New errors with Outlook pop/smtp client

Help!

 

I've been using Outlook as a pop/smtp mail client to my Comcast mailbox for >10 years and it was always smooth until recently.  Now it barely works at all, sending & receiving.  It got especially bad starting last Saturday 4/18/20.

 

I tried calling Xfinity tech support but they're completely unhelpful.  They don't even know that Comcast manages pop/smtp servers for their customers usage.  All they say is "it's not our problem, call Microsoft" 

 

I'm hoping that one of the Comcast reps on this board like @ComcastCSAEmail might offer some better insight.

 

I know about this article and have followed it: https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/email-client-programs-with-xfinity-email

 

MY SETTING ARE: (which worked fine for years!)

Incoming server: pop3.comcast.net

Outgoing server: smtp. comcast.net

My Outgoing server requires authentication (Use same setting as Incoming)

Incoming (POP3) port: 995 + Requires encrypted connection (SSL)

Outgoing (SMTP) port: 587 + Requires encrypted connection (SSL)

 

The Outlook "Test Connection" button works great!  (no errors)  But sending/receiving real email has stopped working!!  It failed on 4/18 and didn't start working again until 4/21 (no changes on my side).  Then it failed again late 4/23 or early 4/24 and it still isn't working.

 

All I can figure is that there must be problems or changes going on with the Comcast pop/smtp servers.  

 

My Outlook Send/Receive Progress pop-up often has errors like these:

 

1) " ... -Receiving' reported error (Ox800408FC): "The server name you entered cannot be found on the network..."

 

Receiving error happens 100% of the time... can't receive any new Inbox messages at all!

 

2) " ... -Sending' reported error (Ox800CCC7D): "Your outgoing (SMTP) server does not support SSL-secured connections..."

 

Sending error happens frequently but NOT 100% of the time.  Usually if I leave Outlook alone, it will keep trying and trying and trying to send, and after several or many minutes it will finally be sent out.  That makes me think that some SMTP servers (in a round-robin array) work OK and others do not?

 

p.s. Along the way, while troubleshooting, I considered using IMAP instead of POP3 but that didn't work any better, in fact I think I got even weirder authentication problems.