topic Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby??? in Email

Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:06:41 GMT

I was migrated to Greenby on 3rd December.

I have found out by trial and error how to get incoming mail on Greenby's web mail reader.

It seems that Thunderbird can SEND emails with no modification.

Regards incoming emails - I have tried some suggestions on these boards - but the result is either password not recognised, no access to server, computer says no.

I actually prefer to use POP3 so am hoping to restore this service ASAP.

I notice logging on to the Greenby email reader that even that has 3 accounts for me - one with nothing in it, one with 3 emails, and one which is obviosly my ongoing Greenby ID - currently up to 183 emails.

What do I do? (short of changing to GMail or Yahoo? [both of these are apparently discouraging Thunderbird type access from next year]

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:32:39 GMT

Just add that messing around with the incoming email settings on Thunderbird has now stopped any emails being SENT as well as received.

So F9/Greenby have electrically castrated me. Ta very much boys.

I am already deaf - now blind as well.

A valued vulnerable customer here.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 15:53:40 GMT

Funnily enough a bit of Googling reveals PlusNet customers having this problem discussing it on the EE boards.

No doubt because (like me) they've been told if you want to keep your land line CHANGE TO EE

https://community.ee.co.uk/t5/Broadband-Landline/Email-client-problems-since-Free-online-changed-to-Greenby/td-p/1581657

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

emardee — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:49:40 GMT

Greenby prefer the account name in the format of your email address, rather than the Plusnet preference of accountname+mailbox. So I would double check if you have that correct everywhere in your Thunderbird settings.

If that doesn't work, then you might need to change that mailbox password in Greenby, and then use new password in Thunderbird.

When several of my mailboxes stopped working in email clients upon migration, the solution was to login to Greenby Portal Page https://greenby.com and change the password for each not working mailbox. (three dots menu to the right of the mailbox in the list). Once I chose a new secure password (needs to be quite long and complex) then I was able to get my Outlook and other email clients working again. For some reason Greenby didn't like some of the migrated passwords, so those accounts will probably not get email until the password is reset. Might only affect a few customers, but it is annoying for those customers! At least it had a simple fix.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

emardee — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 22:52:04 GMT

But if you post your current Thunderbird settings, someone might be able to spot the issue or setting that needs changing.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:44:00 GMT

Will try - but right now this morning I can't even get into webmail

all I get is this - and freeze/non action: https://webmail.greenby.com/?task=mail

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 08:49:49 GMT

Interesting tip there.

Now that webmail is finally up I can look at that.

Certainly my my main email box password would not be secure by Greenby standards.

Be back after I've tried your idea.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

emardee — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 09:14:33 GMT

I'd try changing the account login from accountname+mailbox format to email address format first... (for the account name everywhere in Thunderbird). Then only change the password next, if changing account login in Thunderbird doesn't work. Then if still stuck, report back with all your Thunderbird settings. Good luck.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:54:05 GMT

Just tried a test SEND and it worked - with the old settings:

SMTP server

xxx.@xxx.f9.co.uk

relay.force9.net

Port 25

I'm going for a walk to clear my head - then will attend to incoming settings

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

spsmiler — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:08:40 GMT

I can send and receive message using Thunderbird. That said, I aged a month in the process!

I do not have access to that software at this moment but will aim to do so later today.

Below are some general notes that I added to a different message on Saturday. This *might* help.

Simon

-----------------------------------------------

For security reasons (as this is a public forum) 'username' replaces my real Plusnet user name

Username: simon@username.f9.co.uk

Password: Use the email account`s password

incoming Server: imap.force9.net

Protocol IMAP (encryption enabled)

IMAP PORT: 993

Outgoing Server: relay.force9.net

SMTP PORT: 465(encryption enabled)

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

spsmiler — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 23:09:37 GMT

Within Thunderbird.... I click 'edit' on the file menu and then 'account settings'. (This is on a computer running Linux Mint)

If you do not have the menu with 'edit' at the top then you are probably using one of the newer versions of Windows - you should be able to right-click the words on the top line of the folders list and select settings (the bottom option)

Within the Account Settings I have...

Account name: imap.force9.net (this is my email account name on this computer - you can choose a different name if you wish .... this is the name at the top of the folders list)

Default Identity has several boxes for you to add required information:

Your Name: (I just have my first name, what goes in here is for you to choose)

Email address: your full email address eg: simon@username.f9.co.uk
(username = is where you add your plusnet user name)

(the other boxes you can leave blank, unless you need the extra information adding)

Near the bottom of the dialogue box, the outgoing server (SMTP) will possibly show 'Use Default Server'. As I have several email accounts what I see here might be different than what people who only have one email account will see.

Now click the SMTP server button.

The description box is empty
The server name is: relay.force9.net
The port is 587

The security and Authentication options should be:
Connection Security: STARTTLS
Authentication Method: Normal Password
User Name - your full email address eg: simon@username.f9.co.uk

Click OK and come out of that dialogue box

Ignore 'manage identities'.

Now click the words 'server settings' on the list (on the left). This opens a dialogue box for receiving mail

Server type - IMAP Mail Server (this cannot be changed here)

Server Name should be: imap.force9.net

Username should be your email address:

PORT: 993
Security settings: SSL/TLS
Authentication method: Normal Password

Click OK and try to send yourself an email

You will probably be asked to enter your password (I was). There should be an option to save this - so that you are not asked again. This is your choice. Note however that if the computer is accessible to others then by having to enter the password every session it might stop unauthorised use by others. If this is a laptop it will also help prevent your account from being used if the laptop is stolen.

I hope this helps!

