlook.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.200] timeout
smtp-mail.outlook.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] timeout
smtp.live.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.200] timeout
smtp.live.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] timeout

I am on a ToT DSL line upcountry.

EDIT:

finally trying a LA based VPN connection and getting this successful ping for smtp.live.com:

smtp.live.com -> smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.172.254]

Disconnecting the VPN, again try to ping the name: timeout (on 65.55.96.11).

ping the address: succesful.

SOS, same old soup (65.55.172.254).

Edited March 14, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[JetsetBkk]

Hi Jetset,

Is there any particular reason you're still using POP3 instead of Exchange ActiveSync for your Hotmail accounts?

Both are free and POP3 has so many limitations compared to synchronisation.

Cheers

Kudos for choosing that particular user name.

I'm still using pop3 because I always have for the last 10 years or more, and I've never heard of EAS. But I just did a bit of Googling about and it looks like it needs TLS encryption which Outlook Express doesn't have - OE has only SSL.

But even if this did solve the problem, it doesn't explain why the servers are not reachable.

[JetsetBkk]

What a confusion.

<snip>

You can say that again! Thanks for your detailed post.

I just tried some of your successful names and addresses. All failed!

>ping pop-mail.outlook.com
Pinging pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [157.55.1.215] with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping smtp-mail.outlook.com
Pinging smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.200] with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping pop3.live.com
Pinging pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [157.55.1.215] with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping 65.55.172.253
Pinging 65.55.172.253 with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping 65.55.172.254
Pinging 65.55.172.254 with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping 65.55.32.247
Pinging 65.55.32.247 with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.
 
>ping smtp.live.com
Pinging smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] with 32 bytes of data:
Destination host unreachable.

So I'm continuing with my Hotmails being forwarded to my Gmail accounts. At least I'm not losing any emails.

I will ask the same questions on other sites and see what turns up.

Even if I change to Windows Live Mail on Windows 7, access to the mail servers is still required. I don't believe "pings" are encrypted, in which case Windows Live Mail shouldn't be able to connect either.

I can't believe there's nothing on the Internet about this situation.

[timber]

For the last month have had problems off and on accessing Hotmail

[KhunBENQ]

@JetsetBkk: Sounds like another type of problem at your connection.

I can only confirm that the two IP adresses 65.55.172.253 and 65.55.172.254 are still reachable this morning at my place.

One way to further analyze the problem is a traceroute and see where it "hangs".

tracert 65.55.172.253

Result for me:

1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms ADSL [192.168.1.1]
2 337 ms 29 ms 28 ms 172.17.14.2
3 28 ms 28 ms 53 ms 172.17.14.1
4 35 ms 67 ms 66 ms 10.224.55.217
5 34 ms 89 ms 85 ms hundred-gi-0-7-0-1.kkm-gw-01.totisp.net [203.114.118.238]
6 104 ms 69 ms 46 ms HUN-gi-0-4-0-0.kkm-core-01.totiig.net [203.190.251.137]
7 276 ms 239 ms 239 ms po0-2-2-0.us-pop.totiig.net [180.180.255.178]
8 264 ms 254 ms 283 ms us-la-microsoft.totiig.net [180.180.248.194]
9 277 ms * * xe-7-3-0-0.sn1-96cb-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.46.250]
10 * * * Zeitüberschreitung der Anforderung.
11 * * * Zeitüberschreitung der Anforderung.
12 316 ms 296 ms 298 ms xe-1-2-1-0.blu-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.42.197]
13 296 ms 296 ms 296 ms xe-3-1-1-0.bl2-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.37.242]
14 * * 387 ms xe-2-0-0-0.bl2-96c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.35.149]
15 * * * Zeitüberschreitung der Anforderung.
16 351 ms 352 ms 296 ms 65.55.172.253

"Zeitüberschreitung" = timeout, not so unusal even on the route to a pingable adress.

From hop 6 to 7 the signal reaches US westcoast.

[JetsetBkk]

@JetsetBkk: Sounds like another type of problem at your connection.

I can only confirm that the two IP adresses 65.55.172.253 and 65.55.172.254 are still reachable this morning at my place.

One way to further analyze the problem is a traceroute and see where it "hangs".

<snip>

"Zeitüberschreitung" = timeout, not so unusal even on the route to a pingable adress.

From hop 6 to 7 the signal reaches US westcoast.

Thanks again for your post and continued interest.

That IP is still unreachable when I ping it.

tracert gives no information, which may indicate where the problem lies:

>ping 65.55.172.253

Pinging 65.55.172.253 with 32 bytes of data:

Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.
Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 65.55.172.253:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>tracert 65.55.172.253

Tracing route to 65.55.172.253 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1  Destination host unreachable.

Trace complete.

>tracert 65.55.172.253

Tracing route to 65.55.172.253 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1  Destination host unreachable.

Trace complete.

