> Obviously there were/are restrictions at the first place.

I suspect this is the typical port 25 blocking.  Try using port 587 as an alternative to port 25 to see if this works for you.  If not, provide the SMTP host name you are using for more hints.

I've searched the forums and read every post I've been able to find related to this issue but have not come across anything that exactly fits with what I'm seeing.

As a starting point, I've used Pegasus for over a decade and around five years with no significant changes beyond Pegasus updates (same computer, ISP, email host, etc.).  Yesterday in the middle of the day Pegasus started reporting "15: Peer connect failure (the host has refused the connection)." for receiving (POP3) and sending (SMTP).  I could check my email using webmail but Pegasus would not connect.  Since then I have turned off all spam filters, firewalls, etc., confirmed settings in Pegasus were correct, did a log (see below), created session logs (Create Internet session logs), downloaded and re-installed Pegasus 4.51, and I have unplugged and re-started everything (cable modem, router, computer, etc.) but I still receive the same error message for both receiving (POP3) and sending (SMTP) email.  

 Here's the really odd thing though.  I did an online chat with our email host and he suggested that I try Thunderbird and see if that would work.  I downloaded Thunderbird, entered the exact same POP3/STMP information that I've had in Pegasus for years and Thunderbird worked perfectly.  However, I don't want to use Thunderbird; I want to use Pegasus as I've done for years.  

This is basically what the logs show over and over (server number/name changed but everything else is exactly as reported in the log):

 --- Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:26:16 ---

Connect to 'elh143.emailhost.com' port 110, timeout 90.

19:26:17.656 15: Peer connect failure (the host has refused the connection).

--- Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:04:58 ---

Connect to 'elh143.emailhost.com' port 25, timeout 120.

20:04:59.359 15: Peer connect failure (the host has refused the connection). 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very much appreciated.  I've tried checking, changing, etc. everything I can think of and just can't make any sense of this at all.  Why will Pegasus (the email client I've used for years) all of a sudden not work while Thunderbird (downloaded and installed yesterday . . . set to same ports, etc.) will?

 Thank You,

 Tom 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very much appreciated.  I've tried

checking, changing, etc. everything I can think of and just can't make

any sense of this at all.  Why will Pegasus (the email client I've used

for years) all of a sudden not work while Thunderbird (downloaded and

installed yesterday . . . set to same ports, etc.) will?

The host is rejecting me as well when I try to connect via telnet, I suspect there is some sort of anti-spam going on at the host level..  This really looks like something at the ISP is causing the problem.  As a test I can setup an account for you on my server to verify that this is a problem at the host not the client.  E-mail me at the e-mail address below.

I didn't expect this but the Comodo Firewall was keeping Pegasus from sending/receiving even after Comodo was closed.  I've used both Pegasus and Comodo for years so I didn't expect Comodo was the problem and I further thought that closing Comodo would disable any firewall activity but apparently that's not necessarily the case.

I stopped Comodo's Firewall from blocking Pegasus and that fixed the problem.

Tom 

I have been having similar problems and, we too, have been using Pegasus for many years.  Out of the blue we are unable to download new mail and are having to read it via webmail.  (We get the following messages: POP3 clients break here, they violate STD53; and "Connection timeout (no response from host)"

We have a new ISP and they are not aware of Pegasus, so were not able to offer much help - other than to suggest Thunderbird!!

I have downloaded the latest version of Pegasus, but still no success.  We do not have Comodo installed, but wonder if it could be another firewall??  However, nothing has been newly added.

I would appreciate any help and advice - please keep in mind I am not computer literate!

Thanks

Lesley

I have been having similar problems and, we too, have been using

Pegasus for many years.  Out of the blue we are unable to download new

mail and are having to read it via webmail.  (We get the following

messages: POP3 clients break here, they violate STD53; and "Connection

timeout (no response from host)"

Years after having used Pegaus Mail it has happened to me for the first time. The answer might be technically too simple, including it is the 'solution' as well
- I just want to encourage mobile / traveling Pegasus users not to search too far:

I am on a holiday, using W-LAN / WIFI access.

Sending mails did not work at the first place (the towns' public library),

but it worked form another W-LAN hotspot (the public residence for elderly people where they play cards and use computers).

Obviously there were/are restrictions at the first place.