What is the “You may have exceeded the maximum number of connections to this server” error?

When checking your email, you may sometimes see an error message stating, “You may have exceeded the maximum number of connections to this server.” This is because email servers are usually protected with rules that limit the number of concurrent connections from each IP address.

If you try to connect to your email using multiple computers with multiple email clients, you can exceed the maximum number of permitted connections.

However, this is only a temporary restriction. To resolve the error, all you need to do is reduce the number of concurrent connections by closing your mail applications. Once the number of connections drops below the limit, you’ll be able to reaccess your email.

If you still receive the error, try adjusting your email client settings to reduce the number of cached connections. We’ll walk you through the steps for how to do this in Mozilla Thunderbird.

  1. In Mozilla Thunderbird, click on Tools > Account Settings.

Thunderbird account settings menu

2. Select your account, then click Server Settings.

Thunderbird account settings

3. Click Advanced and find the Maximum number of server connections to the cache option. 

4. Set this to 3, or go even lower if you continue to experience issues.

Thunderbird advanced settings

If you need help with your HostPapa account, please open a support ticket from your dashboard.

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