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Home » Updates » IMAP » imap.comcast.net Not Responding: Why It Happens and How to Resolve It

imap.comcast.net Not Responding: Why It Happens and How to Resolve It

  Tej Pratap Shukla
Written By Tej Pratap Shukla
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Modified On November 26th, 2025
Reading Time 8 Min Read

If your Xfinity/Comcast email suddenly shows the error “imap.comcast.net not responding,” it means your mail app can’t connect to Comcast’s IMAP server. In past, I experienced this issue many times, and I found it usually occurs due to incorrect settings, network restrictions, or outdated passwords. 

Today, I’ll let you know the fixes I found and used to resolve the mail server imap comcast.net is not responding issue, so you can get your Comcast email working again.

Here you’ll get to know everything:

What Does imap.comcast.net Not Responding Mean

When your device displays this message, it indicates that your mail app cannot establish a stable connection to Comcast’s IMAP mail server:

According to my personal experience, this happens due to:

  • Incorrect incoming/outgoing mail settings
  • ISP or network blocks
  • Outdated password or missing app-specific password
  • Misconfigured SSL/TLS settings
  • IMAP authentication failed
  • Temporary Comcast server issues
  • Antivirus or firewall interference
  • Corrupted profile or mailbox

Before you panic, I recommend going through the troubleshooting methods below; these are the same steps I personally follow.

Mail Server IMAP Comcast.net is Not Responding? Correct Comcast (Xfinity) Email Settings

Whenever email stops responding, verify the server settings to resolve quickly. Even a minor typo can cause the “imap.comcast.net not responding” issue. So, the quickest fix is to check:

Incoming Mail (IMAP)

  • Server: imap.comcast.net
  • Port: 993
  • SSL: ON (SSL/TLS required)
  • Authentication: Password
  • Username: Full Xfinity email address
  • Password: Email password or app-specific password

Outgoing Mail (SMTP)

  • Server: smtp.comcast.net
  • Port: 587
  • Encryption: STARTTLS or “TLS” depending on your app
  • Authentication: Password required

If you found these settings don’t match exactly, your email will continue to show as a not responding error.

Top 10 Fixes I Use When imap.comcast.net Not Responding

Here are my personal tips and tricks, which I usually follow when I experience a “not working” error:

#1. Check Internet & Network Restrictions

First, try to load a website. If pages are slow or won’t open:

  • Restart router
  • Try switching from Wi-Fi to a mobile hotspot
  • Try a different network (if possible)

Some ISPs also block IMAP/SMTP ports. So, check that also.

#2. Ensure the Comcast Email Servers Are Not Down

Xfinity services occasionally face outages. In that case, verify:

  • Xfinity Status Center
  • Downdetector
  • Xfinity App alerts

If the issue is on their end, no settings will fix it; you have to wait.

#3. Remove and Re-add the Mail Account

If you found the imap.comcast.net not responding issue is not from their end, then removing and re-adding the service will solve the issue several times. For the same:

  • Sign out of the email account
  • Remove IMAP Account
  • Re-add it using the correct IMAP/SMTP settings

#4. Double-Check the Password

Xfinity sometimes forces a password reset after:

  • Suspicious logins
  • Email not used for 12+ months
  • Failed attempts

If the password is wrong, you will continuously see the not working error or time out.

So, log in to the Xfinity webmail portal to confirm the password works. If login fails here, the email app won’t connect.

#5. Disable the “Use GuessSmart” Feature, If Using Outlook

Outlook auto-detects wrong settings for Comcast. So, manually configure:

  • IMAP: 993 (SSL)
  • SMTP: 587 (STARTTLS)

Many Outlook profiles use port 465 incorrectly, which always leads to the “imap.comcast.net not responding” error. 

#6. Check SSL Certificates

If SSL is off, IMAP.comcast.net will time out. Verify:

  • SSL/TLS is enabled for IMAP 993
  • STARTTLS is enabled for SMTP 587

#7. Disable or Reconfigure Antivirus/Firewall

Some security apps block ports 993 or 587. You can test it by temporarily disabling Windows Defender firewall, or any other third-party antivirus or firewall you’re using. 

If email starts working, re-enable the firewall but add IMAP/SMTP exceptions.

#8. Update or Reinstall the Email Client

Older versions of mail apps will cause this error. So, update:

  • Outlook
  • Thunderbird
  • Mac Mail (macOS update)
  • iOS or Android

If that doesn’t help, reinstall the app.

#9. Use an App-Specific Password

If two-step verification is enabled in Xfinity, you must create an app-specific password.

