Unable to contact SMTP server...but only at night

[qtech]

Greetings all,
I have a customer with an older KM-C3225E who can scan to email just fine from 7:00am to 6:00pm, but then machine displays "unable to contact SMTP server" after 6:00 or 7:00pm (Eastern time zone, US). I checked Command Center and machine settings, but cannot find any time or timeout settings that may cause this. Customer thinks it's the machine, I think it's their offsite email server...anyone ever see this??
Thanks much,
Chris

[blackcat4866]

Set up Gmail, or a temporary email server to prove that your machine is fully functional. It won't be the machine.

I had a small office that was getting E010 communication errors erratically. Sometimes the email would go through but without an attachment. As an experiment I set up my laptop as an email relay. As a result every communication went through.

The interesting part of this is that the customer interpreted this as me refusing to fix his MFP. I simply told him that I am not providing his IT services. Well, eventually he hired somebody to set up an email relay on the receptionists PC. It worked perfectly ... except of course, when the receptionists PC was turned Off. Naturally, they called us, and I would tell them to turn back on the receptionists PC. That was our fault too.
=^..^=

[tmaged]

I wouldn't think they would do it, but if they shut off the DNS server or whatever is functioning as the gateway, it won't be able to get to the mail server. You could use the IP address to eliminate the DNS possibility.

[qtech]

Yes, thanks Tony; I did mention to them that there may be an offline or sleep issue with their server. I am using an IP address to access the email server, which was changed about 7 months ago by their IT guy for some reason; no issues before that change. Will try to contact him directly for more info.......

And thanks, 'cat, I am old school (think Sharp SF-740 with the 'oven' fuser), so will have to apply myself to set up temporary email server, but I am a student of the game, so it shouldn't be a problem.

(My, how far we have come in the past 30 years.....)

Much obliged,
Chris

[richs]

Have had a problem like this.Customer always blames machine and service provider always says their server is working fine.Thanks you gmail....you always save the day.

[NeoMatrix]

Some smaller business customers set their internet connected modems/routers to shut down after business hours.
Special after hours internet connections or custom firewall setting can be set inside the modem/routers configuration.

For access inside the modem/router :
WIM into 10.1.1.1 or 192.168.1.1
User: <admin>
pass: <password>


HTH