Still having AOL email problems on Droid X

[LoydroidX]

I have tried all the suggestions I've learned on this board and others, but still have problems with my AOL email.  It is set to "Push", but email comes anywhere from immediately to several hours later.  I have noticed that the emails seem to come in groups.  For example, I sent a test email from my Gmail to my AOL account.  It showed up about 30 minutes later along with two other emails (which were apparently sent two and three minutes previous). 

Occasionally, when I try to send an email from one of my AOL accounts, I get an error message that says something about "authentication" failed.  I cannot find the email in the "Outbox" or "Sent" folders...in fact, there is never anything showing up in either of those boxes.  I can never tell if the email was sent or not, even after I click "refresh".  There is no notice that the mail is sending or has been sent, like there is with GMail. 

I have changed the Incoming Server settings and the outgoing server settings according to the various suggestions I have received (e.g. changed the port back and forth, checked and unchecked "use secure connection" and "verify certificate", etc.).

Also, after reading an email, it will show up again as "unread", and will continue to do so until I get another email (which will then continually show up as "unread"). 

Since I've read that others have had similar issues, could this be a Droid X issue, an Android issue?  If so, could this be fixed by a future update?  Other than getting rid of AOL, is there anything else I can do?  (I've thought about changing all my AOL mail to GMail.  Is is possible to have more than one GMail account?  If so, how would this be set up on the Droid X?)

[Wildman]

Here is the working setting for AOL..

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Incoming Server Settings

username is you@aol.com

password is your password

imap.aol.com

port 143 should be set already

security none
imap path blank. optional

then hit next


Outgoing

smtp server-smtp.aol.com
port 587
security type none
check required sign in box

then your username@aol.com
and your passoword again
then hit next.

[LoydroidX]

Thanks again Wildman, but there are some things you listed that I don't have.  For example, there is nothing about IMAP path.  All I have is "Server", "Port", "Username", and "Password".  In addition to checkboxes for "Use Secure Connection" and "Verify Certificate".  There is also no "Next" button. 

I go in through Settings > Accounts>long press on account name>Open Account.  Then I have a screen that has "General Settings" (just the email address and account names), "Incoming server", "outgoing server", and "Other settings" (Number of messages to sync).   Even when I go in through "Messaging" > "Manage Accounts" > long press account name, I get the same setting screens as I do when I go through "Settings".

[Wildman]

Sorry that is the T-Mobile setup process for AOL, after investigating I realized that AOL and Verizons network dont play well the way I got it to work was either setup Google to retrieve AOL account or use the app from AOL located here.. http://mobile.aol.com/product/android/aol/

Also here is the setup processes for all AOL supported apps, it doesnt show Android but maybe you can play with some of the settings and get it to work through the app.... http://about.aol.com/faq/openmailaccess

UPDATE: Did some more reasearch and found this information at DroidForums by Drakkarr that may work...

How to set up my Droid email to send/receive Netscape, AOL or AIM emails?

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Setting up access to the AOL or AIM Mail servers is simple, and the settings are similar for most email applications.

The basic information that you need to keep in mind to set up your email application using IMAP and POP3 is as follows:

• Your email address is screenname@aol.com or screenname@aim.com.
• Be sure to include the @aol.com or @aim.com suffix.
• The incoming mail (POP) server address is imap.aol.com and imap.aim.com for IMAP, and pop.aol.com or pop.aim.com for POP3.
• Select the check box for leaving messages on the server.
• The outgoing mail (SMTP) server address is smtp.aol.com or smtp.aim.com, port: 587.
• Your user name is your AOL or AIM screen name.
• Your password is your AOL or AIM password.

[LoydroidX]

Thanks for all the advice Wildman.  I appreciate it.  However, nothing seems to work.  That AOL app doesn't "push" email...just something I have to sign in to.  I've tried a lot of the settings suggested, but there was no change.  How did you setup Google to retrieve the AOL account?

