IA Modules eCommerce Documentation

Configuring your mail client

After you have created mailboxes using the Email Manager tool, you will need to configure a mail client program to check the mail

General Configuration

Your mail server accepts connections via POP3 or IMAP for retrieving mail. Your mail server allows SMTP connections to send mail. The system also comes with a free WebMail client for checking your mail on the go. The mail server address is any domain name you have pointed to the system, or even the IP address that you are given during installation.

POP3 vs. IMAP

POP3 connections connect to the mail server and download the mail to your local harddrive. If you organize your mail into folders, those folders are created on your local harddrive, not on the mail server. By default, this type of connection usually downloads the mail and deletes it from the server. This can be changed in the program's settings so that the messages are left on the server for a certain period of time.

To authentcate to either POP3 or IMAP, you must use the full email address as the username.

IMAP connections allow you to view mail on the server and organize it into folders on the server. This type of connection is best for people who check their mail from multiple computers, because the mail is not deleted from the server until you intentionally delete it. All mail folders, including your sent mail and trash are accessible from any program that can use IMAP.

Outgoing mail (SMTP)

ATTN: for outbound using IA you need to use port 25 and NOT authenticate for outbound
NOTE: Often residential dsl does block port 25. Often business class dsl does not block port 25.

Your mail server can accept mail to send to 3rd parties. Usually this is not neccesarily needed, since you can use the SMTP server of your Internet Service Provider, but it is an option. In fact, most DSL providers explicitly deny you access to any SMTP server other than their own. (this can be sidestepped by changing port numbers or other means, but we do not support those options). If your ISP blocks the SMTP port 25 then you will just have to use their mail server for outgoing mail. This is transparent to the recipients anyway, so is rarely a concern.

If you do use your mail server for outgoing mail, just remember that the SMTP server DOES NOT accept authentication. The server is configured to use the POP3 or IMAP login to also authenticate you to send mail. If you attempt to send login credentials during SMTP connections, the conection will fail.

WebMail Access

Your Virtual Private Server comes preinstalled with Open WebMail, an open source WebMail client. It uses a POP3 connection so folders created within it are only viewable in WebMail. To login to your mailbox using Open Webmail, navigate to your site address and add "/mail" to the end. example: http://www.mydomain.com/mail