Email Troubleshooting and Setup

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. Start here

Always begin by trying to determine HOW your customer is getting their Cox.net email:

Cox Webmail

3rd Party Client

If the customer is using Webmail

Check for Login Issues

ALWAYS make sure the customer is able to log in successfully @ https://myemail.cox.net. Ask the customer to enter in their password. It's important that the customer does this, as we want to verify that they know what their password is. The most common problem we encounter is login-related.

• If CX is having any sort of trouble logging in, use the Forgot Password link on the webmail login screen to help CX set a new password for their account.
• If CX is still unable to log in after a password reset, try clearing the cache & cookies of the browser that's currently being used, and try again. If the result is the same, attempt with a different browser. If issues persist, there is an account-level issue that must be escalated to the Customer Advocate Group (CAG).
  
• At this time, there is no way to transfer a customer to CAG directly. All requests for CAG intervention must go through Tier 1 Internet support.

Look for Common Webmail Quick Fixes

• Mailbox size quota - once the mailbox has reached capacity, all new email messages will be turned away & nothing can be sent.
• SPAM settings - if the CX is not receiving mail from a particular sender, default SPAM settings may be allowing the mail server to delete messages it deems as SPAM without ever delivering them to the CX's mail account.
• Denied by Mailserver's SPAM Filter - If the CX is having difficulty forwarding or sending a particular email message, the SPAM filter may be flagging said message as SPAM and disallow it from being sent. Test by sending a very simple or plain text-based message to the same recipient's email address.

If the customer is using a 3rd Party Email Client

Check for Login Issues

ALWAYS make sure the customer is able to log in successfully @ https://myemail.cox.net. Ask the customer to enter in their password. It's important that the customer does this, as we want to verify that they know what their password is. The most common problem we encounter is login-related.

Quick 3rd Party Email Client Fixes

• Update the stored password - if the CX's password had to be reset in order to log into Cox webmail successfully, simply update the stored password within whatever email client they are using. The most common problem 3rd party email clients encounter is attempting to log in with incorrect stored information.
• Check the Outbox - If the CX is unable to send mail, there might be a single message stuck in the Outbox that is preventing all the other messages from being able to send.
• Check the account's Username field - many times, the username ends up being stored incorrectly as 'johndoe@cox.net' - the mailserver actually assumes the '@cox.net' part of the address. As such, the Username field should only contain the email address WITHOUT the @cox.net portion.
• Check for SSL - Cox mailservers require that connections to both their incoming and outgoing servers be encrypted via SSL. Outgoing mailservers can use SSL or TLS, but some mail programs are very specific with this setting. If incorrect, this can cause problems.
• Check for giant PST files - If the CX is upset that Outlook or any other email application is running slowly, but their email is being retrieved by a POP account, chances are that mail program has a massive amount of email stored within, which will cause the application to run sluggishly. Advise the CX to do a deep cleaning to remove as many messages as possible & explain the benefits of an IMAP 

After you've determined how they're getting their email, it's time to work on resolving their issues. This guide is broken down into two sections:

• Setup - How 3rd Party Email Clients can and should be set up.
• Troubleshooting - How to resolve common issues with Cox Webmail or 3rd Party Email Clients accessing Cox email servers.

If your customer is dealing with an iOS or Android device, please choose Setup, and this guide will help walk you through the process of removing and re-adding the Cox.net IMAP account to those devices. 

2. Setup

Choose an Email Account TypeWhen it comes to setting up an application to fetch email from the Cox mail server, the customer does have a choice between IMAP or POP3 when it comes to the type of account they want.

• IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol
• POP3 stands for Post Office Protocol

By default, we should always recommend customers use IMAP instead of POP when it comes to email retrieval. Simply stated, this is from a data safety standpoint.

Instead of focusing on the technical aspects between the two types of accounts, here's a brief rundown of both types & a list of pros and cons you can speak to your customer about if they're having trouble deciding what's best for them:

IMAP Email Accounts

As stated above, we should always default to recommending IMAP accounts to customers. While some of this will be re-stated amongst the 'Pros' section below, the biggest reason is data safety. IMAP accounts allow all mail to remain on the mail server. This means that if the CX ever has any sort of major malfunction or failure with the device that they receive their mail on, all of their mail is safely stored within the Cox mail server and can be accessed anytime from the Cox website without the need to back anything up.

Pros

• All mail is stored on the mail server @ Cox.net
• Best way to have multiple devices check the same email account (computer, laptop, phone, tablet, etc.) since they're "mirroring" what's stored on the mail server.
• No need to back up mail on your computer/device.
• Can still save or 'archive' mail on your computer/device if desired.

Cons

• Storage space is capped @ 2GB total for most accounts.
  
• Ultimate and Ultimate Classic customers have 10GB of storage, and Gigablast customers have 15GB.

If your CX has chosen IMAP, the Cox mailserver settings for IMAP accounts are as follows:

Incoming Server

• Incoming Server Address: imap.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 993
• Authentication: Password

Outgoing Server

• Outgoing Server Address: smtp.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 465 SSL or 587 TLS
• Authentication: Password 

POP3 Email Accounts

There are still some users that prefer/desire POP email accounts, because that's what they've been used to for a very long time. Chances are, they have accumulated thousands of messages across a number of storage folders, as well as a massive contact list, calendars, mailbox rules, etc.

Be very careful when dealing with POP accounts, as there is always a far greater risk of data loss involved. We do not recommend setting up accounts with POP. 

