When an OptusNet email account suddenly stops sending or receiving mail in classic Outlook, it does not always mean the email account itself has stopped working. Outlook may have gone offline, the saved password may no longer match, or the incoming and outgoing server settings may have changed or been entered incorrectly.
A useful way to approach this is to first find out whether the problem is with Optus email or only with Outlook. If your mailbox works normally in webmail, the Optus account is generally working and you can concentrate on Outlook.
Check whether your Optus email works outside Outlook
Open OptusNet webmail in your browser and sign in with your full OptusNet email address and password.
Send yourself a short test email and check whether it arrives.
If you cannot sign in to webmail, or webmail itself cannot send and receive, fix that problem with Optus first. Changing Outlook settings will not repair a mailbox that is not working at the provider.
If webmail works, continue with Outlook.
Make sure Outlook is not working offline
Open classic Outlook and look at the bottom of the window.
If you see Working Offline, Disconnected, or Trying to connect, select the Send/Receive tab and click Work Offline once to return Outlook to online mode.
Then click Send/Receive All Folders, or press F9.
Give Outlook a moment to check the mailbox.
Check for a message stuck in the Outbox
If receiving works but sending does not, open the Outbox.
A large attachment or a message that failed partway through sending can sometimes hold up the messages behind it. Delete the stuck message or move it back to Drafts, then try sending a simple email with no attachment.
Check your OptusNet password in Outlook
If you recently changed your OptusNet password, Outlook may still be trying to use the old one.
When Outlook asks for the password, enter the same password that successfully works in OptusNet webmail.
If Outlook repeatedly asks for the password even though webmail accepts it, check the account settings next.
Check the OptusNet mail server settings
In classic Outlook, go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings and select your OptusNet account.
For an IMAP account, the current OptusNet settings are:
- Incoming server: mail.optusnet.com.au
- Incoming port: 993
- Encryption: SSL/TLS
- Outgoing server: mail.optusnet.com.au
- Outgoing port: 587
- Encryption: STARTTLS
Port 465 with SSL/TLS can also be used for outgoing mail.
Your username should be your complete OptusNet email address, including @optusnet.com.au. The outgoing server also needs authentication.
Save the settings and restart Outlook.
If Outlook still will not send or receive
Restart the computer and open Outlook again. Then press F9 to test the account.
If webmail continues to work but Outlook does not, you can add the OptusNet account again using File > Add Account, choose the manual setup option, and enter the IMAP settings above.
Be careful before removing an old POP account, because some older POP setups can contain mail stored only on that computer. If you are unsure, leave the old account in place until the new connection is working.
Once a simple test message sends and appears back in your Inbox, Outlook is communicating with OptusNet normally again.
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