So, I see a lot of folks are having TLS/SSL issues with the old Eudora as well as Hermes. I can't say much about Hermes, as I have not installed it yet.
However, as for Eudora 7.1, and earlier versions as far back as 5.1, I resolved these issues when gmail was acting up - changing certs, not updating them, etc.. I was constantly going theough the skull and crossbones "fix" but even that didn't work in the end.
I installed stunnel and have not seen any issues at all. For those who are interested read below:
Attached is a sample eudora.ini file, showing one gmail account using the old setup and the one with stunnel.
Attached is a second file showing the stunnel config file. You only need to see the first two parts: [gmail-pop3] and [gmail-smtp].
You will note that each server account has a corresponding local stunnel server address: 127.0.0.1, 127.0.0.2, 127.0.0.3.
For each server, the ports associated connecting to stunnel are standard 110 (pop3) and 25 (smtp). These are on the "accept" setting.
For each server, the ports connecting stunnel to the eventual server are those specific to your internet server. These are under the "connect" setting.
Tinker with these for your setup and you may just be rid of these issues. I will add that Eudora and Stunnel are totally portable. That is, to backup I simply copy the top level directory to my other system(s) and everything works just fine. I typically keep at least 8 backups spread over 3 backup systems. Yes, paranoid here as well.
Dear Arthur,
thank you for this information.
Actually, I knew about stunnel, but I never found some practical details about how to apply it to Eudora and I used the well know skull trick.
But you gave this piece of information to us now and therefore, I am going to test it to use in Eudora.
Neverheless, I think it is very important that the SSL module included in Eudora starts to work in all situations, which unfortunately it seems is not. I thought I was the only one with such problems, but it appears I am not alone.
Eudora usage is dwindling right for this reason, since few people know the skull trick, even fewer are capable or willing to study how to use stunnel.
They simply switch to Thunderbird, thinking and hoping that it is almost the same as Eudora. And it is not, but when they discover, it is too late.
I managed to trace back before it was too late and I am a diehard Eudora fan, but I see many colleagues still on Eudora doubting and our ICT people here press people to stop using it.
I am helping locally to stay under Eudora when certificates need to be updated, but this cannot last forever and Eudora/Hermes must get to the point where it supports TLS/SSL without tricks or kicks.
This is the most important point in my opinion to keep or extend again the user base of Eudora/Hermes. More than html support or other features, because intervenes at the root of the existence of such a program: securely receiveing and sending mails.
Good work to the team and thank you for the information (I will use them!)!
Last edit: Shado 2020-01-09
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
If it's not working for you, have you clearly documented the issue and reported here (for Pete) about what server is failing?
I have seen the reports that Charter and perhaps another host isn't working with the update, and seen that Pete (the developer of the Hermes QCSSL update) has confirmed that there is some issue affecting this server, which he is working on.
But I have also seen a much longer list of reports on the Eudora-Win email discussion list that say that the Hermes QCSSL resolved their problems, once they figured out how to install and configure it. (I'm one of them - my mail server dropped support for TLS 1.0, and installing the 4 Hermes QCSSL files successfully added support for TLS 1.1 and 1.2.)
So, I strongly encourage you to try out the QCSSL update if you haven't yet.
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Dear Zo,
of course I have tried the QCSSL update. Both in the update to original Eudora first form and in the latest Hermes package (by the way, I am running Eudora under Wine in Linux, and it still works well, apart some intermittent maneageable bomb. Anyway, I tested all the latest software also under Win7 in its own partition, no Vitual Environment).
Both work for all commercial providers in Italy (Tiscali, Libero, TIM), but not for my workplace server.
Therefore, the problem may reside in the code. I have tested everything at work and I have also enquired my ICT people to check if there is something particular running in our server, which it appears is not.
I have also posted this in the relevant thread here and I read Pete's commitment to solve the issue, which I welcome and support if he needs information from me (please ask me if useful!).
Fingers crossed!
Last edit: Shado 2020-01-09
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
So, I see a lot of folks are having TLS/SSL issues with the old Eudora as well as Hermes. I can't say much about Hermes, as I have not installed it yet.
