Troubleshooting

Use the following steps to solve common e-mail problems. If you are still experiencing problems after completing these steps, please call 1-877-310-TECH (1-877-310-8324).

1. You get an error message: "unable to locate server" or "host could not be found".
2. You get an error message: "bad or invalid password".
3. You get an error message: "POP Lock".
4. You get an error message: "relaying e-mail is not allowed".
5. You're not receiving e-mail.
6. Your e-mail is slow in getting to you.
7. You receive an "undeliverable mail" postmaster response.

1. You get an error message: "unable to locate server" or "host could not be found"

   Step 1: Ensure you are connected to the Internet

   1. Before opening your e-mail application and checking for new messages, double-check and make sure you're successfully connected to the Internet. You can do so by trying to surf to a Web page such as http://www.mytelus.com.
   2. If you are unable to surf to a Web page, please refer to troubleshooting your high speed connection or troubleshooting your dial-up connection.

   Step 2: Check your e-mail settings

   There may be an incorrect setting or a spelling error in your TELUS Internet e-mail server address. The correct server settings are:

   • Server type: POP3
   • Incoming (POP) server: pop.telus.net
   • Outgoing (SMTP) server: smtp.telus.net

   Step 3: Ensure you're not affected by the HSIA Security Measures Policy

   TELUS has introduced a number of security measures to the ADSL network to help provide you with a safe, enjoyable Internet experience. These measures will help reduce the risk of virus infection to your PC, reduce spam in your e-mail, and increase network integrity.

   TELUS High Speed subscribers with a dynamic IP address should review our Security Measures Policy.

2. You get an error message: "bad or invalid password"

   If you receive a password error while trying to get your e-mail, try the following steps to troubleshoot the problem. You will need your TELUS e-mail username and password to complete these steps. Both the username and password must always be entered in lower case letters with no spaces.

   1. Check to see if the Caps Lock key is turned on. If it is, turn it off and try again.
   2. Erase and retype both the username and password in lowercase letters.
   3. Restart your computer and try again.
   4. Try to access your e-mail using TELUS Webmail.

3. You get an error message: "POP Lock"

   If you receive the error "The POP3 Server Responded: POP Lock Busy, Is Another Session Active" then another message saying your password is incorrect, the mail server has locked you out. This error is in place as a security feature where the mail server will lock you out for 10 minutes or more if there are two simultaneous attempts to access your mailbox.

   POP Lock errors can be caused by:

   • Accidentally double-clicking the Send/Receive or Get Mail button.
   • Clicking the Send/Receive or Get Mail button while the e-mail program is already downloading your messages.
   • Trying to use Webmail and your regular e-mail program (Netscape, Outlook Express) at the same time.
   • Trying to get your e-mail at the same time as another person who uses your account.
   • Cancelling a large e-mail download and immediately clicking Send/Receive or Get Mail before the e-mail program has been able to properly cancel the previous download.

   Follow these steps to resolve the POP Lock error:

   Step 1:

   1. Do not check your e-mail for at least 10 minutes
   2. Either disconnect your Internet connection or close your e-mail program and ensure it does not continue automatically checking for e-mail messages.
   3. NOTE: If you continue to try and check for e-mail before the POP Lock error has cleared it will cause the error again and restart the time required for it to be cleared.

   Step 2:

   1. After 10 minutes has passed try checking your e-mail again.
   2. If you still receive a POP Lock error repeat Step 1 but instead wait 20 minutes this time.
   3. If the error persists proceed to step 3.

   Step 3: Check for large e-mail messages using Webmail

   Webmail is a tool provided by TELUS which allows you to check your e-mail messages by using a Web browser. You can use this tool to delete any large e-mail messages which may be causing a problem, allowing you to then download the rest of your e-mail with your regular e-mail program.

   1. Open a Web browser and go to http://webmail.telus.net.
   2. Log in with your TELUS e-mail username and password (in lowercase letters with no spaces).
   3. Click Check E-mail.

   

   Figure 1 - Webmail login

    

   4. Webmail will display all your e-mail messages waiting to be downloaded.
   5. The column to the farthest right shows the message size.
   6. Look for any messages that are an unusually large size, like the message shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2 - List of messages

   7. Place a check mark (in the far left column) next to the message you want to remove.
   8. Click Delete.
   9. When you're finished using Webmail click the Logout button.
   10. Once you're logged out you can close your browser and try checking your e-mail again from your regular e-mail program.

4. You get an error message: "relaying e-mail is not allowed"

   If you receive the error "550 relaying mail is not allowed" while sending an e-mail it is because you are not connected to TELUS and are still attempting to use a TELUS mail server. In order to send e-mail using the TELUS mail server 'smtp.telus.net' you must be connected to the Internet with a TELUS connection. If you are connected to another Internet service provider such as Shaw or AOL the TELUS mail server will not allow you to send e-mail messages through it.

   Step 1: Connect to TELUS

   1. If you would like to send an e-mail message through a TELUS mail server disconnect from your current provider and connect to TELUS.

