Gmail server crashing or eMClient?

Is anyone else having issues with Gmail server? Or just me?
a stack of emails in the outbox that I haven’t noticed until just now… OMG.

13:12:46 [SMTP] MailClient.Accounts.SocketException: Connection failed due to the following reason: "A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond. [::ffff:74.125.128.108]:587" ---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException (10060): A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond. [::ffff:74.125.128.108]:587 at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.DoConnect(EndPoint endPointSnapshot, SocketAddress socketAddress) at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Connect(EndPoint remoteEP) at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Connect(IPAddress[] addresses, Int32 port) --- End of stack trace from previous location --- at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Connect(IPAddress[] addresses, Int32 port) at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.Connect(String host, Int32 port) at System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient.Connect(String hostname, Int32 port) at System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient..ctor(String hostname, Int32 port) at MailClient.Protocols.Smtp.SmtpSendCommand.Connect(WorkerStatus status) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at MailClient.Protocols.Smtp.SmtpSendCommand.Connect(WorkerStatus status) at MailClient.Protocols.Smtp.SmtpSendCommand.Execute(WorkerStatus status) at MailClient.Commands.Command.Process(WorkerStatus status) AccountId = d####5 AccountName = c#### RunInPlace = False EnqueuedStackTrace = at MailClient.Protocols.Smtp.SmtpAccount.<>c__DisplayClass5_0.<SendAsync>b__0() at MailClient.Protocols.Common.AccountBase.RunIfOnline(Action actionIfOnline, Action actionIfOffline) at MailClient.Protocols.Smtp.SmtpAccount.SendAsync(IEnumerable1 items, Action1 sentItem, Action1 completed, CancellationToken cancellationToken) at MailClient.Accounts.BindingAccountBase.SendInternal() at MailClient.Accounts.BindingAccountBase.Send() at MailClient.Accounts.AccountManager.SendAllInternal(Boolean checkIncludeInGlobalOperations) at MailClient.Accounts.AccountManager.SendAndReceiveAll(Boolean checkIncludeInGlobalOperations) at MailClient.UI.Forms.formMain.sendReceiveAll() at MailClient.UI.Forms.formMain.stripButton_Refresh_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e) at MailClient.Common.UI.Controls.ControlToolStrip.ControlToolStripButton.PerformClick() at MailClient.Common.UI.Controls.ControlToolStrip.ControlToolStripButton.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs e) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m) at MailClient.Common.UI.Controls.AutomationViewUserControl.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(HWND hWnd, MessageId msg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam) at Windows.Win32.PInvoke.DispatchMessage(MSG* lpMsg) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.Microsoft.Office.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(UIntPtr dwComponentID, msoloop uReason, Void* pvLoopData) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(msoloop reason, ApplicationContext context) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(msoloop reason, ApplicationContext context) at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(ApplicationContext context) at MailClient.Program.<>c.<Main>b__205_3() at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackDo(ThreadMethodEntry tme) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbackHelper(Object obj) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallback(ThreadMethodEntry tme) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.InvokeMarshaledCallbacks() at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m) at MailClient.Common.UI.Forms.BaseForm.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m) at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(HWND hWnd, MessageId msg, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam) at Xilium.CefGlue.Interop.libcef.run_message_loop() at MailClient.Program.Main(String[] args) GUIStatus_Exception_Reported = True SocketException ErrorCode = 10060 NativeErrorCode = 10060 SocketErrorCode = TimedOut

In case someone finds themselves here, before reading other posts about this… (like I should have started with)
The answer appears to be that I had a VPN connected and that was stopping the connection to SMTP.gmail.com, I disconnected SurfShark and away it went.

Suggestions based on this forum entry

Is there a way to make emClient work while the VPN is on?

I disconnected SurfShark and away it went.

Is there a way to make emClient work while the VPN is on?

Best to contact Surfshark technical support for assistance.