Password/Authentication (5.2 and newer)

Issue:

Since upgrading to Macintosh Eudora Version 5.2 and newer, I get errors when I try to check mail. Mail checks worked just fine in the previous version.

Solution:

This problem is most likely caused by the newly-introduced authentication mechanisms added to Eudora for POP connections. Prior to Eudora 5.2 and newer, these authentication mechanisms were supported only for IMAP and SMTP. The new SASL authentication uses "CRAM-MD5", "LOGIN" or "PLAIN".

The error you are seeing is most likely caused by one of the following:

1) The server advertises that it supports an authentication mechanism that it does not actually support.

2) The server advertises that it supports an authentication mechanism, but has implemented the mechanism incorrectly.

3) The server advertises that it supports an authentication mechanism, but the mechanism is disabled for your account (CommuniGate servers are known to do this).

4) Your username and/or password is not correct (not likely if previous Eudora versions worked correctly for your account).

WHAT TO DO TO FIX THIS:

The real solution to this problem is for the server to be fixed such that it correctly supports all authentication mechanisms it advertises. Since you probably have no control over the server, the following URLs will cause Eudora to "ignore" specific authentication mechanisms that the server advertises. Copy and paste one of the URLs below into a new message in Eudora and double click on the resulting URL.

To disable cram-md5:

<x-eudora-setting:12909=cram-md5>

To disable login:

<x-eudora-setting:12909=login>

To disable plain:

<x-eudora-setting:12909=plain>

You can mix and match mechanisms to disable. For example, to disable cram-md5 AND login:

<x-eudora-setting:12909=plain%20cram-md5>

NOTE:

If you do not know which mechanism is failing, you can either disable each one individually, then try to check mail, or you can turn on logging, reproduce the error, then look at the log to determine which mechanism failed. See http://www.eudora.com/techsupport/kb/1779hq.html for logging instructions.

WARNINGS:

Disabling an authentication mechanism in Eudora will disable that authentication mechanism for ALL protocols (ie. POP, SMTP and IMAP). If you disable cram-md5 to get POP (checking mail) working, you may not be able to SEND mail (if your server _REQUIRES_ cram-md5 to send mail). Since most servers permit multiple authentication mechanisms, chances are that you can still use login if cram-md5 has been disabled. The only way you will know for sure is to try.

EVEN MORE TECHIE STUFF:

These x-eudora-settings can be set on a Personality by Personality basis, so if only one Personality is having trouble checking mail, you can disable the authentication mechanism for just that Personality. Say, for example, you have a Personality called "workmail". To disable "PLAIN" authentication for that Personality, use this URL:

<x-eudora-setting:12909@workmail=plain> (obviously replace "workmail" in this URL with the name of your Personality).

Eudora adheres to RFC standards for SASL, see this website for more information http://www.iana.org/assignments/sasl-mechanisms, see for RFC 2555, RFC 1734 and RFC 1731.

KEYWORDS:EPMAC, MacOS 5.2.0.15, INVALID, USERID, PASSWORD, AUTH, CHECKING MAIL,platform=MacOS, SASL