Email Server Settings and Ports Quick Reference Print

Who this is for

This page lists the server names, ports, and encryption settings for connecting any mail program or device to your Linuxweb-hosted email. It is the single reference to check when setting up a new mailbox, replacing a device, or troubleshooting a connection. For step-by-step setup instructions in a specific program, see the articles in our Software section, they all use the values below.

Server names

• Incoming mail server: mail.yourdomain.tld
• Outgoing mail server (SMTP): mail.yourdomain.tld

Replace yourdomain.tld with your own domain name. The incoming and outgoing server are the same.

Username and password

• Username: your full email address, for example name@yourdomain.tld. The part before the @ on its own will not work.
• Password: the mailbox password. This is set per mailbox, it is not your cPanel or client area password.
• Outgoing authentication must be enabled, using the same username and password as incoming. Without it, sending fails with a relay error, covered in our article on the 554 relay access denied error.

Incoming: IMAP (recommended)

• Port 993 with SSL/TLS encryption (recommended)
• Port 143 with STARTTLS, or unencrypted

IMAP keeps your mail on the server and synchronises it across all your devices, read a message on your phone and it shows as read on your computer. This is the right choice for almost everyone, and it is what our Software guides assume.

Incoming: POP3

• Port 995 with SSL/TLS encryption (recommended)
• Port 110 with STARTTLS, or unencrypted

POP3 downloads mail to one device and, in its default configuration, removes it from the server. Choose it only deliberately: it suits a single-computer setup where you want mail stored locally and server space kept empty. If you check mail on more than one device, use IMAP instead.

Outgoing: SMTP

• Port 587 with STARTTLS encryption (recommended)
• Port 465 with SSL/TLS encryption

Port 25 is closed on our servers and cannot be used for sending. If an old setup or device is configured for port 25, change it to 587.

Summary table

Good to know

• Use the encrypted ports unless you have a specific reason not to. They protect your password and your mail in transit. The unencrypted options exist for compatibility and for rare troubleshooting situations, not for everyday use.
• If you see a certificate or security warning when connecting with these settings, don't click past it blindly, see our Software article on SSL certificate warnings for what it means and the safe fix.
• Webmail needs none of this. Browsing to webmail works without any ports or server settings, which also makes it a quick way to confirm the mailbox itself is fine when a mail program refuses to connect.