Why does email take so long to be delivered sometimes?

Hi Leo
I've searched the 'net a bit for this, but haven't found specifics so far.
>> a. How long does e-mail delivery typically take? What are the most common ranges?

>> b. How long does it actually take (more and less) for the mailer-daemon at my e-mail host (or whoever) to find the addressee mailbox is full, the addressee is unknown or otherwise undeliverable? (such as address misspelled)

>> c. Where the addressee data seems valid, how long will the mailer-daemon at my e-mail host (or whoever) keep trying?

I've seen e-mail delivery taking from some seconds (less than about a half minute) to as much as days--but less than a week.
Once in a great while, I've received a message from a "MAILER-DAEMON" saying the daemon is finding some delay, but sending seems okay and the daemon will keep trying for some days; the daemon further explained that I needn't be concerned about it for now. The mail will either be delivered (with no further notice) or at the end I'll get a returned mail with some explanation that the destination seemed okay but wouldn't fully respond.

I found
"generally measured in seconds. It may only take 5 seconds or so"
http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/intotheinternet/email/06.htm
but no references, no date(s).

Answers to these questions might be of general interest to people frequently replying and to pen pals.

Thank you
R W-d

all of my clocks are set correctly, EXCEPT. yahoo email. I have been thro most of your imformation. ia there a simple way to set that I can understand? i am not a geru.
james

I met an american couple in Feb 2009 in Venice and I exchanged contact details with them. Shortly afterwards I sent them an email to which I never received a reply until now (March 2010). Without going into too much detail, he replied as if I'd just sent it which I thought was strange and when I queried why he was only now getting in touch he replied the email had just arrived and he'd replied as soon as he'd received it. I want to know how it is possible for an email to take more than a year to reach it's recipient? In the original email I sent I there was a photograph and a link to an online documentary that was quite politically sensitive. Could that have been the reason for the delay? I am in the UK and the recipients live in the USA.
It would be great if you could shed some light on this. Thanks.

I can not read my mail Why?

Please help me to read

I would like to know why it takes so long to get an email from my husband that is in the next room. I don't get them sometimes until the next day.

Basically the article you just commented on has that answer. Just because you're in the next room doesn't mean anything. The email you send still goes to your email provider (wherever they are), then to your husband's email provider (wherever they are) and then finally to your hiusband's computer.

15-Mar-2011

Hi Leo...

well, I've been making this Email since a long time ago, more than three months. but I still never get a notified by the website who's require an email approval for the verification. and I've sent a verification from the web over and over again, but I still haven't got one until now. why is that?
and I've been using another web to register too, and whenever it uses an email approval, the verification still never been sent on my email..

please answer this.. thank you very much..

Hard to say. Make sure that you're typing in your email address EXACTLY correct, and that the verifications aren't ending up in your spam folder.


Update: the email address you provided here was invalid and bounced. That would explain everything. Again, make absolutely certain you're using the correct email address.

15-Dec-2011

it takes me forever (15+ minutes) to get work emails in outlook whereas everyone else (with outlook) gets them in "normal" time.

I have had some issues with delayed emails on AOL recently (after many years without issue.) I first started to notice because my smartphone actually shows the time the email was sent. I've even run tests myself between different email accounts. The delays seem to be sporadic - and AOL haven't been much help. One thing I would like to ascertain though, is whether bulk emails arrive much later. Many of these arrive some hours after the time recorded as 'sent.'

Thank you for this site- it's helped be understand a number of things!!!

Keep up the excellent work!! ;-)