For the same:

  • Open Xfinity My Account.
  • Then click on Security option > App Passwords

Use this password in Outlook, Thunderbird, and mobile apps.
This alone fixes your IMAP issues in seconds.

#10. Reset Network Settings on iPhone/Android

If mobile devices keep showing “IMAP server timeout or not responding,” reset network settings.

For iPhone:

  • Open Settings. 
  • Click on General > Transfer or Reset.
  • Press the Reset button.
  • Lastly, Reset Network Settings.

For Android:

  • Go to Settings.
  • Click on System > Reset.
  • Now, Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile & Bluetooth
Device-Specific imap.comcast.net Not Responding: Troubleshooting

Here’s what to check on each platform, i.e.

iPhone/iPad

  • Delete and re-add the Xfinity email account
  • Set IMAP port 993 with SSL
  • Set SMTP port 587 with STARTTLS
  • Turn off Wi-Fi Assist
  • Reset network settings

Apple Mail is sensitive to wrong SMTP authentication; you must ensure “Password Authentication” is enabled.

Android

  • IMAP security: SSL
  • SMTP security: STARTTLS
  • Battery saver OFF
  • Clear app cache
  • Re-add the account

Outlook (Windows/Mac)

Outlook is the most problematic client for Comcast email. I follow:

  1. File > Account Settings > Change
  2. Manually enter IMAP 993 + SSL
  3. Manually enter SMTP 587 + STARTTLS
  4. Disable auto-discovery
  5. Create a new Outlook profile if nothing works
Advanced Fixes for imap.comcast.net Not Responding Issue

If you’ve tried everything above, these deeper solutions will help you recover complex cases.

#A. Clear DNS Cache

Windows

ipconfig /flushdns

Mac

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

#B. Change DNS to Google or Cloudflare

Some DNS providers block Comcast’s server lookup. Switch to:

  • Google DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
  • Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1

#C. Check if the IP Is Blocked by Comcast SMTP

Sometimes, Comcast blocks outgoing traffic from suspicious or blacklisted IPs. Try switching to a:

  • Different Wi-Fi
  • Mobile hotspot
  • VPN

If the service runs perfectly after ensuring this, then your IP is not blocked.

When I Contact Comcast Support

After exhausting all steps to resolve imap.comcast.net not responding, I reached out to Xfinity support when:

  • Webmail works, but IMAP always fails or shows an “ imap-mail.outlook.com is not responding error
  • SMTP rejects the connection
  • Account shows “blocked for security reasons”
  • Server outage persists for hours
How to Prevent Data Loss During the Mail Server IMAP Comcast.net is Not Responding Issue

When the mail server becomes unresponsive, in that case, having a secure offline copy ensures access to critical data.

For the same, you can use Outlook, Thunderbird, or manually download tricks. But what if you need a complete, automated backup that doesn’t depend on any mail app or Comcast’s server status?

That’s where using a dedicated backup solution becomes essential, especially if you manage large mailboxes. To do so, I personally use the SysTools IMAP Backup Software, which is extremely useful. It lets you back up your Comcast, Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo, and all other IMAP-enabled accounts directly to your computer without depending on server availability.

It helps if you’re facing:

  • Delays while connecting to imap.comcast.net
  • IMAP timeouts
  • Frequent Cannot Connect to Server errors
  • Mailbox inaccessibility

Then, having a local backup protects you from downtime and ensures business continuity.

Author’s Verdict

After this discussion, one thing is clear that the “imap.comcast.net not responding” errors are mainly caused by incorrect settings or SSL issues. The methods I shared above will help to get the mail server imap comcast.net is not responding, resolved within minutes. 

You can also read my other troubleshooting guides, like Zimbra not working, Bluemail not working, and more.

People Also Ask
  1. What does “imap.comcast.net not responding” mean?

It means your email app can’t connect to Comcast’s IMAP server due to incorrect settings or network problems.

  1. What IMAP settings are required for Comcast email?
  • Server: imap.comcast.net
  • Port: 993
  • Security: SSL/TLS
  • Username: Full email address
  • Password: Email or app-specific password
  1. Why does Comcast email stop working on my iPhone?

Common reasons include:

  • Wrong ports
  • Outdated passwords
  • Disabled SSL
  • Network issues 

To fix this issue, re-add the account. 

  1. How do I fix this error in Outlook?

Manually set:

  • IMAP: 993 (SSL)
  • SMTP: 587 (STARTTLS)

You can recreate the Outlook profile if syncing still fails.

  1. Do I need an app-specific password for Comcast?

Yes, if two-factor authentication is on. Apps like Outlook and Thunderbird won’t connect without an app-specific password.