Pros

• All mail is stored on the computer/device:
• Virtually unlimited storage for messages.
• Create an unlimited number of folders to sort, archive, and store messages within.
• Previously downloaded mail can be accessed without an internet connection (sending email and downloading new messages still requires an internet connection).

Cons

• Large risk of data loss:
• Because all mail lives on the computer/device, there is no back up copy unless the user is backing this information up.
• Data loss can occur from corruption - the computer/device itself does not have to fail for this to happen.
• Large amounts of stored messages can cause the mail program to slow down or perform poorly.
• Not ideal for having multiple devices check the same email address at once:
• You have to delete or file the same email on every device.
• Logging into each device, you will see lots of unread emails with no indication of which you deleted, read, flagged or filed.
• Any folders you created and organize on one device won't be replicated on the other devices.
• Highly discouraged on smartphones and tablets due to storage constraints.

If your CX has chosen POP3 instead, the Cox mailserver settings for POP accounts are as follows:

Incoming Server

• Incoming Server Address: pop.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
  Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 995
• Authentication: Password

Outgoing Server

• Outgoing Server Address: smtp.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 465 SSL or 587 TLS
• Authentication: Password 

Whichever account type is selected, it's important to set expectations with your CX, so they'll understand what their experience is going to be like - not only on the device you're working with, but on other devices they may be checking their email with as well.

3. Windows 10 Mail

Click here for IMAP setup

1. Click Accounts, then Add Account.
   

1. Pick Other Account. Scroll down if it isn't visible.
   

1. Enter your Email address, the name you want on your sent messages, and password and then hit Sign-in.
   

1. If you are prompted, click Go to inbox.
   

1. Click the Sync button to sync the mail to the client. This may take some time but is usually done automatically.
   

Click here for POP setup

1. Click Accounts, then Add Account.
   

1. Pick Advanced setup. Scroll down if it isn't visible.
   

1. Click Internet email.
   

1. Fill in the form with the following information:
   .EmailYour email address (ex. "johndoe@cox.net")User NameThe Cox email address without the '@cox.net' information. (ex. "johndoe")PasswordYour passwordAccount NameThe name Mail will use for your Account (ex. "John Doe")Send Your Messages Using This NameThe name that will appear in your email (ex. "John Doe")Incoming Email Serverpop.cox.net:995:1Account TypePOP3Outgoing Email Serversmtp.cox.net:465:1 
2.  All four boxes should be left checked.
   

1. Click Sign in.
2. If you are prompted, click Go to inbox.
   

1. Click the Sync button to sync the mail to the client. This may take some time but it normally happens automatically.
   

4. Outlook

Click here for IMAP setup

1. Open Outlook.
   

1. Click the File menu.
   

1. Click Add Account.
   

1. Select Manual setup or additional server types and click Next.
   

1. Select POP or IMAP. Click Next.
   

1. Within POP and IMAP Account Settings, fill out Your Name and full Email Address.
2. For Server Information, select IMAP for Account Type. Incoming mail server should be set to imap.cox.net, and Outgoing mail server (SMTP) should be set to smtp.cox.net.
   

1. 
   
2. Next to Logon Information, fill in your User Name and Password and put a check next to Remember password. Then click the More Settings button.
   

1. 
   
2. The User Name field should be the customer's Cox email address without the '@cox.net' information.
3. Go to the Outgoing Server tab. Enable My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
   

1. Go to the Advanced tab. For port settings, set Incoming server (IMAP) to 993 with SSL encryption, then set Outgoing server (SMTP) to 587 with TLS encryption.
   

1. Click OK then Next when finished.
2. Click Close if the account logs in properly.
3. Click Finish.
   

Click here for POP setup

1. Open Outlook.
   

1. Click the File menu.
   

1. Click Add Account.
   

1. Select Manual setup or additional server types and click Next.
   

1. Select POP or IMAP. Click Next.
   

1. Within POP and IMAP Account Settings, fill out Your Name and full Email Address.
   

1. Select POP3 for Account Type. Incoming mail server should be set to pop.cox.net. Outgoing mail server (SMTP) should be set to smtp.cox.net.
   

1. Next to Logon Information, fill in your User Name and Password and put a check next to Remember password. Then click the More Settings button.
   

1. 
   
2. The User Name field should be the customer's Cox email address without the '@cox.net' information.
3. Go to the Outgoing Server tab. Enable My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
   

1. Go to the Advanced tab. For port settings, set Incoming server (POP3) to 995 with SSL encryption, then set Outgoing server (SMTP) to 465 with TLS encryption. We generally recommend that Leave a copy of messages on the server is checked.
   

1. Click OK then Next when finished.
2. Click Close if the account logs in properly.
   

1. Click Finish.
   

1. Mail should automatically sync.

5. Mac Mail

Click here for IMAP setup

1. Open Mail via the Dock icon or Applications then Mail.
   

1. Select Mail and then Add Account.
   

1. Select Add Other Mail Account.
   

1. Click Continue and type in the account details:
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Mail should sign in at this point and ask you which apps you want to use with the account. Select all and hit Done.
   

1. Click Done.
2. Mail should automatically sync.

Click here for POP setup

1. Open Mail via the Dock icon or Applications then Mail.
   

1. Select Mail, then Add Account.
   

1. Select Add Other Mail Account, then hit Continue.
   

1. Type in the account details.
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Mail should refuse your sign in at this point and ask you for additional information.
3. For Incoming Mail Server, use pop.cox.net.
4. For Outgoing Mail Server, use smtp.cox.net.
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Click Mail, then Preferences.
   