>

[JetsetBkk]

Today I went to the "Sandwich Shoppe" which has Wi-Fi and tried to ping the Hotmail servers from there. Still no luck, but the trace-routes gave something:

>ping pop3.live.com

Pinging pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.162.199] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 65.55.162.199:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>tracert 65.55.162.199

Tracing route to 65.55.162.199 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1     5 ms     4 ms     5 ms  10.31.0.1
  2    28 ms    35 ms    22 ms  10.92.228.181
  3    26 ms    27 ms    24 ms  119-46-119-58.static.asianet.co.th [119.46.119.58]
  4   251 ms   312 ms   194 ms  119-46-119-57.static.asianet.co.th [119.46.119.57]
  5     *        *      257 ms  61-91-213-225.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.225]
  6   182 ms   199 ms   205 ms  61-91-213-35.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.35]
  7   228 ms   205 ms     *     61-91-213-81.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.81]
  8    25 ms    75 ms   133 ms  TIG-Net242-37.trueintergateway.com [113.21.242.37]
  9   244 ms   127 ms   150 ms  tig-net241-218.trueintergateway.com [113.21.241.218]
 10   358 ms    70 ms    53 ms  SG-ICR-GS2-26-50.trueintergateway.com [122.144.26.50]
 11   356 ms     *      286 ms  US-ICR-PX1-26-94.trueintergateway.com [122.144.26.94]
 12   297 ms   307 ms   306 ms  TIG-Net28-254.trueintergateway.com [122.144.28.254]
 13   310 ms     *        *     xe-5-1-0-0.by2-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.44.252]
 14     *        *      380 ms  xe-7-1-0-0.bl2-96c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.43.132]
 15   384 ms   408 ms     *     191.234.80.60
 16     *        *        *     Request timed out.
..
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

>ping smtp.live.com

Pinging smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 65.55.96.11:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>tracert 65.55.96.11

Tracing route to 65.55.96.11 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1    23 ms    14 ms    24 ms  10.31.0.1
  2    34 ms    10 ms    11 ms  10.92.228.173
  3    27 ms   135 ms    24 ms  119-46-147-50.static.asianet.co.th [119.46.147.50]
  4   360 ms   195 ms   212 ms  119-46-147-49.static.asianet.co.th [119.46.147.49]
  5   230 ms   203 ms   204 ms  61-91-213-177.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.177]
  6   194 ms   207 ms     *     61-91-213-35.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.35]
  7     *      248 ms   203 ms  61-91-213-81.static.asianet.co.th [61.91.213.81]
  8    28 ms    22 ms    23 ms  TIG-Net242-49.trueintergateway.com [113.21.242.49]
  9    52 ms    50 ms    53 ms  tig-net241-178.trueintergateway.com [113.21.241.178]
 10    58 ms    51 ms    58 ms  tig-net245-22.trueintergateway.com [113.21.245.22]
 11     *      370 ms     *     US-ICR-PX1-26-222.trueintergateway.com [122.144.26.222]
 12   280 ms   307 ms   307 ms  TIG-Net28-254.trueintergateway.com [122.144.28.254]
 13     *      315 ms   306 ms  xe-5-1-0-0.by2-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.44.252]
 14     *      345 ms   409 ms  xe-7-1-0-0.bl2-96c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.43.132]
 15   333 ms   318 ms   396 ms  xe-5-2-2-0.blu-96c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.43.62]
 16   316 ms   409 ms   409 ms  ten9-2.blu-76c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.47.157]
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
...
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.
>

So it looks like the Sandwich Shoppe is on True, and tracert gets to an MS server.

Later at home I tried to get my mail AND IT ALL WORKED!

So I did some more pinging and tracert-ing:

>ping pop3.live.com

Pinging pop3.glbdns2.microsoft.com [157.55.1.215] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 157.55.1.215:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>ping smtp.live.com

Pinging smtp.glbdns2.microsoft.com [65.55.96.11] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 65.55.96.11:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),

>tracert 157.55.1.215

Tracing route to 157.55.1.215 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2     *       20 ms    20 ms  10.121.83.77
  3     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  4     *       31 ms    31 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-170.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.170]
  5     *       32 ms    31 ms  mx-ll-110.164.1-65.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.1.65]
  6     *        *        *     Request timed out.
  7    71 ms    62 ms    63 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-129.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.129]
  8     *        *      233 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-117.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.117]
  9   242 ms   241 ms   241 ms  198.200.130.120
 10   240 ms   235 ms   235 ms  xe-7-1-0-0.sjc-96cbe-1b.ntwk.msn.net [204.152.140.144]
 11     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 12   288 ms   286 ms   295 ms  191.234.80.6
 13     *        *      308 ms  xe-4-3-2-0.nyc-96cbe-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.38.70]
 14   310 ms   312 ms   309 ms  xe-2-2-2-0.db3-96c-2b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.37.60]
 15     *        *        *     Request timed out.
 16   319 ms   323 ms   314 ms  204.152.141.73
 17     *        *        *     Request timed out.
...
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.

>tracert 65.55.96.11

Tracing route to 65.55.96.11 over a maximum of 30 hops

  1    <1 ms    <1 ms    <1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2     *       34 ms    19 ms  10.121.83.77
  3    34 ms    34 ms    32 ms  10.121.83.78
  4     *       32 ms    32 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-138.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.138]
  5     *       32 ms    47 ms  mx-ll-110.164.1-5.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.1.5]
  6    35 ms    35 ms    35 ms  mx-ll-110.164.1-11.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.1.11]
  7     *       63 ms    63 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-129.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.129]
  8   245 ms   246 ms   241 ms  mx-ll-110.164.0-85.static.3bb.co.th [110.164.0.85]
  9     *        *      246 ms  198.200.130.120
 10   253 ms   247 ms   250 ms  xe-3-3-0-0.bay-96c-1b.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.40.123]
 11     *      308 ms   309 ms  xe-7-1-0-0.bl2-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.33.77]
 12     *      309 ms   313 ms  xe-5-2-2-0.blu-96c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.43.50]
 13   500 ms   445 ms   430 ms  ten6-4.blu-76c-1a.ntwk.msn.net [207.46.46.121]
 14     *        *        *     Request timed out.
...
 30     *        *        *     Request timed out.

Trace complete.
>

So now 3BB appears to get to an MS server too, and my mail client can get the mail.

So what was it all about?

3BB screw-up, MS screw-up?

One thing's for sure - it wasn't me!