Thunderbird Configuration for IMAPS and SMTP

This section provides a tutorial example on how to configure Thunderbird to use IMAPS (IMAP over SSL) with normal password for incoming emails and SMTP with no authentication for outgoing emails.

If your mail server supports IMAPS (IMAP over SSL), you can also configure Thunderbird to use IMAPS for incoming emails.

For example, my email server, running Postfix and Dovecot, supports the following:

So here is what I did to configure Thunderbird with above server settings.

1. On my email server, make sure that Postfix and Dovecot are listening on those ports. Note that POP3 with SSL/TLS is also called POP3S.

herong$ nmap -T4 192.168.1.100

PORT     STATE SERVICE
25/tcp   open  smtp
993/tcp  open  imaps

2. On my email server, make sure that the firewall is open for those ports.

herong$ sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --list-all

public (active)
  services: cockpit dhcpv6-client ftp http imap imaps smtp smtps ssh

3. Now launch Thunderbird on the other computer.

4. Open "Set Up Your Existing Email Account" dialog box, by clicking "File > New > Existing Email Account".

5. Enter your name, email address and password.

6. Click "Configure manually". You see more settings.

7. Enter the following:

INCOMING:
  Protocol:       IMAP
  Server:         192.168.1.100
  Port:           993
  SSL:            SSL/TLS
  Authentication: Normal password
  Username:       herong

INCOMING:
  Protocol:       SMTP
  Server:         192.168.1.100
  Port:           25
  SSL:            None
  Authentication: No authentication
  Username:

8. Click "Re-test". Thunderbird will try to reach the email server and do some connection tests.

9. If the test is passed, click "Done" to save settings.

10. If you see the "Thunderbird failed to find the settings for your email account" warning, ignore it. And click "Advanced config" to save settings.

Configuration is done. You should be able to receive and send emails now.

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Introduction to Linux Systems

 Cockpit - Web Portal for Administrator

 Process Management

 Files and Directories

 Users and Groups

 File Systems

 Block Devices and Partitions

 LVM (Logical Volume Manager)

 Installing CentOS

 SELinux - Security-Enhanced Linux

 Network Connection on CentOS

 Internet Networking Tools

 SSH Protocol and ssh/scp Commands

 Software Package Manager on CentOS - DNF and YUM

 vsftpd - Very Secure FTP Daemon

 Postfix - Mail Transport Agent (MTA)

 Dovecot - IMAP and POP3 Server

Email Client Tools - Mail User Agents (MUA)

 "mailx" Command - Send and Read Emails

 "Alpine" - Terminal-Based Email Client

 Thunderbird Installation on macOS

 Thunderbird Configuration for POP3S and SMTP

 Thunderbird to Accept POP3S Certificate Exception

Thunderbird Configuration for IMAPS and SMTP

 Thunderbird Configuratin for SMTPS Service

 macOS Mail Auto Configuration

 macOS Mail Manual Configuration

 Accept Certificate Exception in macOS Mail

 Windows 10 Mail Configuration Failed

 SSL/TLS Connection Issue in Windows 10 Mail

 LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)

 Administrative Tasks

 References

 Full Version in PDF/EPUB