Mail settings - pop3 / smtp - Windows10 vs Windows11 - Outlook (classic)

[#1]

Cloudflare

What SMTP port should be used? Port 25, 587, or 465?

https://www.cloudflare.com/en-gb/learning/email-security/smtp-port-25-587/

Although port 465 is the recommended port for secure SMTP email transmission, some systems sometimes rely on ports 25, 587, or 2525.

Me? I'd just use the recommended settings, rather than rolling my own - which is what so many seem dedicated to doing.

But then, I don't use client email programs, so I can send and receive emails without any of these issues. 😊

[#2]

So reading that article

465 with SSL
Replaced by using 587 with starttls
And now (well since 2018) back to 465 but with implicit TLS.

No wonder there doesnt seem to be a single answer

[#3]

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@pvmb wrote:

@Penny 

"I also went to look on greenby - where all three accounts have migrated and are operational - and didn't discover anything that looked like server settings, ports, encryption or whatever, or would have copied them across."

But they are all there, listed on the Greenby portal under Email Settings:

Email Client Settings (From Greenby Portal)

Incoming Server Address imap.plus.net
Protocol IMAP
IMAP Port 993 (Encryption Enabled)

Outgoing Server Address relay.plus.net
SMTP Port 465 (Encryption Enabled)

If you prefer to use the POP protocol rather than IMAP then please use port 995 with Encryption turned on

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Do you by any chance have a link for the above settings (?)

I just went to look - again - to see if I could find them - and instead found this page: https://greenby.com/support/knowledgebase/article/29 

 So I tried those settings again - and this time it *worked* (for all three).  Had tried those - along with very many other combinations - several times, and again today, earlier.  What I think made the difference this time, was changing postmaster@ username.plus.com to username@ username.plus.com.

... so this might have been where I stuffed up previously (have always used postmaster@ or admin@, for previous mail set-ups).  On this occasion, the first plus.com site tried, the above 110/25 settings were not accepted and I simply changed postmaster@ to username@ ... and it worked, instantly.

... so I followed the same process for the other two - which also worked, instantly.

Subsequently (as Outlook had created new, separate, .pst files for each) I had to follow the sequence previously discovered - 

Start - Control Panel - small icons - Mail (Microsoft Outlook) - E-mail accounts - Email tab - click 'change folder' bottom left - next screen select New Outlook data file - and then (for me) disregard the offered Windows - Users - my name - documents - outlook files options (that MS Outlook presents), and instead click (on the left) Windows (C:) - (NAME) - aaa mail folders pst - and select from the three already-created .pst files for recent-years mail

... so as to group everything where it belonged, and then in Outlook right-click each of the surplus new folders to remove, but minor hassle compared with the long delays in getting these three accounts set up in the first place.

... and yes, they might even work now with encrypted settings, but disinclined to do any more tryouts, these will do perfectly fine as they are  😁   and they were never encrypted on the Windows 10 PC in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for the replies - and *soooo* glad this is all, finally, sorted, now.

.

[#4]

@Penny 

What I think made the difference this time, was changing postmaster@ username.plus.com to username@ username.plus.com.

... and yes, they might even work now with encrypted settings

Almost certainly the case. I would definitely try using encrypted settings. In this day & age its really not a good idea to be sending credentials unencrypted.

[#5]

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@Penny wrote:

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@pvmb wrote:

@Penny 

"I also went to look on greenby - where all three accounts have migrated and are operational - and didn't discover anything that looked like server settings, ports, encryption or whatever, or would have copied them across."

But they are all there, listed on the Greenby portal under Email Settings:

Email Client Settings (From Greenby Portal)

Incoming Server Address imap.plus.net
Protocol IMAP
IMAP Port 993 (Encryption Enabled)

Outgoing Server Address relay.plus.net
SMTP Port 465 (Encryption Enabled)

If you prefer to use the POP protocol rather than IMAP then please use port 995 with Encryption turned on

---

Do you by any chance have a link for the above settings (?)

---

Yes, they on on your Greenby account settings.

Log in to the Greenby.com portal and click on <Username>.plus.com : MANAGE

 Click SETTINGS tab

 Email Client Settings

[#6]

@pvmb 

The problem here is it's not mentioned which encryption should be used

POP3 port 995; IMAP port 993; SNMP port 465; all use SSL/TLS

SMTP port 587 uses STARTTLS

In the days of plusnet port 465 was only recommended where the email client used did not support STARTTLS

[#7]

As I said previously, I would simply use what was advised. However, as I also said previously, none of this affects me.

STARTTLS vs SSL vs TLS

https://mailtrap.io/blog/starttls-ssl-tls/

"Note: As STARTTLS doesn’t guarantee a secure connection, users should be discouraged from using it or use other measures in conjunction with STARTTLS, such as using strong authentication methods, encrypting the email content with end-to-end encryption (e.g., using PGP or S/MIME), auditing account permissions to prevent privilege creep, and verifying the digital signatures of email messages."

[#8]

@Dan_the_Van

In the days of plusnet port 465 was only recommended where the email client used did not support STARTTLS

Indeed, but i wonder if thats due to plusnet being around for so long

The outgoing server recommendation apparantly changed in 2018 back to port 465 however with TLS this time

I can only guess plusnet have remained with earlier recommendation of 587/Starttls?

[#9]

@njay Very strange that 465 is suggested - Mythic Beasts, who I would trust very strongly, certainly specify 587.

[#10]

@jab1

Yes, i was tempted to add that originally but decided not to extend discussion beyond plusnet vs greenby

Its really strange and i'm intrigued as to decision making of host providers either sticking with 587/Starttls or going with apparantly more recent recommendation of 465/TLS.

It guess it doesnt help that latest goes back to using port 465 (which doesnt appear to have been officially recommended when SSL was only option, prior to TLS) whereas if recommendation had specified a new port using TLS it would be clearer

[#11]

@njay not that it worries me, but I'm curious where the reversion to 465 (with or without encryption) comes from?

[#12]

@jab1

Article link in post 16

[#13]

Thanks, @njay . I think I'll stick with my MB suggested settings.

[#14]

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@jab1 wrote:

@njay Very strange that 465 is suggested - Mythic Beasts, who I would trust very strongly, certainly specify 587.

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So if Mythic Beasts specify port 587 on their systems, use port 587 on Mythic Beast systems!

[#15]

As they are my email provider, I will. And, as PN also reccomend 587, I will use it on my PN account (via Greenby) until I close it in December.