However, as for Eudora 7.1, and earlier versions as far back as 5.1, I resolved these issues when gmail was acting up - changing certs, not updating them, etc.. I was constantly going theough the skull and crossbones "fix" but even that didn't work in the end.
I installed stunnel and have not seen any issues at all. For those who are interested read below:
Attached is a sample eudora.ini file, showing one gmail account using the old setup and the one with stunnel.
Attached is a second file showing the stunnel config file. You only need to see the first two parts: [gmail-pop3] and [gmail-smtp].
You will note that each server account has a corresponding local stunnel server address: 127.0.0.1, 127.0.0.2, 127.0.0.3.
For each server, the ports associated connecting to stunnel are standard 110 (pop3) and 25 (smtp). These are on the "accept" setting.
For each server, the ports connecting stunnel to the eventual server are those specific to your internet server. These are under the "connect" setting.
Tinker with these for your setup and you may just be rid of these issues. I will add that Eudora and Stunnel are totally portable. That is, to backup I simply copy the top level directory to my other system(s) and everything works just fine. I typically keep at least 8 backups spread over 3 backup systems. Yes, paranoid here as well.
For most users, the 4 files included in the Hermes QCSSL update eliminates the need for the stunnel workaround.
(A whole lot of users have checked in about their Hermes QCSSL successes on the Eudora-Win email discussion list: http://www.listmoms.net/eudora-win/index.html )
second file...
Dear Arthur,
thank you for this information.
Actually, I knew about stunnel, but I never found some practical details about how to apply it to Eudora and I used the well know skull trick.
But you gave this piece of information to us now and therefore, I am going to test it to use in Eudora.
Neverheless, I think it is very important that the SSL module included in Eudora starts to work in all situations, which unfortunately it seems is not. I thought I was the only one with such problems, but it appears I am not alone.
Eudora usage is dwindling right for this reason, since few people know the skull trick, even fewer are capable or willing to study how to use stunnel.
They simply switch to Thunderbird, thinking and hoping that it is almost the same as Eudora. And it is not, but when they discover, it is too late.
I managed to trace back before it was too late and I am a diehard Eudora fan, but I see many colleagues still on Eudora doubting and our ICT people here press people to stop using it.
I am helping locally to stay under Eudora when certificates need to be updated, but this cannot last forever and Eudora/Hermes must get to the point where it supports TLS/SSL without tricks or kicks.
This is the most important point in my opinion to keep or extend again the user base of Eudora/Hermes. More than html support or other features, because intervenes at the root of the existence of such a program: securely receiveing and sending mails.
Good work to the team and thank you for the information (I will use them!)!
Last edit: Shado 2020-01-09
Shado: Have you tried the Hermes QCSSL update?
If it's not working for you, have you clearly documented the issue and reported here (for Pete) about what server is failing?
I have seen the reports that Charter and perhaps another host isn't working with the update, and seen that Pete (the developer of the Hermes QCSSL update) has confirmed that there is some issue affecting this server, which he is working on.
But I have also seen a much longer list of reports on the Eudora-Win email discussion list that say that the Hermes QCSSL resolved their problems, once they figured out how to install and configure it. (I'm one of them - my mail server dropped support for TLS 1.0, and installing the 4 Hermes QCSSL files successfully added support for TLS 1.1 and 1.2.)
So, I strongly encourage you to try out the QCSSL update if you haven't yet.
Dear Zo,
of course I have tried the QCSSL update. Both in the update to original Eudora first form and in the latest Hermes package (by the way, I am running Eudora under Wine in Linux, and it still works well, apart some intermittent maneageable bomb. Anyway, I tested all the latest software also under Win7 in its own partition, no Vitual Environment).
Both work for all commercial providers in Italy (Tiscali, Libero, TIM), but not for my workplace server.
Therefore, the problem may reside in the code. I have tested everything at work and I have also enquired my ICT people to check if there is something particular running in our server, which it appears is not.
I have also posted this in the relevant thread here and I read Pete's commitment to solve the issue, which I welcome and support if he needs information from me (please ask me if useful!).
Fingers crossed!
Last edit: Shado 2020-01-09