I've looked on line, and asked a person at a local store, and discovered that Android doesn't necessarily 'push' email as well as RIM.  With my previous BB, I became accustomed to having my AOL email sent to my phone almost immediately.  Is it common for emails to take from a couple minutes to up to an hour or longer to 'push' on Android - particularly on the Droid X?  Are there other Android phones which have better email 'push'?

[Wildman]

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LoydroidX wrote:

Thanks for all the advice Wildman.  I appreciate it.  However, nothing seems to work.  That AOL app doesn't "push" email...just something I have to sign in to.  I've tried a lot of the settings suggested, but there was no change.  How did you setup Google to retrieve the AOL account?

Check the setup process here: http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-general-discussions/10966-droid-hints-pop3-gmail-forwarding-y...

I've looked on line, and asked a person at a local store, and discovered that Android doesn't necessarily 'push' email as well as RIM.  With my previous BB, I became accustomed to having my AOL email sent to my phone almost immediately.  Is it common for emails to take from a couple minutes to up to an hour or longer to 'push' on Android - particularly on the Droid X?  Are there other Android phones which have better email 'push'?

You are not going to find any diffrent way of retrieving push emails on a Android device with the stock apps, the one thing a number of BB users do not realize that it does not handle emails directly, it goes through there own version of a push server that checks the status of a email client and then download information required (BB is only a email base OS so this is why they are prepared to invest into the email feature, because thats all they have..)...  Other OS have not chose to invest the money to create a dedicate email client, they have a number of other areas that the OS need work on developing..

Besides constantly checking a push server can take a toll on a battery on a device that does more than that function...  BB can get away with this feature because the OS and phones are not as powerful as other SP devices..

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[LoydroidX]

Thanks again Wildman.  I'll have to give this a try tomorrow night...it's back to work tomorrow after a nice four-day weekend. 

By having it go through GMail, will this definitely improve the time email gets to my phone?   Is this something that can easily be reversed if it doesn't work?  What about an app like K9 or Maildroid?  Would an app improve email delivery time?

[felickz]

I have AOL POP3 retrival setup on my gmail account...  It works.

BUT the interval at which it checks your aol account will be hourly.  I could not find anywhere to configure that in gmail with the exception of the ability to force check for updates via the gmail web interface.

In gmail you can tag all AOL messages with your own custom tag/color so you will see in your gmail android app any mails from aol are clearly identified.

It took my 3 factory resets to get this configured on my phone, for some reason or another, SEE: http://community.vzw.com/t5/DROID-X-by-Motorola/Gmail-push-not-working/m-p/332357#M14966

[Wildman]

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LoydroidX wrote:

Thanks again Wildman.  I'll have to give this a try tomorrow night...it's back to work tomorrow after a nice four-day weekend. 

By having it go through GMail, will this definitely improve the time email gets to my phone?

I have never had any complaints from clients about emails being recieved in a timely manner so I can not say ...

 Is this something that can easily be reversed if it doesn't work? 

And as for reversing I have not had to do this process but I am believing it may not be that difficult..

What about an app like K9 or Maildroid?  Would an app improve email delivery time?

I do not see this changing things because they do not work on a active push connection, the time will depend on the amount on time the application is set to check server for updates. you can shorting the check time in all the apps including default app but this will shorting battery drain.

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[aquasport222]

I seem to be having similar issues with my free email account I have had for 10 years with a @netscape.net address that runs through AOL.  The set up on my new phone was done at my local Verizon store when I replaced my BB Storm with a new Droid X.  Silly me for thinking this would be easy!  I never thought to try it at the store before I left as I was going to pick up the kids.  Regardless, based on this posting, I can now receive email on this account but I cannot send, getting an error message and an icon in the top left corner of the screen that the message failed.  Any other suggestions?  I suppose I can delete the account, re-boot the phone & see if I can re-load the email account again to see if it works.  The settings that were used by Verizon at the store during initial set up were not even close to these in your discussion.

Thanks for any insight you can all offer!

FYI:  It's kind of funny if you use the spell check feature on this message board, it does not recognize Droid!