Simon

ps:,I did not say how to find and alter the passwords. The options are somewhere else. Took me ages to find them. I can share this too, if it is needed

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:13:59 GMT

After much fiddling about chopping and changing I was getting nowhere the last couple of days.

After I returned from the shops this afternoon emails had started coming in on Thunderbird (POP3) and the Greenby webmail was empty.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The current (now working) Thunderbird settings are:

account name: david@username.force9.co.uk

email address: as above

connection security NONE

Authentication method: password transmitted insecurely

Outgoing server (SMTP): david@username,force9.net (Default)

Server settings:

POP mail server: mail.force9.net

Username: username+david

Port 110

SMPT server:

david@username.force9.net

server name: relay.force9.net

Port 25

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Maybe this is of some use to someone?

The only changes from the orginal setting seem to be account name changed from .net to .co.uk

AND POP username now username+david

NB Ports are as they always have been

I think you mentioned the other points.

Not sure why it only started working today.

Maybe Greenby system updates overnight?

Anyway back to normal - touch wood.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

Townman — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 18:57:45 GMT

@ColdharbourDave

Those are very much the wrong settings. Walking away from using encryption is VERY UNWISE - users should NOT follow that advice.

The correct settings are...

Username: Email address

IMAP: imap.force9.net port 993 encryption TLS/SSL

POP3: mail.force9.net port 995 encryption TLS/SSL

SMTP: relay.force9.net port 587 encryption STARTTLS

With the migrated service imap / mail / relay are actually unnecessary distinctions as they are all (presently) the same IP address.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:05:56 GMT

I've been through all that.

Your suggestion didn't work from 4th Dec to now. Or are you suggesting they will now?

I want working email thankyou. And I don't care about encryption.

The only time I've been scammed because of online is when my date of birth was on Facebook - and a conman from Kennington used my particulars to fraudulently open a BT mobile + landline account. BT allegedly lost £1,600 and I lost my credit rating with two banks.

This taught me to forego the pleasure of hundreds of people saying Happy Birthday via Facebook.

So what will happens if my email password is not encrypted then?

Is some criminal bot even now skimming the PlusNet bulletin boards looking for "vulnerabilities"

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

Townman — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 22:48:56 GMT

YOU might be content to not use encryption in YOUR circumstances, but it’s not a wise solution for broad implementation. I utterly doubt that (unless you are using obsolete software) dropping encryption fixed your issue; it will have been something coincidental.

Anyone who uses their device on a public network without encryption is at risk of having their messages / logins spied upon.

There are obsolete versions of email clients which do not support current encryption standards. There are (were) also issues with processing root certificates in some environments. In those circumstances the issue ought to be investigated, understood and resolved rather than suggesting than dropping encryption is a widespread solution.

In current times the Greenby advice is deeply flawed.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

ColdharbourDave — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:50:33 GMT

Listen Mr/Ms Superuser:

I may be a senile old buffer, but in my youth I worked for 13 years as an engineer for various ANALOGUE companies - Decca, Grundig, Dolby Laboratories, RS Components, Soundcraft, Soundtracs (now Digico)
So an electronic engineering approach is not alien to me.

We had a catch-phrase in electronic test engineering - "Suck it and see"

In the case of the settings I posted above, I am currently using them and THEY WORK

As regards whether my house and my PlusNet account is a "Public Network" - they are not.

My operating system is up-to-date Windows 11 Home - version 25H2

The Thunderbird software is also up to date:

Thunderbird Desktop

Version 140.6.0esr | Released December 9, 2025

You seem to be insisting that I have to revert to your suggested settings which DIDN'T WORK

Your further comments about obsolete software in public environments are apparently saying that my settings could cause other users to be hacked in Wetherspoons.

Be that as it may I need my Thunderbird email reader to work at home.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

Townman — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:02:19 GMT

Which is fine for you in your environment to your level of acceptable risk. It working for you is probably connected to some other coincidental factor, such as Thunderbird fixing its knicker elastic.

That does not make dropping encryption a wise decision for everyone else.

FWIW 35 years IT experience here delivering commercial IT services, including email from it’s inception.

Crystal radio sets still work, but one would not recommend their continued use.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

smeech — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 09:36:55 GMT

I've not had any problems with my previous settings, so I'm not keen to mess with them!

For information, I'm currently using:

IMAP: Server Name: imap.plus.net, Port 143, Connection security: None, Authentication: Password, transmitted insecurely
SMTP: Server Name: relay.plus.net, Port 587, Authentication: Normal password, Security: STARTTLS
My mobile device uses smtp,plus.net, for the latter

I'll go back and read the messages about security. Thank you.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

Townman — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 09:43:28 GMT

Using smtp.plus.net rather than the offical relay.plus.net will give rise to certificate mismatch warnings if encryption is set.

Not using encryption is not a wise choice: however if your software is obsolete and does not support current TLS standards then you might not have any other choice if you’re unwilling to purchase updated versions.

Re: Has anyone discovered how to modify Thunderbird to access Greenby???

smeech — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 10:01:49 GMT

Thank you - I'll look into both of those.

I was intrigued to see, on my first look at the Greenby webmail, that my All Mailboxes reports "Used 252 MB of 2GB". That is clearly just my Inbox. RoundCube reports folder sizes that match those in Thunderbird.

For years, I have run close to 800MB total and regularly used an imapsync script to move emails older than 15 months to another account, so it's nice to have more space.

I'll monitor behaviour and have a look at alternatives before I start paying £15pa in a couple of years, although it would save me changing my email address, and it's cheaper than the non-free options.