Webmail Interface Unreliable

[sameo416]

I've had this problem for years, but it's worse in the past few months.

It's nearly impossible to get a browser to connect to webmail. Sometimes webmail.shaw.ca won't even connect, more often the login screen appears with an 'unable to communicate with login server' warning. In the last few months I've been unable to connect with webmail for day long periods. 

Sometimes can get around this by reloading the page, making multiple attempts, closing and opening the browser. Other times it just keeps returning the unable to communicate.

Same story with 3 different browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox), 3 different computers using 2 different firewalls.

Wired/WiFi  connection. Everything else works fine. Can get email through a dedicated program no problem.

At the point of just giving up on the web interface all together as it is unreliable.

[mdk]

@sameo416 -- welcome to this peer-to-peer discussion forum, where volunteers try to help.

As to the error-message: unable to communicate with login server

there are many threads within this forum regarding this message.

Rather than quoting from those threads, please use the "search" function within this forum to read those other threads.

[sameo416]

Yup, of course I first searched for that error, and found nothing of assistance, which is why I posted here. Also looked at the support site and did the same thing.

This is not a typical inability to contact the server situation. ie, it’s not requiring a reset of my modem or checking cables or anything else that’s a typical tier 1 or2 response. Which is what those threads mostly discuss.

It’s an inconsistent inability to connect that seems random, except for worsening in the past few months with no config changes on my end.

Think the solution is to stop wasting time on the webmail interface as there’s clearly some kind of basic incompatibility.

[James10]

Shaw is going from good to worse to many managers and not enough customer service. Send a new modem in the mail rather then have someone deliver it. Maybe it time for the border to be opened up for cheaper plans. They may not have any better customer service but at least they do not charge for it in the monthly rate.

[mdk]

@sameo416 wrote: there’s clearly some kind of basic incompatibility

No, it is a performance issue between Shaw's "Webmail" server and Shaw's "Authentication" server.

When your credentials (ID/password) are sent to the Authentication server, and that server is "too slow" to respond, then the Webmail server tells you "unable to communicate" with the other server. For me, a second click on "login" works.

If you visit a friend's home, and knock once on their door, and there is no response, would you knock again, hoping to get a response, or would you just walk away?

[mdk]

@James10 -- Maybe it time for the border to be opened up 

That would be cool to have an IP-address (seemingly) inside the USA, to allow connections to HULU -- which does not allow Canadian IP-addresses to access their content.

There is also a "licensing" issue.  Some TV series are licensed for broadcast only inside the USA. An "extended" license to deliver that content into Canadian homes would need to be created.

Nice idea, but I doubt that it will happen.

[rstra]

@James10  Either way, someone will deliver the modem. 

You can try one of the discount third party internet providers if you want to save money. The only reason we stay with Shaw is for TV, which we will probably cancel at the end of our contract and move our internet to a third party. 

[James10]

To bad it takes a few days instead of a few hours or a day tops I used to work cable tv and in that day I had them in my truck or if out could get someone else to bring to them and install it. But then Shaw bought it out and Customer service went out the window.