Unable to Access Comcast Email Accounts using Outlook

Notice I have tried two other email readers besides outlook.  Thunderbird, Mailbird and Outlook don't work.  Do you still think its the third party reader?

Here is another thing I tried.  I am unable to login to Comcast email using Thunderbird or Outlook.  Tried login with Thunderbird using a VPN and was Successful. Tried VPN using Outlook and got warning  "Server certificate could not be verified.  I clicked yes to "do you want to continue with this server" and was Successful in connecting to comcast email.

Are you on a public/work  wifi? I tried disconnecting from my work internet/wifi and then it started to work.

i also switched back using Edison Mail rather than Outlook.

@IamMacomb​

or you can use a VPN

This morning, again, my email was sent without problems until around 10am, when I started getting this. ESMTP server temporarily not available is a Comcast issue. Is it ever going to be fixed??

                                                                                                                           [Removed image: "Personal Information"]

Thank you for the reply, and yes, I can confirm I tried all those steps a week or so ago. Listing possible things to try is a bit pointless when the email send is WORKING all morning and then stops.  Please explain how those suggestions help if it works until 11am and then stops.

It worked fine yesterday until after lunch. It's working today (10:30am) but who knows when it will stop.

I have been in the computer programming business for 40 years, and I know that, if email works on my computer and then suddenly stops working, it isn't my computer that caused it. 

@XfinityBenjaminM​  I am using a computer and I see no "Direct Message" icon. I see my Profile icon, and a bell for notifications in the top right.

I have been on vacation in Europe for the past 2 weeks, and I can confirm I am still having the problem. I tried to send 3 emails from my Outlook today, and none went. I had to open a browser window for the Xfinity email connect, copy them to a new message there, and send them. Very aggravating.

@user_6a8bb4​  I think you need to define "using comcast as your ISP".  If you have a Comcast/Xfinity account for TV or internet, then you are eligible for a comcast.net email address, I believe, and therefore you can (hopefully) send and receive emails.

@user_b5e8f6 That seems to be quite the unique situation with you only having access issues through only WiFi while traveling internationally but you can access it through your mobile data network. It would be a routing setting through the WiFi access point that is not allowing you to access our Connect Portal. We would not be able to isolate that issue being that you're using an international ISPs service to access our webpage whereas the international mobile carrier allows access to your email. You would want to reach out to the folks who own/operate the WiFi service you're connecting with to attempt to access your emails. 

@user_b5e8f6​  While this is a little off the topic/problem that I started with this thread, let me comment that I just got back from the middle east and had no problem accessing comcast.net either by wifi or local cellular carrier.

No Xfinity email via Outlook since yesterday, 3/1/2025. Outlook errors out with message as to login, but know password is fine. Email working fine via Xfinity website.

See in news reports that Microsoft says an Outlook problem problem is now fixed. Absolutely not fixed for me.

Having same exact issue with Outlook syncing Comcast email on my PC, phones are fine and checked the Xfinity site to check emails and all seems ok, including security settings for third party use.  I uninstalled and now cannot get Comcast email back on Outlook. Updated to newest version of Windows, restarted many times and still cannot get my Comcast email to load to Outlook.. all day affair, gonna wait it out and hope they fix it soon, it’s clearly not anything we’ve done to cause it, just frustrating.. thanks everyone for sharing and confirming there is an outside issue going on here.  All I want is a one-stop spot for all my email accounts.. never had issues with Outlook before.. just want it fixed!

Here's what happened to me and how Outlook is working for me again. 

1. Tried everything; nothing worked.

2.  Then just waited a few days, and again tried my Outlook; it seemed to reload or reboot like a new installation, and then just worked--for a few days and then would not send or receive mail again--but otherwise looked normal. Of course, logging out and logging back in did not work, nor did deleting the app and downloading a fresh copy.

3. Again waited a few days, again tried opening Outlook and voila, as of now it's working perfectly again.

4. Important to note that nothing I tried worked. Whatever problems my Outlook was happening, Microsoft did something to cause them, and then fixed the problem.

5. Good luck to all experiencing this problem caused/fixed by Microsoft.

@XfinityBenjaminM​ 
It is NOT "working again". I have posted several times that it works in the morning and then stops working around 10am, sometimes earlier, sometimes later. 

Outlook for me is doing a very similar thing to [Edited: "Personal Information"] in that it works on rare occasions, but mostly not at all.  

To be clear, THIS MEANS IT'S NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.  

Again, same as before:

Error message(s) from Outlook:

"Your server does not support the connection encryption type you have specified.  Try changing the encryption method.  Contact your mail server administrator or ISP for additional assistance."

and

"Outlook cannot connect to your incoming email server."

The second message is likely caused by the first message.  

What is Xfinity doing, anyway? 

@user_7zyoyp​ @XfinityBenjaminM​  I am using the regular desktop version of Outlook on my laptop, not the web-based 'free' Outlook.  As it stores emails on my computer, it has no storage limit (until my computer fills up!) 

@fred2179

please send a Direct Message with your full name and address. 

Here are instructions on how to send a DM in case you need them:

 Click "Sign In" if necessary
  • Click the "Direct Message" icon (upper right corner of this page)
  • Click the "New message" (pencil and paper) icon
  • Type "Xfinity Support" in the to line and select "Xfinity Support" from the drop-down list
  • Type your message in the text area near the bottom of the window
  • Press Enter to send your message

I found the DM, with difficulty, and sent a message (DM) a few weeks ago. I have just sent my full name and address, though I don't understand why that is relevant.

@fred2179 Thank you for letting us know. We will meet you in our direct message shortly. 

Back at my desk, and I am still unable to send emails from desktop Outlook under Win11. Same version as under Windows 10 on my old machine, btw, Office 2016. So that eliminates one piece of software, maybe.  Receiving is working fine.

Hello, @user_9y6rjn! Thanks for letting us know you're having trouble, and we would be glad to help! Could you tell us what error message you're receiving when you try to receive your @comcast.net email in Outlook?

My mobile Outlook is working fine, but my PC Outlook outgoing mail suddenly stopped working a few days ago -- I try to update the port/security settings as instructed by Xfinity. When I try Port 587 and encryption SSL/TLS, it fails with the message "Your server does not support the connection encryption type you have specified. Try changing the encryption method. Contact your mail server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP) for additional assistance." Using Port 465 (which is also listed in Xfinity's instructions) gets the same result. I then change the encryption to TESTTLS (which is also listed in Xfinity's instructions) and the attempt times out ("The operation timed out waiting for a response from the sending (SMTP) server."), the same for both Ports. Also the same timeout with encryption set to "Auto" or "none". In all cases, the problem is stated to be at the server.

Any help?

@elanza

Thanks for reaching out, this link https://www.xfinity.com/support/articles/third-party-email-access has great information on how to access your e-mail through third party e-mail programs. Have you went through the security settings to make sure your account is able to be accessed through the third party program?

My incoming is working relatively fine, mostly (although I do seem to need to force outlook to check for new messages rather than having them pop-up automatically); it's the outgoing that's the problem, although oddly it seemed to fix itself for about 1-1/2 days, so that outgoing mail started working again, but just now I tried to send an email and got the exact same problem with the same ""Your server does not support the connection encryption type you have specified." message. I did nothing to cause it to start working and did nothing to cause it to stop working.