Thunderbird can't connect to Windows email server

[MichaelMaggs]

Hi all -

I am trying to integrate a new Ubuntu laptop into my (currently) Windows-based network, and am having trouble getting the Thunderbird client on the laptop to connect to my local Windows email server. Thunderbird will neither send nor receive emails, and gives the message: "Failed to connect to server STUDY".

The STUDY machine is on the local network and is running the mailserver program MailEnable on Windows XP. It is using standard ports, and my other Thunderbird clients (on Windows machines) have been working fine for some years.

The Ubuntu laptop can see the STUDY machine in Places, and can also see files on Windows shares.

The Ubuntu Thunderbird client has been set up with *exactly* the same settings as the Windows clients, and is trying to look for a server simply called "STUDY" on the default ports.

This is my first attempt at Linux, so please forgive me if I have overlooked something obvious. Do I have to specify the server name in some other way, perhaps?

Many thanks

Michael

[HROAdmin26]

Step 1: Enable logging and/or review any existing error logs. Google your apps and review how to do this.

First *guess* is name resolution. While your Windows machines will fall back on NetBios broadcasts, Linux (without the Samba nmb daemon) will not have this option. Even with the nmb daemon, Thunderbird may not make use of it.

Either enable a valid DNS server for these machines or put the STUDY / IP address in the /etc/hosts file on the Ubuntu machine.

[MichaelMaggs]

Thanks. I will read up on enabling a DNS server - don't know how to do that for the moment. It seems that Thunderbird accepts a direct IP address as well as a server name, and with that substitution everything now seems to work. Thank you for your help.

[HROAdmin26]

Yes, if an IP works and the name doesn't, then the problem is name resolution.

Either enable a valid DNS server for these machines or put the STUDY / IP address in the /etc/hosts file on the Ubuntu machine.