[Cody21]

It really sounds to me like yo have an incorrect POP3 or SMTP setting.  Have you confirmed with NETSCAPE or AOL your proper settings?  Just a thought ...

oh, and welcome.  

[aquasport222]

Netscape/AOL is virtualy shut off from contat with the outside world.

[Cody21]

I found this information using the very simple serach bar above (just entered "AOL" and a bunch of forum posts came up regarding email issues with AOL ..  try it.)

Go to app menu the lower middle circle triangle

go to settings

go to accounts

click on AOL email

go to outgoing server

smtp.aol.com

port-465

username

pass

and check both squares

use secure connection and verify cert..

good luck

[aquasport222]

Thanks,

I just tried those settings and the same problem-unable to to send.  Sad......the newest technology and the techs at Verizon can't make it work.

[Cody21]

How about going into SETTINGS /  APPLICATIONS / MANAGE APPLICATIONS  ... scroll down to the email APP you're using and click on CLEAR CACHE  and CLEAR DATA   ... and try it again.

Oh, meant to ask -- which email APP are you using?  Have you tried using a different APP just rule out that it's the APP that is cauing the issue?  Like maybe try the K9 email app ???

[aquasport222]

Tried K-9 and it wouldnt even connect with the same incomming email settings.  Think its time to go back to Verizon & let them fix the problem or (GASP) go back to a BB!

[Cody21]

Curious if you can get email sent/received correctly using just plain old GMAIL ??   Have you tried just starting fresh and trying to see if THAT works first?  If GMAIL is working properly, then it definitely sounds like a Setting issue for AOL ..

Also, did you go into GMAIL Settings (online) and confirm your settings are correct for your email address ( __@netscape.com  and/or   ___@AOL.com )  ??????    There is an option in there called "CHECK MAIL USING POP3" ...  you click on that and follow the screens that come up.  If you're using anything other than GMAIL as your email system, you MUST do this step.

good luck

[aquasport222]

Gmail works fine, can send & receive no problem.  The netscape account I use for 100 emails a day so I don't want to change the address for everyone that contacts me.  Ill see if I can further check the settings and keep trying.  Thanks for the help!

[Cody21]

Then I would definitely check the GMAL settings options for your email address as I outlined above ..

let us know if that fixes it or not.  Good luck.

[aquasport222]

So in looking at the Gmail settings, I have access to nothing I can find that looks like the general email settings for the Netscape account: Inccoming, outgoing, etc.  I did find this page on AOL's mail settings: http://help.aol.com/help/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=ex&bbid=TSEBB_1282695200349&url=... which I have checked & double checked the settings on my phone but continue to have unsent error mesage come up.  Could this be someting designed into the phone & Android to force the use of Gmail?  I couldnt even activate the phone without starting a Gmail account.

This is what you get for $200 and a 2 year burden.....I mean comitment.

[Cody21]

OK, just by continuing to BASH your purchase because you can't get the settings working is not doing any good - maybe making you feel better, but it really makes me/us not wanting to help much.  If you're really that angry about your purchase, maybe you should just take it back to Verizon, pay the restocking fee, and move on ... Not every phone is a perfect fit for everyone. The DROID X is *very* configurable and customizable, unlike the iPhone and other  'controlled' phones.  That's actually what I like MOST about the Droid X  .... but that's just me.  YMMV

As far as Settings in GMAIL :  You simply go into you GMAIL online account.

-Click on the OPTIONS icon to the right of your name (far right corner).

-Select MAIL settings.

-Select ACCOUNTS & IMPORT.

-Select CHECK USING POP3 ...

- in that panel that pops up, enter your Email address that you're trying to configure for use with GMAIL.  (e.g.,  username@aol.com). 

If after entering your email address it still doesn't work for you, then I am at a loss ... I use an sbcglobal.net email address and have no familiarity wiith AOL or NETSCAPE's email. It works flawlessly for me. But honestly, this SHOULD work for other email accounts.  (Have you checked your AOL email configuration on the AOL site????? Are there PUSH/PULL optioons THERE that need configured?)

Anyone else here use AOL ????????

best of luck.