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RoadRunner Email Not Working? Here’s the Fix

· Updated August 27th, 2026 · Tips · 8 Min Read
RoadRunner Email Not Working? Here’s the Fix

In short: RoadRunner email is now run by Spectrum. Your @roadrunner.com or @rr.com address still works, but you sign in at Spectrum and your email app needs Spectrum’s current server settings on the charter.net domain. Most RoadRunner not working problems come down to the wrong settings, an old login or a password that needs resetting. The exact settings and steps are below.

First, RoadRunner is now Spectrum

Before troubleshooting, one fact explains most of these problems. RoadRunner was Time Warner Cable’s email service. Charter Communications bought Time Warner Cable and folded RoadRunner into Spectrum. The RoadRunner brand is gone, but the email addresses live on.

Your old @roadrunner.com, @rr.com, @twc.com or @charter.net address still sends and receives mail. What changed is where you sign in and the settings your email app needs. You now log in at Spectrum’s webmail rather than any RoadRunner site. Email apps also need Spectrum’s current server settings. Once you know that, most not working issues are quick to fix.

Justin Cener, Technical Executive at Corbett Software

Justin Cener
Technical Executive and Staff Writer, Corbett Software

“When someone says their RoadRunner email died, my first question is whether it fails on every device or just one. Every device points to the account or password. Just one points to settings. Nine times in ten it is the charter.net server detail people never hear about.”

Why your RoadRunner email stopped working

A short list of causes covers nearly every case. Knowing which one you have tells you which fix to try.

  • Wrong server settings. The most common cause. Apps set up years ago use outdated servers. Others enter spectrum.net when the servers actually use the charter.net domain.
  • Signing in at the wrong place. There is no RoadRunner login any more. You sign in through Spectrum.
  • A password that needs resetting after a security update, which then has to be updated in every email app.
  • A Spectrum server outage, which is out of your hands and just needs time.
  • A deactivated account. Spectrum has been closing some long unused legacy accounts. If sign-in fails on every device at once, this is the likely cause, not settings.

Fix it in this order

Work from the quickest and most likely fix down. This order clears most cases before the later steps.

  1. Sign in at Spectrum webmail. Confirm the account works at webmail.spectrum.net before touching the app. If it fails here on every device, the account or password is the issue, not settings.
  2. Fix the server settings. Use Spectrum’s charter.net servers, IMAP 993 and SMTP 587. See the table below.
  3. Reset the password. Reset it on the Spectrum site, then update it in every email app.
  4. Remove and re-add the account. A clean re-add clears lingering config errors on a phone.

The correct server settings (IMAP, POP and SMTP)

This is the fix that solves most cases, so it is worth getting exact. If your email app cannot send or receive, wrong server settings are almost always why. Note the servers use the charter.net domain, not spectrum.net, which is the detail that catches most people out.

Setting Incoming (IMAP) Outgoing (SMTP)
Server mobile.charter.net mobile.charter.net
Port 993 587
Security SSL or TLS on SSL or TLS on
Authentication Required Required
Username Full email address Full email address

Prefer POP3 over IMAP? Use mobile.charter.net on port 995 with SSL for incoming. The outgoing SMTP settings stay the same. Set the outgoing server to require authentication and to use the same sign-in as incoming. If your address is on an older regional domain, Spectrum’s webmail settings page lists the exact server for it, but the ports and security above stay the same.

Set it up in Outlook and Thunderbird

The automatic setup in most apps guesses the wrong servers for a legacy address, so add the account manually with the values above.

  1. In Outlook, go to File then Add Account, enter the address, choose Advanced setup or Let me set up manually, pick IMAP, then type the incoming and outgoing servers, ports and security from the table.
  2. In Thunderbird, go to Account Settings then Add Mail Account, enter the details, then when the automatic lookup fails click Configure manually and enter the same values.
  3. In both, make sure the outgoing server has authentication switched on and uses your full email address as the username.

Can send but not receive or the reverse

Which direction fails points straight to the cause:

  • You can send but not receive. Check the incoming IMAP server and port first. If those are right, the mailbox may be full. RoadRunner accounts have a storage limit, so once it is full the server bounces incoming mail back to the sender. Clear space in webmail and delivery resumes.
  • You can receive but not send. That is an outgoing server problem. Set SMTP to port 587 with authentication on and SSL or TLS enabled. Mail stuck in the outbox is nearly always the outgoing authentication setting.

Reset your password the current way

If the problem is a sign-in failure, reset the password through Spectrum, not any old RoadRunner page.

  1. Go to Spectrum.net and choose the sign-in option, then Forgot password.
  2. Enter your email address or username and verify your identity as prompted.
  3. Set a new strong password.
  4. Update that new password everywhere the account is set up, on your phone, your computer and any mail app, otherwise they will keep failing to connect.

Fix sending and sync on your phone

If webmail works but your phone will not send or update, the account on the device needs refreshing.

  1. Check the server settings on the phone against the table above, paying attention to the outgoing server and port 587.
  2. Make sure the outgoing server has authentication switched on, since mail stuck in the outbox is nearly always this.
  3. If it still fails, delete the account from the phone, which only removes it from the device and not from the server, then add it back with the correct settings.
  4. Confirm sync is turned on for the account so new mail comes through.

Keep your RoadRunner emails safe

There is one precaution worth taking once your email is working again. RoadRunner accounts are tied to a Spectrum subscription. Spectrum has been closing some long unused legacy accounts. If your account ever lapses or you cancel the service, you can lose access to years of mail. Keeping a local copy guards against that, as does moving the mailbox to an account you fully control.

The Corbett IMAP Migration Tool connects to your RoadRunner account over IMAP and copies the mailbox to another provider such as Gmail or Outlook. It can also save it straight to your PC, with the folder structure kept. It previews the mail first, filters by date or sender, then a free demo edition runs on every edition of Windows.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my RoadRunner email not working?

Most often because RoadRunner is now Spectrum and your app has outdated server settings. The other common cause is trying an old RoadRunner login. Sign in at Spectrum webmail to confirm the account works, then update your app to Spectrum’s current settings on the charter.net domain.

Is RoadRunner email still active in 2026?

Yes, existing addresses still work through Spectrum, though Spectrum has closed some long unused accounts. You cannot create a new RoadRunner address, but @roadrunner.com and @rr.com addresses continue to send and receive.

What are the correct RoadRunner email server settings?

Use mobile.charter.net for both incoming and outgoing, with IMAP on port 993 or POP on 995, plus SMTP on port 587, all with SSL or TLS on and authentication required. Enter your full email address as the username.

How do I reset my RoadRunner email password?

Reset it through the Spectrum website, not an old RoadRunner page. Choose Forgot password, verify your identity, set a new one, then update that password in every app where the account is set up.

Why can I receive but not send RoadRunner email?

That is an outgoing server problem. Check that SMTP is set to port 587 with authentication turned on and SSL or TLS enabled. Mail stuck in the outbox is nearly always the outgoing authentication setting.

Why can I send but not receive RoadRunner email?

Check the incoming IMAP server and port first. If they are correct, the mailbox may be full. RoadRunner accounts have a storage limit, so a full mailbox bounces incoming mail back to the sender until you clear space.