Apple MobileMe/iCloud problems

[csphil1]

I've had Verizon HSI for almost two years now, and ever since I've had problems accessing my MobileMe -- and now iCloud -- e-mail accounts, both on my home computer (a Mac Mini running Snow Leopard) and my Apple iPod Touch 4G.  

From the start I could receive MobileMe e-mails on both devices, but was never able to send mail.  So I was forced to access my mail by logging on to the MobileMe website.  However, when I took my iPod outside my house to a WiFi hotspot, I could both send and receive my MobileMe mail.  

Recently I upgraded my iPod to IOS5 and changed my MobileMe account to an iCloud account.  Now I can neither receive nor send my mail (again, except by logging on to the iCloud site directly).  Yet I can still both send and receive e-mails when I use the iPod outside my house.  This is not a general mail issue -- I also have a Verizon.net mail account, which is my secondary mail account, and I have always been able to both send and receive e-mails for this account on both devices.  

I suspect this is caused by my router, anti-virus, or firewall configuration, but I have no idea how to test this.  Has anyone here had a similar problem, or any suggestions on how to resolve it?

[smith6612]

For the MobileMe/iCloud e-mail, do you have the SMTP/Outgoing Port set to 25? You need to change that to an alternate port as Verizon blocks 25 Outgoing on most lines to cut down on people's spam zombies on their network (Infected PCs, Open relays, etc). I don't know how the iPad/iPod/iPhone devices configure outgoing automatically; I could investigate further if you don't get an answer but it's a great place to start. Also, if the router's Firewall is set any higher than Minimal security, you might be seeing issues from the router's Firewall as well.

[csphil1]

Thanks for the suggestion.  The sever port in use for e-mails on both devices is 587.  So that doesn't seem to be the problem there.  

[csphil1]

I just changed the router's firewall security to Minimum (was on Medium).  All my iCloud e-mails came flooding into my iPod!  So thanks very much for the suggestion.  My only remaining question is whether this is an adeqaute level of security.  Hope so...

[smith6612]

Minimal is enough security for many cases. NAT typically takes care of anything not known to the router coming in, and the Firewall is still providing protection against common Internet noise. Glad to hear you resolved the issue with your iPod! 🙂