Generic Email Settings

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To see a more detailed answer customized for you, type your e-mail address here:

If the email program you use isn't listed on the Setting Up An Email Program page, the information below will help you configure it.

Be sure that you've created the email mailbox before configuring your email program.

On this page:

Incoming IMAP email settings

These instructions are generic examples.

Please enter your email address in the box at the top of this page to see the correct settings.

We recommend IMAP for incoming connections on modern mail programs. You can use these settings to receive email using IMAP:

  • Server name: mail.tigertech.net
  • E-mail address: address@example.com
  • Username or login name: address@example.com (all lowercase)
  • Password: your email password (which may be different from your master account password)

It's correct for the username and the email address to be the same. The username must be all lowercase.

Optionally, your mail program may support TLS security encryption (previously known as “SSL”) for incoming mail. If so, you can turn on that option. The “port number” depends on the type of encryption your program uses:

  • IMAP with no encryption, or with “STARTTLS” encryption: port 143
  • IMAP with implicit (forced) TLS encryption: port 993

If your mail program has an option to use something called "Secure Password Authentication", be sure not to use it. It would enable a setting that works only with certain brands of mail servers, but breaks compatibility with other mail servers, including the ones we use. It is not required for security.

Incoming POP3 email settings

These instructions are generic examples.

Please enter your email address in the box at the top of this page to see the correct settings.

We don’t usually recommend POP3 for incoming mail; IMAP is a better choice. However, you can use these settings to receive email using POP3 if you need to:

  • Server name: mail.tigertech.net
  • E-mail address: address@example.com
  • Username or login name: address@example.com (all lowercase)
  • Password: your email password (which may be different from your master account password)

It's correct for the username and the email address to be the same. The username must be all lowercase.

Optionally, your mail program may support TLS security encryption (previously known as “SSL”) for incoming mail. If so, you can turn on that option. The “port number” depends on the type of encryption your program uses:

  • POP3 with no encryption, or with “STARTTLS” encryption: port 110
  • POP3 with implicit (forced) TLS encryption: port 995

If your mail program has an option to use something called "Secure Password Authentication", be sure not to use it. It would enable a setting that works only with certain brands of mail servers, but breaks compatibility with other mail servers, including the ones we use. It is not required for security.

Outgoing SMTP email settings

These instructions are generic examples.

Please enter your email address in the box at the top of this page to see the correct settings.

Use these settings to send email:

  • Server name: mail.tigertech.net
  • Turn on the "server requires authentication" option (sometimes called "SMTP AUTH" or "SASL AUTH").
  • Username or login name: address@example.com (all lowercase)
  • Password: your email password (which may be different from your master account password)

Optionally, your mail program may support TLS security encryption (previously known as “SSL”) for outgoing mail. If so, you can turn on that option. The “port number” depends on the type of encryption your program uses:

  • Outgoing SMTP with no encryption, or with “STARTTLS” encryption: port 587
  • Outgoing SMTP with implicit (forced) TLS encryption: port 465

Can I send outgoing mail without using server authentication?

Our servers only accept outgoing mail from programs that send your email password for authentication. This stops spammers from sending mail using your account. All popular mail programs support server authentication.

We occasionally hear about devices such as an "all-in-one" copier (fax / scanner / printer) that acts like a mail program, but has no authentication option. Those devices are flawed and won't work with modern mail servers, including ours and Gmail, Yahoo mail, and so on.

In some cases, the free email address provided to you as part of your DSL, cable or dialup service may allow mail to be sent without authentication. You should contact your ISP to find out about that (and what settings to use).

Do you allow "POP before SMTP"?

We don't allow POP before SMTP. We used to allow it more than a decade ago, but it was unreliable and had security problems. We never officially recommended or supported it, and like most companies, we no longer offer it.

You should always use outgoing mail server authentication instead.

Summary of mail ports

Here is a summary of the mail ports available on our servers, which may be useful for technically advanced users:

Incoming mail

  • 110: POP (STARTTLS encryption optional)
  • 143: IMAP (STARTTLS encryption optional)
  • 993: IMAP (TLS encryption required)
  • 995: POP (TLS encryption required)

Outgoing mail

  • 587: SMTP (STARTTLS encryption optional)
  • 465: SMTP (TLS encryption required)