1. Click the Accounts tab.
   

1. Click the account you just created.
   

1. Click the Server Settings tab and Uncheck both Automatically manage connection settings checkboxes.
   

1. For Incoming Mail Server change the port to 995. Then check Use TLS/SSL if not enabled.
2. For Outgoing Mail Server change the port to 465. Then check Use TLS/SSL if not enabled.
   

1. At the bottom of the window, click Save.
2. Mail should automatically sync.

6. Thunderbird

1. Launch Thunderbird and click on Email beneath the 'Choose What to Set Up' header.
   

1. A set up window will appear.
2. Fill in the appropriate customer information for name, email address, and password.
3. Ensure the Remember password box is checked.
4. Select the Protocol the customer wishes to use - IMAP or POP3.
5. Click Done.
   

1. 
   If server information isn't automatically populated, click Configure manually and enter the server information manually.
   

1. Test the customer's email by clicking the Get Messages button in the top left.
   

7. iOS Mail App

By default, iOS adds mail accounts as IMAP accounts. As such, there is no email stored on the iOS device itself. Because of this, if your CX is having trouble sending or receiving email on their iOS device, it is far easier to walk them through removing the account and re-adding it, rather than attempting to walk the CX through the menu systems to change passwords or other account-related settings.

To Remove the Mail Account

1. Go to Settings.
   

1. Tap Passwords & Accounts.
   

1. Beneath the 'Accounts' heading, have the CX tap the Cox account.
   

1. At the bottom of the following screen have the CX tap the red Delete Account text.
   

1. Tap Delete Account again to confirm deletion.
   

1. The CX should be returned to the following screen, and the account will no longer be present.

To Add the Mail Account

1. Tap the Add Account button at the bottom of the Accounts list.
   

1. Tap Other.
   

1. Tap Add Mail Account.
   

1. Have the CX fill in the fields that have appeared:
2. Name: This is just a cosmetic field. Most users put their full name. If your CX does not wish to have their full name shown, they can enter their first name only, or even their email address.
3. Email: Your customer's Cox.net email address goes here.
4. Password: The password for the Cox.net email address that's being added.
5. Description: This field will be auto-populated and should just appear as 'Cox'.
   

1. Tap Next.
   

1. The account will verify that it is able to log in. The iOS device will automatically create the account on the device. On the screen that appears, have the user tap Save.
   

1. It is now safe for the user to go back to the main screen, launch the mail app, and ensure that new messages are being downloaded. The CX can send an outgoing test message if they wish.

8. Android Mail App

By default, the Android mail app adds accounts as IMAP accounts. As such, there is no email stored on the device itself. Because of this, if your CX is having trouble sending or receiving email, it is far easier to walk them through removing the account and re-adding it, rather than attempting to walk the CX through the menu systems to change passwords or other account-related settings.

The following steps were performed on a stock Android 7 device. Depending on the customer's device, these steps may be entirely different.

To Remove the Mail Account

1. Open Settings.
   

1. Tap Accounts.
   

1. Have the CX tap their Cox account within the list of accounts. (It may show as "Personal (IMAP)")
   

1. On the following screen, have CX tap their Cox.net email address.
   

1. Tap the 3-dots in the upper-right of the screen.
   

1. Tap Remove account.
   

1. Tap REMOVE ACCOUNT to confirm.
   

1. The CX will be returned to the Accounts screen.

To Add the Mail Account

1. Tap Add account.
   

1. Tap Personal (IMAP).
   

1. Have the CX enter their Cox.net email address, then tap NEXT.
   

1. Have the CX enter their Cox.net email password, then tap NEXT.
   

1. The app will verify that it's able to log into the account. Tap NEXT to continue.
   

1. The app will automatically set up the account. Have the CX enter the cosmetic name they'd like to have appear on their outgoing mail, then tap NEXT.
   

1. The CX will be returned to the Accounts menu. It is now safe for the user to go back to the main screen, launch their mail app, and ensure that new messages are being downloaded. The CX can send an outgoing test message if they wish.

9. KaiOS Mail App

The KaiOS Mail App defaults to using IMAP for mail. We recommend leaving it with this setting. 

The following steps are based on the best information available at the time of publication, and may not be 100% accurate. Screenshots are also not available at this time.

 To Remove the Mail Account

1. Scroll and select E-Mail.
2. Select Options.
3. Scroll and select Settings.
4. Select your email account.
5. Select Delete Account.
6. Select Delete to confirm.

To Add the Mail Account

1. Select E-Mail from the phone menu
2. Press Next
3. Press Advanced
4. Add the customer's name
5. Add the customer's Email
6. Add the incoming server hostname imap.cox.net with port 993 with SSL (if available) 
7. Enter the email Password
8. Add the outgoing server smtp.cox.net under SMTP Settings, with port 587 with TLS (if available)
9. Press Next

10. Troubleshooting

Issues that Affect Both Webmail & 3rd Party Email Clients

Login issues

Before you begin troubleshooting any email issue, whether it be webmail or 3rd party client-related, ALWAYS make sure the customer is able to log in successfully @ https://myemail.cox.net. We recommend you have the customer type in their password manually, to confirm that they know what their password is. The most common problem we encounter regardless of how the customer is getting their email is login-related.

