Cannot get new messages to download automatically and auto reply with out of office message have to manually check for new messages to get it to do this

Question

I am using Mozilla Thunderbird 31.3.0. I know how to create a message filter to set up an auto reply message, but cannot get Mozilla to automatically download new message and auto reply with the message in the filter unless I manually check for new messages, that is the only way to make it work. I have looked online and can't seem to find an answer to this particular issue. According to anything that I have found, I have the correct boxes checked in server settings: check for new messages at startup, automatically check for new messages, check for new messages every x amount of minutes. It's one thing to have to leave my computer on and Thunderbird open to make this work, but to have to manually check for new messages to get the auto response to work defeats the whole purpose of having an auto reply, as I use them for vacations, holidays, etc. I have wondered if there are any security settings that are causing this issue, but if so, I don't know what changes to make to them. Thanks in advance for any help. This is driving me crazy.

Answer 1

I do find it a bit odd that Thunderbird is not getting mail on schedule, perhaps you have an add-on or anti virus program that prevents that.
Holding shift while you start Thunderbird will start with add-ons disabled to check if mail come automatically.
Airmail is right though, use Verizons auto responder. This link might help with that http://www.verizon.com/support/residential/internet/highspeed/account+tools/email+tools/questionsone/85621.htm#
You say that not having such a setting in Thunderbird is something that needs fixing. This idea comes on the whole because Outlook has such an option. what most people are not aware of it only works with Exchange server. There is no "vacation response" in server mail specifications so every server implements it differently.
Just as all cars have a radiator, you can not take any radiator and just put it in, they are subtly different even though they perform the same purpose. Same goes for the various vacation responders, They perform the same purpose but they differ between email server software brands.
Thunderbird leaves it to the server end to expose the functionality, as they are really the only ones who understand what they did. Outlook exposes the option and mostly greys it out.