topic Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration? in Email

Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

IMM — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 13:25:23 GMT

I know that the intention is that migration should be transparent to the user, however from posts here I can see that, in reality, that is not always the case.

So, my question is, will my email configuration migrate “nicely” or would I be better advised to change the configuration before migration?

My PlusNet account goes back to 2002 when the only email option I was told about was POP3 and the settings were given as:

POP3 (incoming mail) Server              mail.plus.net
POP3 login name                                accountname
POP3 Password                                   account password
SMPT (outgoing mail) Server               relay.plus.net
Your email address                              anythingyoulike@accountname.plus.com

So that is how I set it up. For my “main” email address I advertised me@accountname.plus.com but also used lots of other addresses when logging on to websites etc (as was recommended at the time when they could be sold on or hacked). However, in reality they all arrived in the default mailbox. (except for one address that I set up for my other half with its own mailbox wife@accountname.plus.com )

Over time, with the arrival of mobile computing and email on phones, I’ve changed to using IMAP instead of POP3 but the underlying email configuration is still the same. One mailbox for the other half and everything else going into the default mailbox. We use Outlook (classic) as our email clients. I feel reasonably confident that the other half’s email will migrate nicely as the logon info is just wife@accountname.plus.com with mailboxpassword as the password.

I’m slightly concerned that “my” email may not. The current settings I use are:

User Information
Your Name                              My Name
email address                           me@accountname.plus.com
Server Information
Account type                           IMAP
Incoming mail Server               imap.plus.net – 993 SSL/TLS
Outgoing mail Server (SMTP) relay.plus.net – 587 STARTTLS
Logon Information
User Name                              accountname
Password                                 Account Password

Will this still work after migration? I have a slight concern that as the user information email address does not match the default email address of accountname@accountname.plus.com this may not work after migration.

Sorry if this is a bit long.

Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:03:00 GMT

@IMM It will all work - or should do - the email account is transferred in its entirety, exactly as you have it now.

Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

Townman — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:48:05 GMT

@IMM

For posts here in the context of your question, there is nothing you can tell. The issues reported relate to the free-online and force9 services, not the plus.com service.

Free-online and Force9 have dual identities and different access credential flexibility than Plus.com.

Plus.com has yet to enter the migration: as you state the intention is that it should be transparent; that cannot be proven until it is proven to be not the case. You should change nothing unless there is an explicit instruction to do so; those users who have been detected to be using inappropriate server configurations have already been sent correction advice.

Your settings will only work for the default mailbox. You should use the email address as the userID in the authentication credentials.

Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

jab1 — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:02:16 GMT

@Townman I follow what you say above - I think - but if the account is transferred, surely that will include all mailboxes and relevant settings, or am I missing something obvious 😀 ?

Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

IMM — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:45:20 GMT

@Townman "Your settings will only work for the default mailbox. You should use the email address as the userID in the authentication credentials."

I think that's the point. For the email addresses that I use, they all go into the default mailbox which is the catch-all. So, it is the default mailbox that I want to collect mail from. However, when I send mail I want the “From” address to be me@accountname.plus.com, not accountname@accountname.plus.com. which is why the Outlook "email address" is set as me@accountname.plus.com. The settings I use at the moment work in the way I want them to. I was just a little concerned that Greenby may have their systems set up subtly differently and object to my current settings.

The email address me@accountname.plus.com does not have an associated mailbox (other than catch-all default) and therefore no mailboxpassword. Whilst I've never tried, I don't think it would work as the authentication credentials.

Re: Do I need to change my email settings before migration?

Townman — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:38:12 GMT

@IMM

The devil is always in the details - often the details not shared when asking a question.

There has indeed been some early issues with aliases and the catchall - these are thought to have been resolved, though I have not personally rerun reference tests. Again in the context of the question you asked, there is nothing in the users space which should or could be changed to address that gremlin.

I am in the same boat as yourself; I have lots of real mailboxes, defined aliases for many of them ... and many more implicit aliases via the catchall. The vast majority of my implicit aliases are not used for sending. Those with significant two-way traffic have distinct mailboxes, for example that for this forum, two charities of which I am a trustee and a few other OnS's (uneven numbers and clumps of turf).

It is to be hoped that the implicit and explicit aliases work correctly for both @account.plus.com and any hosted domain name.