• If CX is having any sort of trouble logging in, use the Forgot Password link on the webmail login screen to help CX set a new password for their account.
• If CX is still unable to log in after a password reset, try clearing the cache & cookies of the browser that's currently being used, and try again. If the result is the same, attempt with a different browser. If issues persist, there is an account-level issue will need to be resolved by Cox Tier 1 Internet support. You should warm transfer the customer to Tier for further assistance, using the standard transfer process.

Stated Problems & Resolutions

CX not receiving new mail & cannot send // Mailbox has reached capacity

Problem

CX states that they aren't receiving new email and cannot send anything. Once their mailbox/account has reached capacity, all new email messages will be turned away & nothing can be sent. 3rd party email clients will be unable to download new messages and send messages. There will be no clear indication that this is the case within the 3rd party email client.

Solution

The CX should have received some sort of warning via email from Cox that they were near this limit and to clear space.

• Log into webmail @ https://myemail.cox.net
• Beneath the folder list on the left side, use the 'mail quota' bar to determine how much free space the account has. This bar will update as mail is deleted.
• When getting new messages through is urgent, clearing folders such as Trash or Sent Items is a quick way to free enough space to get new mail to come through ASAP. This gives the CX time to go through other folders and manually remove messages they no longer need or wish to keep.

Any messages that weren't able to be delivered while the CX's account was over capacity will need to be re-sent. The mail server does not hold onto these messages while the mailbox is full.

CX not receiving mail from a particular sender // Default SPAM settings

Problem

The CX states that there is a particular sender that they are unable to receive mail from, or there's mail they've been expecting to receive, but it never seems to get through or come in.

Solution

Default SPAM handling settings may be allowing the Cox mail server to delete messages it deems as SPAM without ever delivering them to the CX's mail account.

• Log into webmail @ https://myemail.cox.net
• Select Inbox > Settings, then SPAM settings.
• There are 3 options when it comes to SPAM handling:
• No SPAM filtering
• Mark messages as SPAM and deliver to the SPAM or Junk folder
• Delete messages that are deemed SPAM and do not deliver them to the Inbox
• By default, many accounts use the last setting, which may be allowing the mail server to delete messages that the CX actually wants.
• Adjust this setting, and have the sender attempt to send the message(s) again.

CX has a compromised email account  // Review and change multiple settings

Problem

The CX has a compromised email account and is having multiple issues with getting email.

Solution

Once a scammer/hacker gains access to a person's email, they can then go into the customer's profile and view their PIN/Security questions as well as add email and phone contacts, and change their password. Multiple steps will need to be performed to mitigate any changes that may have been done to the customer's email account.

1. Log into webmail @ https://myemail.cox.net, if the customer is able to. If they are not, have the customer reset their password by using the "Forget Password?" link.
2. On the folder selection, look for any attached email addresses that the customer doesn’t recognize below their list of folders (It will show up below linked accounts).
   

1. Click on the gear icon on the top right of the page and click on Settings.
2. Check the following areas in Settings for indications of a compromised account.
3. Accounts (Linked Accounts) – Remove any unknown accounts from this section by clicking the trash can icon on the right.
4. Expand Inbox and check the following:
5. Auto Forward – Verify settings in auto forward and disable forwarding. Remove any unknown email address from the "forward to" field.
6. Filter Rules – Click Edit on each filter, and if it appears to be redirecting to another email or has legit emails going to Trash, delete the rule by selecting the Trash Can to the right of the rule.
7. If there are indications of a compromised account or the customer has performed multiple password resets in a short time, you will want to have them update their Cox profile information, as anyone with access to their account can view their security answer and add recovery options to get back into their email account.
8. Click the gear icon and select Change Password.
9. If asked to log in, please log into the account again.
10. Select Update PIN & Security Questions.
11. Have the customer change the security question. They can view the current answer by clicking the eyeball. Then click Save Changes.
12. Click < My Profile to return to the profile page.
13. Select Email Addresses.
14. Verify all email addresses are accurate and remove / change any that are not. Then click Save Changes.
15. Click < My Profile to return to the profile page.
16. Select Phone Numbers.
17. Verify all phone numbers are accurate and change/remove any that are not.
18. If any password update was done during this interaction, please be sure to update the account settings on all devices that customer checks their email from.

CX is unable to send email // Mail server message denial

Problem

If the CX is having difficulty forwarding or sending a particular email message.

Solution

Test the account's ability to be able to send mail. The SPAM filter may be flagging said message as SPAM and is disallowing it from being sent. Alternatively, the account may be blocked from sending messages altogether.

• Log into webmail @ https://myemail.cox.net
• Attempt to send a simple email to the CX's own account & look for error messages.
• The message that CX is attempting to send could be being flagged as SPAM by the mail server and is not able to be sent. Sometimes altering the subject line or some of the contents of the message can solve this problem.
• If the mail account is unable to send mail at all, the account may have been blocked from sending altogether. This requires escalation to CAG.

Expand this section to reveal the table of Cox mail server error codes to help determine what certain error messages mean:

Cox Mail Server Error Codes

Error CodeDescriptionResolutionCXBLThe sending IP address has been blocked by Cox due to exhibiting spam-like behavior.Send an email request to Cox to ask for a sending IP address be unblocked.

