MS Outlook 2003 won't send e-mail after Comcast required SMTP port change to 587

[Bagley]

Comcast had me change my outgoing SMTP port to 587 (from 25) and ever since then I haven't been able to send e-mails from Outlook 2003.  I get error message 0x80042109 - unable to connect to outgoing SMTP server.  I'm using Avast Internet Security 6.0.1125.  And my operating system is Windows XP.  Comcast says it's a Microsoft issue; Avast said I have to change my outgoing port to 25 in Outlook.

[DavidR]

Well you can ensure that the avast SSL Account settings reflect the 587 port, but you would still have to retain the port 25 in the Outlook account settings and avast can handle the secure connection. Otherwise avast can't handle the encrypted email.

In outlook no doubt if you set it to port 587 that would also set it to SSL, this as I said will block avast from handling this email.

[Bagley]

I changed Outlook back to 25 and added the Avast SSL smtp port 587.  Same error message.  Any other ideas?

[DavidR]

Unfortunately not, as I really have no idea how comcast handles their email and I don't use Outlook either, just some limited knowledge gathered in the forums.

However, changing it back to port 25 in Outlook may not be the end of it as there may be a setting to send the user name and password securely in the email account settings, that to would in effect block avast. So that too would have to be set to non-secure.

[SafeSurf]

Sometimes the Internet Providers also add on antivirus program or a security suite to their users.  Do you by chance have one of these in your email program through Comcast?  The reason I ask is that having more than one AV could present a conflict on your machine.  Usually the AV offered by the Internet Providers is an option, but is often pushed upon the user and not a very effective AV at that.  I also do not use Comcast, so other than this, I am out of ideas as well.  If you are unsure about if they added on a security software, you can call their customer support to find out.