We are so used to using email on a daily basis that we don’t always remember the basis of its operation and therefore sometimes we encounter problems that seem more difficult to solve than they really are.
Let’s explain how the email service works and how to detect and resolve major errors.
Email is similar to postal mail.
In real life we write a letter on paper, the Post Office picks it up and leaves it in the recipient’s mailbox. The recipient opens his mailbox, looks at the letters and takes them home. Then opens the ones that interest you and throws directly into the trash those you recognize as "garbage".
When we write an email, it is sent via a mail service (SMTP or outgoing mail server) and arrives at our recipient’s mailbox, provided that all these conditions are met:
1) That mailbox exists
2) We have correctly written the address
3) There is enough space to store the weight of our shipment
If any of these requirements fail we will encounter a delivery error. This means that although our email service works, in real life it would be the postman, messages do not always arrive because we have been able to write the wrong address or maybe the mailbox of our friend is full and does not accept more letters. It is important, therefore, to attend the reasons that give us the "postman" when returning the letter.
When the recipient’s mailbox is full:
- User mailbox full.
- Mailbox is full.
- The user you are trying to reach is over quota.
- Mail quota exceeded.
Address unknown/not available:
- No mailbox here by that name.
- Invalid Domain Name (el nombre de dominio no es correcto).
- The domain name does not appear to be registered.
- Invalid address
- No such mailbox
- User unknown
- Account disabled
- User does not exist
- Mailbox unavailable
If we receive any of these messages, we already know that the error is not in our mail service but in yours. It is best to tell another address or phone to activate the account or empty the mailbox.
Another important issue is the use of webmail and how copies of messages are stored. If we understand this use properly, we can detect and avoid other types of problems.
First, we remind you that webmail is the service by which we access the email through a web page instead of a program in our system. Accessing by webmail, we are directly viewing our mailbox. For example, an address to consult webmail would be type: webmail.midominio.com
Cuando usamos un programa del sistema como Outlook Express o Windows Mail, lo más habitual es que lo hayamos configurado para que se descargue los correos que llegan a nuestro buzón (es la opción que viene marcada por defecto). En ese caso, al descargarlos, los mensajes desaparecen del buzón de correo donde estaban alojados físicamente y se guarda una copia en nuestro disco duro. Por lo tanto, si accedemos de nueva a webmail más tarde, no encontraremos los mensajes ya descargados.
If necessary, we have the option to configure the account so that leave a copy on the server for a time or indefinitely. It is an interesting option for cases where several users share the same account or a user has to check mail on different devices. But there is a danger that, because of limited capacity, mailboxes will become full and may reach their storage limit. If this happens, we will stop receiving messages in this mailbox. The «full mailbox error will occur and senders will find return messages like those mentioned above.
On the other hand, it is important to remember that if the webmail service works normally, the e-mail must also work in desktop programs (Outlook and similar). Errors in these programs, when webmail works, are usually due to bad account settings. If we also find messages that are sent but not just received, but no error is reported, it is most likely that they have gone to the folder of «spam. It is advisable to check the rules we have established for filtering spam and from time to time take a look at this folder to check that no messages we were waiting for have been leaked.
As for account settings, it is important that you read the instructions provided and write carefully when filling in the requested information. It is especially important that you write your name and email address correctly when registering your email account.
The first thing because it will be the sender that users will receive when they get your mail and if it is not what they expect it can cause mistrust. The second, because if it is miswritten, answering it can cause an error or even servers that check beforehand that it is correct and do not deliver the message. So please check every word when you set up your email account.
If you follow all these tips, you will surely avoid some other displeasure and you can really enjoy the utility of the email service.