Note: Cox has sole discretion whether to unblock the sending IP address.CXTHRTEmail sending limited due to suspicious account activity. To secure your account, please reset your password at cox.com/password. It may take up to 2 hours to confirm security and remove sending limits.Reset your password at www.cox.com/password or by logging into your Cox.com account and going through the My Profile page. It can take up to 2 hours for the new password to be effective and the email sending limits to be taken off.CXMJEmail sending blocked due to suspicious account activity on primary Cox account. To secure your account, please reset all Cox account passwords at cox.com/password. Contact Cox at cox.com/chat to remove block and reference error code AUP#CXMJ.Reset your password at www.cox.com/password or visit www.cox.com to sign in to your primary Cox account and go to the My Profile page. Then, contact Cox at www.cox.com/chat to remove the block referenced by error code AUP#CXMJ.CXDNSThere was an issue with the connecting IP address Domain Name System (DNS).The Reverse DNS (rDNS) lookup for your IP address is failing.
Confirm the IP address that sends your email.
Check the rDNS of that IP address. If it passes, then wait 24 hours and try resending your email.CXSNDRThere was a problem with the sender's domain.Your email failed authentication checks against your sending domain's SPF, DomainKeys, or DKIM policy.CXSMTPThere was a violation of SMTP protocol.Your email wasn't delivered because Cox was unable to verify that it came from a legitimate email sender.CXCNCTThere was a connection issue from the IP address.There is a limit to the number of concurrent SMTP connections per IP address to protect the systems against attack. Ensure that the sending email server is not opening more than 10 concurrent connections to avoid reaching this limit.CXMXRTThe sender has sent email to too many recipients and needs to wait before sending more email.The email sender has exceeded the maximum number of sent email allowed.CDRBLThe sending IP address has been temporarily blocked by Cox due to exhibiting spam-like behavior.The block duration varies depending on reputation and other factors, but will not exceed 24 hours. Inspect email traffic for potential spam, and retry email delivery.IPBL0001The sending IP address is listed in the Spamhaus Zen DNSBL.Refer to Spamhaus for more information and removal instructions. Spamhaus has sole discretion whether to remove the sending IP address from the DNSBL.IPBL0010The sending IP is listed in the Return Path DNSBL.Refer to Return Path for more information and removal instructions. Return Path has sole discretion whether to remove the sending IP address from the DNSBL.IPBL0100The sending IP is listed in the Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBL.Refer to ivmSIP for more information and removal instructions. ivmSIP has sole discretion whether to remove the sending IP address from the DNSBL.IPBL0011The sending IP is in the Spamhaus Zen and Return Path DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL0001 and IPBL0010.IPBL0101The sending IP is in the Spamhaus Zen and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL0001 and IPBL0100.IPBL0110The sending IP is in the Return Path and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL0010 and IPBL0100.IPBL0111The sending IP is in the Spamhaus Zen, Return Path and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL0001, IPBL0010, and IPBL0100.IPBL1000Cloudmark CSI Suspect / CSI GlobalThe sending IP address is listed on a CSI blacklist. You can check your status on the CSI website.IPBL1001The sending IP is listed in the Cloudmark CSI and Spamhaus Zen DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000 and IPBL0001.IPBL1010The sending IP is listed in the Cloudmark CSI and Return Path DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000 and IPBL0010.IPBL1011The sending IP is in the Cloudmark CSI, Spamhaus Zen and Return Path DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000, IPBL0001, and IPBL0010.IPBL1100The sending IP is listed in the Cloudmark CSI and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000 and IPBL0100.IPBL1101The sending IP is in the Cloudmark CSI, Spamhaus Zen and Invaluement IVMsip DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000, IPBL0001, and IPBL0100.IPBL1110The sending IP is in the Cloudmark CSI, Return Path and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000, IPL0010, and IPBL0100.IPBL1111The sending IP is in the Cloudmark CSI, Spamhaus Zen, Return Path and Invaluement ivmSIP DNSBLs.Refer to the instructions above for error codes IPBL1000, IPBL0001, IPBL0010, and IPBL0100.IPBL00001Spamhaus ZENThe sending IP address is listed on a Spamhaus blacklist. Check your status at Spamhaus.URLBL011A URL within the body of the message was found on blocklists SURBL and Spamhaus DBL.Refer to SURBL for more information and removal instructions.
Refer to Spamhaus for DBL information and removal instructionsURLBL101A URL within the body of the message was found on blocklists SURBL and ivmURI.Refer to SURBL for more information and removal instructions.
Refer to ivmURI for more information and removal instructionsURLBL110A URL within the body of the message was found on blocklists Spamhaus DBL and ivmURI.Refer to ivmURI for more information and removal instructions.
Refer to Spamhaus for DBL information and removal instructionsURLBL1001Spamhaus DBLThe URL is listed on a Spamhaus blacklist. Check your status at Spamhaus.421 - [ESMTP server temporarily not available]Our systems are experiencing an issue which is causing a temporary inability to accept new email.Retry your mailings at a later time.421 - [too many sessions from <source IP>]The sending IP address has exceeded the five maximum concurrent connection limit.Configure your sending server to establish no more than five concurrent connections.554 - [ESMTP no data before greeting]The sending server has attempted to communicate too soon within the SMTP transaction.Ensure that your sending server is RFC 5321-compliant, and is following the proper SMTP protocol standards.554 - [<source IP> rejected - no rDNS]Cox requires that all connecting email servers contain valid reverse DNS PTR records.Ensure that your sending email servers have a valid reverse DNS entry.554 - [cox too many bad commands from <source IP>]An email client has repeatedly sent bad commands or invalid passwords resulting in a three-hour block of the client's IP address.Check the password used by your email client and consider using an alternate email client if your password is correct.421 - [<source IP> DNS check failure - try again later]The reverse DNS check of the sending server IP address has failed.Ensure that your DNS configuration is correct and that the PTR record is resolvable.452 - [<mailfrom address> requested action aborted: try again later]The SMTP connection has exceeded the 100 email message threshold and was disconnected.Establish a new connection and continue sending.550 - [<mailfrom address> sender rejected]Cox requires that all sender domains resolve to a valid MX or A-record within DNS.Ensure that your domain has a valid MX or A-record within DNS.550 - [<recipient email> recipient rejected]The intended recipient is not a valid Cox Email account.Ensure that your mailing list is up-to-date with verified recipient email addresses.552 - [$(_id) attachment extension is forbidden]The message has been rejected because it contains an attachment with one of the following prohibited file types, which commonly contain viruses: .shb, .shs, .vbe, .vbs, .wsc, .wsf, .wsh, .pif, .msc, .msi, .msp, .reg, .sct, .bat, .chm, .isp, .cpl, .js, .jse, .scr, .exe.Ensure that your mailings do not contain attachments with these file types.452 - [<source IP> rejected. Too many invalid recipients]The sending IP address has exceeded the threshold of invalid recipients and has been blocked.Ensure that your mailing list is up-to-date with verified recipient email addresses, and try again at a later time.452 - [Message threshold exceeded]Cox enforces various rate limits to protect our platform. The sending IP address has exceeded one of these rate limits and has been temporarily blocked.Slow down the rate at which you attempt to send email.

