Unable to authenticate and send email using a 3rd party app on a Mediacom provided IP address

[RandyD]

I have a home IP address in the 173.23.46.x subnet.  Since November 10, I cannot use any 3rd party email app on two android phones or my desktop computer when connected to the Mediacom provided IP address.  Previous to November 10 all 3rd party email apps worked okay for years. Now I keep getting an error of " Cannot verify account.  Server does not support authentication. "  However if I turn off WiFi on our phones and use Verizon cell data access, the 3rd party apps work and can authenticate, so my credentials are good.  If I use WiFI with a NordVPN connection, the 3rd party email apps work okay on my computer (hardwired not on WiFi) and cell phones in the house.

I noticed that every Mediacom address within the IP range of 173.16.0.0 to 173.31.255.255 is blocked on the pbl.spamhaus.org list.  According to Spamhaus.org having an IP address included in this Policy Blocklist (PBL) is standard for the vast majority of internet users and is not the result of my actions.  This listing is controlled by the Internet Service Provider, not Spamhaus.  Thus Mediacom put these IP addresses on the PBL.  Supposedly as a best practice so that users are forced to authenticate to an email  and cannot send email directly to the internet.

I am using the usual email server parameters which Mediacom publishes -

IMAP Server Settings - Authentication Required:
Type:         Server:       Encryption:         Port:
Incoming       mail.mediacombb.net     SSL    993
Outgoing       smtp.mediacombb.net       STARTTLS     587
If STARTTLS is Not Available:
Type:     Server:       Encryption:         Port: 
 Outgoing         smtp.mediacombb.net       SSL     465

Repeated conversations with Mediacom Total Care have gone nowhere.  They just say they do not troubleshoot 3rd party apps and will not help me or investigate my problem.  They just say to use the web app https://mail1.mediacombb.net to read/send email.

I cannot believe everyone else using a Mediacom IP address in this 173.16.0.0 to 173.31.255.255 range is also not able to send using a 3rd party email app.  So what am I doing wrong?

I have a friend in Minnesota using Mediacom, but has an IP address not in this range and he is not having problems with his 3rd party email app.

[gsteinert]

I have had the same problem since arriving in November. My service provider in Florida is Comcast in Illinois it is Mediacom. My email account is with Mediacom. Each are blaming each other along with stop using the third party "Outlook."  When I am connected to WiFi I can send but cannot receive but when I connect my computer to my hotspot on my iPhone I can send emails from Outlook "Verizon" - go figure. Tired of getting the run around.  

[RandyD]

I finally changed the MAC address and the Mediacom DHCP server gave me a new IP address.  Now sending/receiving works fine from a 3rd party app.   Still no one can tell me why my old IP address was blocked from sending email from any 3rd party app.  In my case I was going to buy a new router anyway that sits behind my cable modem.  That change provided the different MAC address.   I think in some cases you can alter the MAC address of your router to get a new IP address that might work.