Connection Issues with Mac mail.app

JBFerg · #1 12-28-2007, 05:05 PM

I recently moved from a WinXP-Thunderbird mail configuration to iMac-Mail.app. Ever since then, I've experienced significant IMAP connection issues to my HG Baby Croc account. Maybe some of you have seen something similar.

The symptom is that when as few as 2 Mac clients connect to the mail server via IMAP they consume upwards of 40-50 processes - effectively shutting down any service I have on my account, including access to cpanel and other websites. Even SSH access is useless due to "resource temporarily unavailable." As soon as I quit the mac mail clients, all restores to normal. HG Support has basically told me this is a mail client issue, which may well be true. But I have a hard time believing such a mainstream client would create this kind of havoc on a shared account.

I've varied most of the settings on the client, including enabling/disabling support for the IDLE command, toggling SSL connections, and increasing the time between automatic checks. Nothing makes a difference consistently.

slapshotw · #2 12-28-2007, 05:32 PM

I use Mail.app to check my HG mail over SSL, checking 5 accounts on the server at the same time, and have never experienced this.

Where are you seeing the information about the processes? Do you have a dedicated server? I assume so based on your support for IDLE comment, but please confirm it.

JBFerg · #3 12-28-2007, 06:48 PM

I'm on a shared server, not dedicated. I'm doing exactly what you describe - trying to check mail on 5 separate accounts with Mail. I have a second mac that checks 2 of these accounts concurrently plus one other. When they both are online I will start seeing connection errors that the server couldn't be contacted on port 143.

The process information is actually hard to get. HG Extras has an internal server check feature that will give you a process count. I've tried running ps faux on SSH, but it won't work when the process counts are high.

Writing this, it occurs to me that part of the problem may be trying to logon to the same account on the same mail server at the same time from two mail clients...

slapshotw · #4 12-29-2007, 01:46 AM

Next time you see the slowdown, in Apple Mail go to Window-->Activity, and see what it says it's doing.

choopie · #5 01-02-2008, 10:38 PM

Don't use Imap for best results, use POP. I use Mac Mail for years and many folks at work use it, HG servers never an issue. I have been happy with host gator for several years using Mac Mail app on both shared and dedicated servers. However I <NEVER> use IMAP, always use POP.

This isn't a opinion about IMAP being a problem really, it's just my sound knowledge that POP at HG always works fine with Mac Mail app. Thus I have to say, do it like that. It's just I know it works, had domains on 5 or 6 different host gator servers before getting my dedicated. Use Macs day and night, no prob..

Also, I agree with another poster about possibility of other applications that may be hitting mail account at same time. I would look at every mail capable application and rule that out that this isnt happening. Outlook, Netscape, Others, check that out and make sure only one app is pulling mail.

Then, In Mac Mail application, go...

Mail Menu >Preferences > Accounts Tab

Click the "+" button to add a new account

Account Type POP, not IMAP

Incoming Mail Server: mail.yourdomainname.com
User name: YourUser+yourdomainname.com
Password: YourPassword

Good luck dude. I really think this isn't HG but that you're using IMAP and possibly have some multiple profiles setup with other apps maybe? Like I have Netscape and used to use it. When starting to use Mac Mail, was sort of a trial thing and I had forgotten to go back and kill that. I launched Netscape one day and it sucked my mailbox dry without me realizing it. I go back in Mail app and no mail comes down, chased my tail a bit before realizing the mail was in Netscapes mail.

slapshotw · #6 01-02-2008, 11:32 PM

Just for the record: before I had my dedicated, I had a reseller account, and was using IMAP on 4-5 accounts at a time without issue. It definitely does take more bandwidth to use IMAP in general, though.

angryfat · #7 09-13-2008, 12:27 PM

Unfortunately, POP and IMAP don't have equivalent capabilities. POP only works if you always access your mail from the same client - which is not true for a great number of us. In this case, IMAP is the only working solution.

That being said, this has recently became a problem for me. Even shutting down IDLE doesn't prevent this.

***GatorFord*** · #8 09-29-2008, 10:39 AM

This really isn't a "network status" thread here but more of just a shared hosting and reseller support thread.

Regardless, do you guys have tickets on these that I could pull up with relevant data so we can check the servers logs to see why you may be having issues? I use IMAP only myself and believe that POP is legacy, of course if it works for you it just works.