Issues with 3rd Party Email Clients

The following issues would not be affected by Webmail at all, and would only require resolution with the mail program itself:

Stated Problems & Resolutions

CX cannot send or receive email at all // Check mail account server settings

Problem

CX states that they are unable to send or receive email messages at all. They get a pop-up with error messages, etc.

Solution

Check the email account's settings.

• For IMAP accounts, incoming server settings should be as follows:
  
• Incoming Server Address: imap.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 993
• Authentication: Password
• For POP accounts, incoming server settings should be as follows:
• Incoming Server Address: pop.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 995
• Authentication: Password
• Outgoing server settings for BOTH IMAP & POP accounts should be as follows:
• Outgoing Server Address: smtp.cox.net
• User Name: CX email WITHOUT '@cox.net'
• Connection Security: SSL/TLS
• Port: 465 SSL or 587 TLS
• Authentication: Password
• If the CX is using Mac Mail, be sure to remove any "automatically manage" settings and manually configure the account using the appropriate settings above. If Mac Mail refuses to save settings, the account may need to be removed and re-added.

CX receiving repeated popups for username and password - cannot get mail // Check mail account server settings

Problem

CX states that they are getting frequent and repeated popups from their mail program asking them to enter their username and password, and have not been able to get any new email messages.

Solution

Check the email account's settings - many times this is a simple issue of an incorrectly stored password.

• Make sure the CX can log into webmail @ https://myemail.cox.net. Ensure that they are typing in their password to ensure that the correct password is saved.
• Once they have successfully logged into webmail, have the CX enter this password for you within the mail program's account settings & try again.
• This usually occurs when the mailserver is unreachable and/or unresponsive. The mail program guesses that its inability to log in was due to a username & password issue, and prompts the user to enter this information. This is not an indication that the information provided was incorrect, but in many cases, users misinterpret this to mean that an incorrect password was entered, and try different passwords in an attempt to get it to work. Unfortunately, when the mail server is unresponsive or unreachable, no password will work.
• If the above solution does not work and the customer is using Outlook 2016 and above, attempt the following:
• Clear the Outbox. Reason is most times these messages will only cause an error to occur even after correcting the password.
  

• Close Outlook.
• Open Control Panel > "Mail (Outlook <version>)" (or "Mail" if that's the only one showing)
  

• In the window that opens, select E-mail Accounts.
  

• Select the cx's email account in the next window, and click Change.
  

• In the Change Account window, have cx type in their working password (verified in webmail) in the Password field.
  

• 
  
• Do a quick check of port settings in the More Settings dialog, then click Next to have it verify incoming/outgoing and then Finish.
  

• Open Outlook and verify it's syncing properly.

This method should also be used when updating the password in Outlook after a password reset. Updating the password through the Outlook menu/accounts section will not work.  Older versions of Outlook do not have this problem. 

• If you were able to get the mail program to respond properly, explain to the user that if they receive a username & password prompt again in the future, click cancel or close - there is no need to update the stored information, and once the mail server is responding properly again, the mail program will begin receiving messages properly - this was not the fault of the CX, their computer, or their mail program. This is a Cox mail server issue.

CX cannot send or receive email - All account settings correct. // Try new mail profile and migrate information as needed.

Problem

CX is unable to send and receive email messages. You've verified that they can log in via webmail, all the account settings are correct within the mail program they're using, but things still are not working.

Solution

This can be an indication that there is an issue with the stored email account within the mail program itself.

• Never remove a customer's POP/IMAP accounts from Outlook as Outlook saves local copies of the customer's mail, calendar and contacts. The same goes for any other 3rd party mail client that stores data locally.
• If the CX is using Microsoft Outlook, a new mail profile can be used to create a clean environment without risking the loss of any data on the existing profile.
• See below for information on creating a new profile within Microsoft Outlook, and how to set up or migrate information to a new profile if need be.

To Create a New Mail Profile in Outlook

Microsoft Outlook profiles store the email accounts established within it, all of its settings, and what data files are being used. When Outlook is run for the first time, a new profile is created. By default, Outlook always launches with this profile, and most users will only ever need or utilize one profile. However, if you're struggling to get Outlook to cooperate, creating a new profile for the sake of testing is a great way to make sure customer data is safe and untouched on the default profile.

