Visitor
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1 Message
help with email authentication errors while traveling abroad
I travel a lot and as soon as I leave the country--even in US territories (where I spend much of my time)--my comcast email fails in the most irritating way. It pops up the login screen and asks over and over (every 2 seconds) "Enter your user name and password for the following server: imap.comcast.net." And its prefilled with the right information so there's nothing I can do to stop it from popping open repeatedly. What do I do to access my email?
XfinityFrank
Official Employee
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2K Messages
5 hours ago
Hi there, @user_7h3zgx! Thanks for reaching out to us here on the Community Forum. Sorry to hear about the trouble accessing email abroad. This is a common issue with our email when trying to access it via third-party mail clients (like Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.) from outside the United States. Our security system often flags repeated login attempts from foreign IP addresses as a security risk, leading to a temporary block or repeated password prompts. Here are the most effective steps to try and resolve this, based on user reports and our general recommendations:
1. Use Webmail. (This is the simplest and most reliable fix.)
-Simply open up a browser and go to connect.xfinity.com. Log in and access your email on the web. This should work with no issues,
2. Check Third-Party Access Security Setting.
We added a security setting that controls whether third-party apps can access your email. This often gets unchecked or is the source of the repeated prompts.
-Log in to Webmail.
-Click on the gear on the upper right hand corner of page.
-Click on "security" on the left.
-Make sure there is a check in the box under "Third Party Access Security".
3. Reset your password via the web.
Even if you just reset it, resetting your password while you are in Europe and then updating all your devices can sometimes clear the security lock.
- Change Password: Use our website (while logged in) to change your email password.
- Update All Devices: Immediately after changing the password on the web, update the new password in your email app settings on all three devices (Android/Outlook, iOS/Apple Mail, Windows PC/Outlook). Do not just wait for the prompt; go into the account settings to manually enter the new password.
4. Verify IMAP/SMTP Server Settings.
A small change in security protocols can cause this. Double-check that your mail clients are using the most secure settings:
Setting: Server Name
Xfinity/Comcast IMAP (Incoming): imap.comcast.net
Xfinity/Comcast SMTP (Outgoing): smtp.comcast.net
Setting: Port
Xfinity/Comcast IMAP (Incoming): 993
Xfinity/Comcast SMTP (Outgoing): 587 (or 465)
Setting: Security/Encryption
Xfinity/Comcast IMAP (Incoming): SSL/TLS
Xfinity/Comcast SMTP (Outgoing): SSL/TLS (or STARTTLS)
Setting: Username
Xfinity/Comcast IMAP (Incoming): Your full Xfinity email address
Xfinity/Comcast SMTP (Outgoing): Your full Xfinity email address
Setting: Password
Xfinity/Comcast IMAP (Incoming): Your Xfinity password
Xfinity/Comcast SMTP (Outgoing): Your Xfinity password
Note on Port: If 587 doesn't work for Outgoing, try 465. Ensure Authentication is set to use the same settings as your Incoming mail server.
5. Try a U.S.-Based VPN (If available)
Since the issue is often related to the foreign IP address, temporarily connecting through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that routes your connection through a server in the United States can sometimes bypass the foreign IP security block.
- Connect to a U.S. server using your VPN.
- Try accessing your email again through the third-party apps. If it connects, your apps will sync and save the credentials, potentially allowing you to disconnect the VPN and continue using your email normally.
Let us know if any of these work for you!
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