Email client setup

How to configure your Mail client/software with the Gandi mail service 

Against SPAM, more and more Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are “blocking” “standard” Ports.           Start by using “Protected” Ports with SSL (receive) or SSL or STARTTLS (send) security.            

Differences between IMAP and POP

IMAP protocol 

The IMAP protocol is a protocol used for incoming (receiving) email. With the IMAP protocol, the email client (i.e. webmail or messaging software) simply reads messages directly from the server. These are only deleted when you delete them (or a software setting does so automatically) and the messages remain available to any other email client (on a different computer or phone for example), provided that all are configured in IMAP. 

This is the protocol to choose if you want to be able to consult your emails from several different machines. 

But be careful, as emails are not deleted, they take up storage space in your mailbox. We also recommend that you back them up regularly to make sure you don't lose them. 

POP protocol 

The POP protocol is a protocol used for receiving electronic mail. With this protocol, the email client (Thunderbird, Outlook, Mail, etc.) downloads emails locally (on your computer, smartphone) and then deletes them from the server. 

Your emails  are therefore only available on ONE machine .

This is the protocol to choose if you only consult your emails from a single machine and the storage space is not very important. 

However, remember to include these messages in your computer backups because the emails cannot be recovered on the server. 

Important: In all cases, a mail server is not a storage space. If your emails are important, don't just keep them on the server. Copy them regularly. Even if Gandi mail servers are configured to prevent data loss, the disks can become corrupted. The Gandi mail service being linked to your domain name, if it were to expire and be deleted (expiration, outgoing transfer), you would no longer have access to Emails only via our webmail and in the event of deletion of the domain name, only for a period of 7 days. 

Deleted emails can never be recovered for confidentiality reasons.

General configuration and settings 

Note: The most common problem for users unable to log in is that they are not using the full email address (name​@example​​.​com) as their username. 

The POP account allows you to “download” messages from the mail server to your computer. This is the most common and simplest configuration for configuring messaging software. 

The IMAP account allows you to access your messages directly on the server, as if you were going directly to the mail.gandi.net server. Emails are not stored locally (i.e. on your computer) with an IMAP account, which makes it very practical when the mailbox must be synchronized between several email clients (computer, smartphone, etc.). 

TLS: TLS is a newer and more secure security protocol than SSL. However, some software has difficulty managing the TLS protocol and displays a certificate warning during sending/receiving. If you get a message like this using TLS, it would be best to upgrade your application to the latest version. SSL: We still support SSL (3.0) but this protocol is no longer considered secure. We therefore recommend that you use the TLS protocol. 

Yourdomain.tld: When you see this expression replace it with your own domain name (as in “example.com”). 

A Mail forward cannot be configured in an email software, unlike your mailbox, for the simple reason that it is only a “shortcut” which redirects Emails to the real “mailbox.

POP/IMAP account 

Used for incoming emails (receiving emails). 

Incoming server name: mail.gandi.net 

Port: Leave the default port (110 for POP, 143 for IMAP, 995 for POP in SSL or 993 for IMAP in SSL). 

TLS or SSL: yes 

username: your full email address (​name​@​yourdomain.​tld​) 

password: enter the password you chose when creating the mailbox. 

SMTP account 

Used for outgoing Emails (sending Emails). 

Outgoing server name (SMTP): mail.gandi.net 

Port: 25, 465 (with SSL) or 587 (with STARTTLS) 

TLS or SSL: yes (except for port 25) 

SMTP authentication: yes, using the same parameters as for the server

If the Gandi SMTP does not work, use your Internet Service Provider's SMTP server instead. 

In this case remember to deactivate SMTP authentication because your ISP automatically identifies you via the IP address of your internet connection.