For example, if you believe that a customer's email account is the issue, you may decide that removing & recreating that account could solve the problem. This can be very dangerous, as it can potentially put customer data at risk. If the user has a POP account with a ton of stored mail, or an IMAP account that has calendar and contact data that is stored locally within Outlook, removing those accounts can also remove the data. In this case, creating a new Outlook profile is a safe way to give yourself a blank canvas to create accounts with, without risking the data that exists within the default profile.

To Create a New Outlook Profile

1. Launch the Run command. This is normally done via Win + R, but can be performed remotely on Cloud via CTRL + R.
   

1. Type control, then press Enter or click OK.
   

1. The Control Panel will appear. Change the View by: field to Large or Small icons.
   

1. Click Mail.
   

1. The Mail Setup panel will appear. Click Show Profiles to access the profile list.
   

1. The profile listed is the customer's default profile where all their data lives. To create a new profile, click the Add button.
   

1. Name the new profile, then click OK.
   

1. Outlook will immediately prompt you to add an email account to this profile.
2. If you wish to add an email account right away, click Manual setup.
   

1. If you plan on manually adding account later, click Cancel, then click OK on the following prompt.
   

1. The new profile will be displayed in the list. While working with multiple profiles on a customer machine, be sure to select the 'Prompt for a profile to be used' radio button. This will cause Outlook to prompt the user to select a profile whenever it is launched.
   

1. Once you have resolved the email issue for the customer, be sure to return to this screen and set it to 'Always use this profile' and specify the appropriate profile from the dropdown box.
   

1. If the test profile is no longer needed, it can be removed by clicking the Remove button.
   

To Set Up/Migrate CX to a New Profile in Outlook

If you've determined that a new Outlook profile must be used to resolve the customer's issue, it is imperative that the new profile be configured with the same email account(s) and the associated data files from the old profile.

Keep in-mind:

• While IMAP accounts will download all the email messages that reside on the Cox mailserver, Outlook may still be referencing a PST file with no email account attached to it that contains Calendar and Contacts data that the IMAP account will not re-populate for the customer.
• Customers may have multiple email accounts added within Outlook. While popular accounts such as Gmail or Yahoo are easy enough to add back (provided the customer has the correct username & password information), there may also be employer exchange server accounts, or personal domain accounts as well. In other words, creating a new profile may not always be in the best interest of the customer. Handle this on a case-by-case basis, speak to your customer, and make the decision that makes the most sense for them.

Gather Information on Data Files & Types of Accounts

1. From the Mail Setup panel, click Show Profiles.
   

1. The profiles panel will appear. Highlight the customer's original profile, then click Properties.
   

1. In the Mail Setup panel that appears, click the Data Files button.
   

1. The Account Settings window will appear.
2. On the Data Files tab, make a note of what data files are currently in-use by the customer's existing Outlook profile.
   

1. On the Email tab, make a note of what mail accounts are present & whether or not they are POP or IMAP accounts.
   

1. 
   
2. If there are email accounts that are not Cox-related, advise the customer that these accounts will need to be added back into Outlook due to the creation of this new profile. As stated above, depending on the complexity of their setup, creating a new profile may not be in the best interest of the customer at this time.
3. POP accounts will utilize PST data files while IMAP accounts will utilize OST data files.
4. Click Close.
5. Click Close again.

Re-create Email Accounts in the New Profile

1. Highlight the new profile, then click Properties.
   

1. The Mail Setup panel will appear. Click Email Accounts.
   

1. On the Email tab, click New.
   

1. Select the Manual setup radio button, then click Next.
   

1. Select the POP or IMAP radio button, then click Next.
   

For POP Accounts

1. Ensure Account Type is set to POP3.
2. Select the Existing Outlook Data File radio button, then click Browse.
   

1. Navigate to the location of the PST file you took note of earlier. Select it, then click OK.
   

1. Fill in the Your Name and Email Address fields.
   

1. Incoming mail server should be set to pop.cox.net. Outgoing mail server (SMTP) should be set to smtp.cox.net.
   

1. Next to Logon Information, fill in your User Name and Password and put a check next to Remember password. Then click the More Settings button.
   

1. 
   
2. The User Name field should be the customer's Cox email address without the '@cox.net' information.
3. Go to the Outgoing Server tab. Enable My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
   

1. Go to the Advanced tab. For port settings, set Incoming server (POP3) to 995 with SSL encryption, then set Outgoing server (SMTP) to 465 with TLS encryption.
   

1. Click OK then Next when finished.
2. Click Close if the account logs in properly.
   

1. Click Finish.
   

For IMAP Accounts

1. Ensure Account Type is set to IMAP.
2. Fill out the Your Name and full Email Address fields.
3. Incoming mail server should be set to imap.cox.net, and Outgoing mail server (SMTP) should be set to smtp.cox.net.
   

1. 
   
2. Next to Logon Information, fill in your User Name and Password and put a check next to Remember password. Then click the More Settings button.
   

1. Go to the Outgoing Server tab. Enable My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and Use the same settings as my incoming mail server.
   

1. Go to the Advanced tab. For port settings, set Incoming server (IMAP) to 993 with SSL encryption, then set Outgoing server (SMTP) to 587 with TLS encryption.
   