   Step 2: Change your e-mail settings

   If you are unable to connect to TELUS you can set up your e-mail program to use the outgoing mail server of the Internet service provider you are presently connected to.

   1. Contact the Internet service provider you are connected to and ask them for their SMTP or Outgoing mail server.
   2. Change the settings in your e-mail program, replacing the TELUS SMTP server with the other provider's SMTP server.

   Step 3: Use TELUS Webmail to send and receive e-mail

   If you are unable to connect to TELUS try using TELUS Webmail instead. Webmail is a tool provided by TELUS which allows you to check your e-mail messages by using a Web browser.

5. You're not receiving e-mail

   If someone is saying they have been sending you e-mail, but it hasn't arrived yet, they may have misspelled your e-mail address, or didn't have your correct e-mail address, or there may be a mail server delay.

   When someone sends you an e-mail, there are two places where a delay may occur: the mail server which they send messages through (their Internet Service Provider's server), and the mail server through which you receive messages (the TELUS server). Sometimes either server can be slow if there is an overload of e-mail to process at any particular time.

   The major server performance factors which determine e-mail service delivery are mostly determined by the following:

   • The ISP (Internet Service Provider, such as TELUS Internet Services) which processes the e-mail and sends it out to the Internet.
   • The traffic volume and capacity of the part of the Internet involved in routing the piece of email, as well as the computers along the mail delivery route.
   • The other ISP which receives the e-mail at the other end, and stores it in the system for the intended recipient to retrieve.
   • The traffic pattern at the time (e.g. it will be slower during peak times).
   • The other user activities at the time.

   For instance, if your friend is using a different ISP and sends you an email, the speed of processing the e-mail by TELUS is only one part of the overall process. There could be a delay at any point in the process: at our servers, the friend's ISP, or the Internet itself.  Unfortunately, the problem can also be random in nature, making it harder to determine which part of the process is failing. If the mailing process is carried out during an off-peak time, the two persons will have a higher chance of experiencing faster mail delivery because of less network traffic.

   We continually work hard to ensure that our e-mail service is speedy, and is not a performance "bottleneck" in the overall process.

   If you still have further concerns or inquiries, please contact the TELUS Internet services helpdesk at 1-877-310-TECH (1-877-310-8324).  Please provide specifics regarding the problem you're experiencing such as exact date and time when it occurs, what operations you are trying to perform, the sender's address and the system response time experienced by you and the sender. These specifics will help our staff in their troubleshooting efforts.

6. Your e-mail is slow in getting to you

   Large e-mail messages, which contain pictures or attachments, may take a long time to download from the TELUS mail server to your computer. If the e-mail is too large, several MB (megabytes) in size, or the attachment is not properly coded, you may not be able to download that message at all. Unfortunately, the large message will also block any new messages from arriving.

Step 1: Check for large e-mail messages using Webmail

Webmail is a tool provided by TELUS which allows you to check your e-mail messages by using a Web browser. You can use this tool to delete any large e-mail messages which may be causing a problem allowing you to then download the rest of your e-mail with your regular e-mail program.

1. Open a Web browser and go to http://webmail.telus.net.
2. Log in with your TELUS e-mail username and password (in lowercase letters with no spaces).
3. Click Check E-mail.



Figure 1 - Webmail login

4. Webmail will display all your e-mail messages waiting to be downloaded.
5. The column to the farthest right shows the message size.
6. Look for any messages that are an unusually large size, like the message shown in Figure 2.



Figure 2 - List of messages

7. Place a check mark (in the far left column) next to the message you want to remove.
8. Click Delete.
9. When you're finished using Webmail click the Logout button.
10. Once you're logged out you can close your browser and try checking your e-mail again from your regular e-mail program.

7. You receive an "undeliverable mail" postmaster response

   The Postmaster is a set of rules that determines whether or not your e-mail gets to its destination. Each e-mail address you send to must be spelled correctly, and must be a valid address (belong to someone) or your mail will be returned by the Postmaster.

   Here is an example of a typical Postmaster response:

   This Message was undeliverable due to the following reason: The following destination addresses were unknown (please check the addresses and re-mail the message): SMTP <wrong_address@internet.com> Please reply to Postmaster@priv-edtnps06-hme0.net if you feel this message to be in error.

   To solve your Postmaster problem try the following:

   Step 1: Understand why your e-mail was returned

   • Directly after reason: in the Postmaster response message, you will find the reason your e-mail was returned.
   • Perhaps the destination address was unknown, or the address had a permanent fatal error. This means the e-mail address you were trying to send to was either misspelled, or it no longer exists.
   • In some cases you may be sending a message that is too large for the person you're sending to. Many free e-mail services such as Yahoo or Hotmail have space limits of 2MB and if their mailbox is full it will reject any new messages being sent to them.

   Step 2: Try sending the message again

   • Try sending the e-mail again in a new message.
   • Double-check the spelling of the e-mail address.
   • Send only plain text in the message with no attachments.
   • You may have to phone your friend you're trying to e-mail and ask for their correct e-mail address.