1. Click OK then Next when finished.
2. Click Close if the account logs in properly.
3. Click Finish.
   

Add Additional Data Files (if necessary)

If the customer had an IMAP account, but a PST file was in use to store Calendar, Contacts, or local archived Email folders, that data file must be added back as well.

1. You should still be on the Email tab. Click the Data Files tab.
   

1. Click the Add button.
   

1. If asked, select Outlook data file (.pst), then click OK.
   

1. Navigate to the location of the PST file you took note of earlier. Select it, then click OK.
   

1. Click Close.
2. Click Close again.

Set Outlook to Use the Correct Profile

1. If you're still testing things, be sure to select the 'Prompt for a profile to be used' radio button. This will cause Outlook to prompt you to select a profile when it is launched.
   

1. Once you're sure the new profile is ready to be used on a permanent basis, be sure to return to this screen and set it to 'Always use this profile' and specify the appropriate profile from the dropdown box.
   

Mail program is running very slowly // Mail account is configured as POP3

Problem

CX states that their mail program takes forever to start up, is very slow or "freezes" during normal usage.

Solution

Look to see if the CX's email account is a POP account with a large number of messages stored within.

• While POP3 accounts aren't limited by the mail server's lower storage space, there is a point where the mail program can become overwhelmed by how many messages it's having to deal with.
• Advise CX that this is normal behavior with such a large amount of messages being present. Recommend deleting messages that they no longer wish to keep. Mail clients such as Outlook can also "auto-archive" messages to help performance.

 

Mac Mail Troubleshooting

Sending or Receiving Mail

• If customer is getting SMTP errors, before trying to correct any issues, remove any stuck items from the Outbox. This will often get in the way after verifying that customer has the correct password inserted on Mac Mail preferences.
• Verify the customer can log in to webmail, and is able to send a message to themselves. If there is an account block you may not see that from an email client.
• Once you have verified customer can send mail from webmail, update any passwords that are failing.
• Test connections if still not working via Connection Doctor (located under the Window menu).
• If all account pass but still having issues, ensure Take all accounts online is enabled.
• If this still fails, simply trying exiting mail and verify via Apple à Force Quit that Mail is no longer listed. If so force quit out, give it about 15 seconds and then relaunch mail.
• Verify port 587 or 465 is correctly being used. 

Verifying email settings on the new UI:

Before checking these settings, be sure the customer can log into webmail and send a test message to themselves in webmail. Afterwards, check the folders in Mac Mail to insure there are no stuck items in the Outbox. If there is, delete the stuck items. If you do not see the Outbox folder then that means there is no stuck items.

1. Mail menu à Preferences à Accounts Tab à Select problem COX account from list on left.
2. Select server settings in the option on the top.
   

1. Have customer type in working password into the incoming and outgoing password fields.
   

1. Click Save and verify no error message. If so, try again and see if it works.
2. If there is still a ~ showing next to COX, go to the Mailbox menu and Take all accounts online.
3. If all else still fails, try going to the Apple à Force Quit and close completely out of Mac Mail and try relaunching.

Verifying email settings on the old UI:

Before checking these settings, be sure the customer can log into webmail and send a test message to themselves in webmail. Afterwards, check the folders in Mac Mail to insure there are no stuck items in the Outbox. If there is, delete the stuck items. If you do not see the Outbox folder then that means there is no stuck items.

1. Mail menu à Preferences à Accounts Tab à Select problem COX account from the list on left.
2. Verify the incoming password is accurate
3. Click on SMTP Server dropdown and choose Edit STMP Server List
   

1. Verify the hostname is accurate, and select Advanced.
   

1. Verify the port (either 465 or 587).
2. Verify the username/password are accurate and click OK.
3. Click the red circle and you will be prompted to save, in which you will save the changes.
4. If there is still a ~ showing next to COX, go to the Mailbox menu and Take all accounts online.
5. If all else still fails, try going to the Apple à Force Quit and close completely out of Mac Mail and try relaunching.

Removing the account from Internet Accounts

Sometimes re-adding the Internet account is necessary when the above steps do not work.

1. Apple menu Ã  System Preferences Ã  Internet Accounts.
   

1. Select the email account you want to delete. Click the [-] minus button.
   

1. Click OK to confirm.
   

1. The account will disappear from the list and all associated emails and settings from the email address will also vanish.

Click here for Mac Mail setup

Click here for IMAP setup

1. Open Mail via the Dock icon or Applications then Mail.
   

1. Select Mail and then Add Account.
   

1. Select Add Other Mail Account.
   

1. Click Continue and type in the account details:
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Mail should sign in at this point and ask you which apps you want to use with the account. Select all and hit Done.
   

1. Click Done.
2. Mail should automatically sync.

Click here for POP setup

1. Open Mail via the Dock icon or Applications then Mail.
   

1. Select Mail, then Add Account.
   

1. Select Add Other Mail Account, then hit Continue.
   

1. Type in the account details.
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Mail should refuse your sign in at this point and ask you for additional information.
3. For Incoming Mail Server, use pop.cox.net.
4. For Outgoing Mail Server, use smtp.cox.net.
   

1. Click Sign In.
2. Click Mail, then Preferences.
   

1. Click the Accounts tab.
   

1. Click the account you just created.
   

1. Click the Server Settings tab and Uncheck both Automatically manage connection settings checkboxes.
   

1. For Incoming Mail Server change the port to 995. Then check Use TLS/SSL if not enabled.
2. For Outgoing Mail Server change the port to 465. Then check Use TLS/SSL if not enabled.
   

1. At the bottom of the window, click Save.
2. Mail should automatically sync.